# setup a home wifi-lan, share internet connection



## infra_red_dude (Jul 10, 2007)

somebody asked me how to setup a wifi home network. so i thot posting here wud be a good idea. i'm sorry if this has been posted earlier. i cudn't find it by search so i'm posting it.

do not be afraid on looking at the length of the tutorial. i've tried to be as descriptive as possible so that you do not haf any kinda confusion. read it once mebbe twice or thrice before attempting.

this tut. assumes that you wanna include a laptop and a desktop in ur home wifi network in the first part and share a net connection in the second part. i'm not discussing an ad-hoc connection here. its a normal wlan setup.

ok to create a home wlan you will need the following:
1) desktop wifi pci card/usb adaptor ~rs.1k
2) a wifi access point cum router (which has rj45 connectors to connect at least 1 ethernet cable). price ranges from about rs.2.5k to 5k. select the one which has at least 1 ethernet connector.
3) a normal ethernet cable to configure ur wifi router for the first time and also to troubleshoot. (a cross over won't do.. it shud be a normal cable.)
4) a wifi enabled laptop or a wifi adaptor (minipci or pcmcia) for a laptop widout wifi feature. ~rs.1k

lets go about configuring ur setup now.

right click on the wifi adaptor in network connection in windows OS (do lemme know if u use linux. proc will be a bit different) on ur laptop. then goto the tcp/ip protocol and enable the manual ip settings. set this laptop's ip as this: 192.168.1.4. it'll automatically fill in the subnet mask. do not bother abt the gateway and dns servers at the moment. now ur laptop wifi has the ip address of 192.168.1.4. do the same for ur desktop wifi adaptor properties and set its ip address to 192.168.1.5

u need to configure ur wifi router. if u haf any other device which connects thru rj45 connect then unplug it (e.g dsl modem/router). now simply connect the wifi router to ur laptop (or even desktop) thru the ethernet cable. usually all routers haf a default lan ip address of 192.168.1.1 (refer the manual as to what is its lan ip address if this doesn't work).

since u've connected ur wifi router to ur laptop's lan connection, goto ur fav. web browser on ur laptop and type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar. it'll ask for username and password. get these from the wifi router's manual. after entering those it'll display the router's config page. find the category lan/network and find the field that says ip address. it will most probably be 192.168.1.1 (or whatever says the manual). change it to 192.168.1.2. save, exit and then close ur web browser. then launch ur browser again and type 192.168.1.2 in the address. it'll again open the router's config page after asking for username and password. now save and logout.

you haf assigned an ip for 3 devices in ur home wifi. u need to secure ur network now. again goto the router's config -> wireless lan config page. now find the settings that says SSID. this is the network name. u may use the default one or give any name for ur network. note it down on a piece of paper. u may also disable the 'broadcast ssid' option to stop the router from announcing ur network all over the place for added security.

now comes the real security setup. there are three types of security algorithms availalbe in modern wifi routers: WEP, WPA, WPA2. i'd recommend selecting WPA or WPA2 as these are more secure than WEP. select either of them and then give a PSK (pre-shared key) in the network/security key option. let it haf a combination of numerals, upper case and lower case alphabets for better security. a key like ser89dME7da1we3 is a good idea!  note it down. save, logout, exit.... then log back in the same way to the config page and ensure whatever you did till now (ip changing, ssid, wpa psk etc.) haf been saved. ensure that logout, exit and then unplug the ethernet cable.

goto the wireless connection wizard in control panel in ur laptop. go thru the wizard and select connect to a network. it'll search for any available wireless connection. it'll now detect ur router wid the ssid u gave (if the ssid broadcast is not turned off). click on that network and select connect. u may need to key in the ssid in case you'd disabled 'ssid broadcast'. it will now ask for the WPA PSK. jus type in the same key that u set in the router config page and then allow it to connect to the wifi network. select save connection/connect automatically. you can now see a wireless network connected icon in the system tray. congrats! half the work is done now! do the same for the desktop. double congrats!! almost full work is done now!!! 

to share files you need to ensure that the 'server' service is enabled in auto mode in control panel>admn services>services. now goto my comp (on desktop), right click on it and selec properties. in the network tab under the computer name jus give a name to the laptop. in the workgroup option, give a name for the workgroup. lets say you've given the name 'mobile' as ur laptop's name and 'myhome' as the workgroup. note them down. now do the same for the desktop. but ensure that you give a DIFFERENT computer name, say 'fixed' to it. however, you need to give the SAME workgroup name to the desktop e.g 'myhome'. you may need to restart. 

now goto my computer/explorer. right click on the folder you wanna share in ur desktop/laptop and select the sharing tab. click 'i understand.....' to activate the sharing options. enable 'share this folder' option and give an identifier for it. then click ok. u will now see a hand emblem under that  folder. do the same for all folders/drives/printers on both ur laptop and ur desktop that u need to share. after that goto my network places/network and sharing (vista), you can now see the other computer/shared folders/printers etc. thats it! u are done! 

happy sharing 

the next part if for those who wanna share an always on a/dsl connection thru this wifi setup.

setup the modem to autodail mode (router mode, always on). now it'll mostly be hafing the ip address 192.168.1.1. connect it to ur laptop (or desktop) thru lan cable and type 192.168.1.1 in the address bar. enter the username and password as provided and then got the config page. ensure that it automatically dials and is in always on mode. also ensure that the ip address, subnet and dns are properly setup here. now save, logout and exit browser. disconnect the a/dsl modem from the laptop and connect it to one of the ethernet ports on the wifi router. 

some wifi routers will allow you to dial thru them. u can set it up from the wifi router's config page. but its better not to mess around and connect it automatically by modifying the a/dsl modem's config page. this will work wid all wifi routers regardless of whether the wifi router supports dialing or not.

you need to configure ur laptop and desktop now. goto the network settings> wifi card> properties (right click). select tcp/ip properties. now in the manual settings you need to fill in the details which you had left blank previsouly. enter gateway as 192.168.1.1 (the a/dsl modem's ip) and the primary dns server as again 192.168.1.1. click ok.. you may then hafta restart. do exactly same for ur desktop. thats it! everything's done..

happy surfing!


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## iMav (Jul 11, 2007)

1 question:

uncle is plannin to buy a wi-fi cam ... 

can i use

DSL-2640T: 802.11g Wireless ADSL Annex A Router with 4-port Ethernet 10/100M Ethernet switch

in place of ...

DWL 3200 AP	Wireless G Access Point - 108 Mbps
GLB 502T	ADSL Router

will it ensure me a lan and wi-fi network ...


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## infra_red_dude (Jul 11, 2007)

since its a wifi router cum 4 port ethernet hub wid an adsl modem... yes you can. then ur router becomes ur gateway.


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## iMav (Jul 11, 2007)

thanx ...


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## hackers2005.3721 (Jul 11, 2007)

u  r grt for a wonderfull  post  . but  it  would be beeter  if it was with  video  it will  be vr  nice addd onn bc  even  tought it isnt  its  nice


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## iMav (Jul 11, 2007)

hey infra a few screenshots would be helpful ...


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## infra_red_dude (Jul 11, 2007)

yeah man.. hafnt booted up into windows.. my vista basic trial has almost ended. so not booted into it. i'm deffering buying a license as my cuz' fren is in MS and he'll be giving me a basic license  hence waiting for that so that i can activate my vista basic. i'll surely upload some screenies. but plz gimme some time...


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## p900 (Jul 29, 2007)

hey infra... dat is sumthng great from ur side ... 
I wantd to know dat since i am using MTNL broadband in delhi . it connects with a D-link 502T modem , its a always ON connection . I want to go wireless now for my laptop nd desktop  . 
I want u to suggest me whch ROUTER nd whch adapter ( for desktop) shud i buy 
I need da best performance . I wud need ur help to configure it fully ... 

Plz help ... nd suggest Plzzz


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## infra_red_dude (Jul 30, 2007)

i use a linksys wrt54g ver.7.0. thats whats available in india now (tho u get ver.8.0 is US etc.). i find this router pretty fine. it retails for about 2.7k here and does a great job for me. plus if u are of the hacking kind then u can flash it wid a custom firmware (there are many availalbe wid more features, which u may not need for a basic setup).

secondly, the most widely available desktop wlan pci card is the dlink g510 here. cost me about 1k. i'm pretty happy wid both their performances 

for configuring it, jus follow this guide  no need of anything extra!


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## p900 (Jul 30, 2007)

THANKS A LOT BOSS ... I WUD BE REALLY GLAD IF U CUD GIVE ME YOUR CELL NUMBER , SO THAT I CAN CALL U UP IF I FACE SUM PROBLEM WHILE INSTALLATION . plz plz plz


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## RCuber (Oct 15, 2007)

can I get a good strength if router is placed on 1st floor and the laptop is diagonally opposite side of the ground floor. like the image below. I guess 802.11g has a indoor range of 38mt. 
*img140.imageshack.us/img140/8240/wifizk4.th.jpg


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 15, 2007)

That is something very subjective Charan. It depends on the walls, their thickness and other things will absorb or interfere with the signals. You need to look into that.

Practically its better to keep the router in the ground floor but at the highest point you can place it at. Plus if you can place the router near a window which is jus under the room at the first floor in which you place your laptop, it would be beneficial.


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## RCuber (Oct 15, 2007)

Ok the walls are very thick and we have marble flooring also , so I guess its very difficult to achive connectivity. may be running a ethernet cable to the ground floor from outside and connecting the routher there will do


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 15, 2007)

You can do one thing, get the wifi router with ethernet ports. First try the wireless connection. If it doesn't work then set up a wired lan connection.


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## iMav (Oct 15, 2007)

get urself the n std router that shud take care of ur scenario (from what iv been told by dlink representatives at an exhibition)


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 15, 2007)

That'll be costly, pal!


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## iMav (Oct 15, 2007)

n std is 9k while g is 3k for now


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 15, 2007)

Thats a lot of difference. It 3 times as costly. If anyone wants to buy 802.11n Access Points, I'd suggest to wait.


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## iMav (Oct 15, 2007)

n prices should come down to around 6k soon but wont go lower coz most machines for now support only g so g cant be phased out and will still be the more selling of the 2


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 15, 2007)

Actually 802.11n is so common in the US/Europe. Wonder why we still haf the G Std. here....


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## RCuber (Oct 16, 2007)

n released?   wiki says n will come out on sep 2008 *en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11

I will be going for that standard Linksys router


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## iMav (Oct 16, 2007)

dlink n hardware is avaible at croma and other electronic show rooms


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## RCuber (Oct 26, 2007)

is there any router which has a onboard USB port? I want to connect a USB HDD and use it as NAS.. If its not available then I have to go for Linksys WRT54G .. Apple Airport extream has a USB port also n draft specification but its too expensive about $175


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 26, 2007)

d-Link DI-624s, some Belkin models haf USB port. The Linksys wrt350n has support for NAS. But its an 802.11n router and costly. Availability is also an issue.


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## RCuber (Oct 26, 2007)

whats the approximate cost of the Dlink model


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 26, 2007)

The dlink model is again an 802.11n product. So its costly. It should retail for not less than 8k or so. Availability, as I said, could be a problem.


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## abhishek_del (Oct 27, 2007)

thanks man


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## sourav (Oct 28, 2007)

how many wireless lan supporting devices can be attached simultaneously to that linksys. i am thinking of connecting my desktop to it by ethernet wire and bsnl modem to it and my laptop by wireless.

i think u said that linksys provides 4 ethernet ports on it, so i think the above thing will not be a problem.


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 29, 2007)

4 Wired connections and theoretically unlimited wireless connections. However, I think I did mention in some thread that wrt54g can handle upto 70 wireless connections without any problems (speed of net is shared and depends on your broadband connection).


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## iMav (Oct 29, 2007)

ya ... this was my query some time back


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## sourav (Oct 29, 2007)

thanx


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## RCuber (Oct 31, 2007)

Ok finally I got a WRT54G today. Im having problem configuring the router.. 
the modems IP number is 192.168.1.1 and the IP of router is 192.168.1.2 
But I cannot do the basic setup.  the modem has DHCP enabled but still the router cannot detect it . 

BTW Internet Connection tyoe is "Static IP" in the router config rite?

EDIT: Now its working , thanks for the tip ANi  .. Will check with signal strength and range tmro 

Thanks a lot Anirudh for the help, I really appreciate your help


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## infra_red_dude (Oct 31, 2007)

Anytime


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## nix (Nov 1, 2007)

hi guys...
well i ve been having problems setting up a wifi connection at home... i have a linksys WRH54G wireless router and a laptop w/wifi. the prblem is , i dont know what kind of connection i have-static or dynamic or PPPOE or DSL or somethin else...i will tell you what i have. 

The ISP has provided me with a cable, i connect it to my desktop and click an icon, which the ISP created...w/its name. it has user and a p/w field...when i click connect, while connecting..it says "connecting through WAN miniport(PPPOE)" and then i am connected and can surf the web. when i connect the same n/w cable to the laptop, i cant browse...it says"limited or no connectivity". can you pls help me get around this prblem? i need tips on how to configure the router too...


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## infra_red_dude (Nov 1, 2007)

I'm confused. Is it a wired or a wireless connection? What are you trying to do?


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## nix (Nov 1, 2007)

ok, thanks infra...for looking into the problem...

so here's where i stand. i have an old desktop, a new lappy..want to make it wireless...have  a linksys router. currently, the ISP has created an icon in both desktop and laptop. its a "ISP name" new network icon. i can browse the net in both the computers if i connect the network cable to them. if i use the router..pages wont open. 

i had previously configured the router and could browse the net on the lappy in wifi mode..but due to some problems on their side...the ISP changed the kind of connection..before that they had given me a software called "24Online" and the ISP had configured the router...they had told me to enter all types of numbers in places i dont remember in the router configuration page. i did so and at that time it worked...for some time i used to use it that way...but later due to some problems on their side...they changed the connection type....i no longer have to use the "24 online" software..now there is just this icon
*img223.imageshack.us/img223/6947/68668912mt5.th.png

using this type of connection i can browse the net. but if i connect the n/w cable to router...it doesnt work. shoudl i do a fresh install for the router since the connection type is changed? how do i do that? 
i dont know where to start fixing this from...
i would appreciate your time helping me fix this problem...
thanks in advance...


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## infra_red_dude (Nov 1, 2007)

Oh ok Nikhil. You will need your ISP's help here. You will need to configure the modem in autodial mode and then connect it to your router.

Then follow this guide. It will be working fine. Get details like the username password, DNS etc. Then consult the user's manual of the modem to configure it to dial automaticaly as soon as its switched on.

Upon doing that follow this guide.


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## rajesh201985 (Nov 2, 2007)

@infra_red_dude
Dude i need ur helP..i got LINKSYS WRT54G and D-link G510 as i wanted to connect 3 computers (2 desktop and 1 laptop)
i got airtel broadband connection with modem Dlink 502t .i messed up with the settings i want to connect the internet to the main Pc with wire and other with the g510 and laptop got WI-FI buildin.

so what are changes should i make in the 502t modem and linksys so that i can share internet.At this time i am not able to configure the basic setup..I connected 1 off 4 ethernet port to the Main PC(in linksys).In the network settings i am getting a small yellow sigh as something is wrong 
And i also wanted how i can Port Forward (As i wanted this for my Utorrent)

plz help me as i cant take this anymore 
~~Rajesh~~


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## infra_red_dude (Nov 3, 2007)

OK, this is a pretty simple setup.

Logon to your router's web based config utility by connecting it to the computer via LAN. Type 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.2 or whatever the IP is in the browser. Change it to 192.168.1.2. Now unplug it.

You will need to configure the adsl modem in autodial mode (works best in this mode for this kinda setup). Connect it to the desktop as explained above. Type 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.2 or whatever the IP is in the browser. Change it to 192.168.1.1. Correctly enter the DNS etc. whatever needs to be edited to configure your modem in autodial mode. Refer to the airtel and modem manual for this. Now unplug it and connect it to one of the 4 LAN ports, NOT the broadband port, on the router.

Now set the IP of the desktop (the wired LAN adaptor) as 192.168.1.3, subnet as default given, gateway and DNS as 192.168.1.1 and connect it to one of the remaining 3 LAN ports on the router.

Set the IP of the desktop (the wirelss LAN adaptor) as 192.168.1.4, subnet as default given, gateway and DNS as 192.168.1.1. It should now detect the wireless network and connect to it. Entery the security key if you haf selected any.

Set the IP of the laptop (the wirelss LAN adaptor) as 192.168.1.5, subnet as default given, gateway and DNS as 192.168.1.1. It should now detect the wireless network and connect to it. Entery the security key if you haf selected any.

Thats it


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## rajesh201985 (Nov 3, 2007)

^^Thanks for the reply dude .It worked.Once again thanks for the Awesome reply
Dude can i use this to play games (if yes) in LAN .plz suggest few of them.U Rock

TIA
~~Rajesh~~


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## infra_red_dude (Nov 3, 2007)

Yes, you can use this setup to play multiplayer games. If you like FPS etc. try UT/Quake/Doom series. For RPG you can try Warcraft or Age of empires/mythology. For racing NFS etc.


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## bikdel (Nov 13, 2007)

hey can we play 2-player games via a wireless AD-HOC connection?

i think we can play it in wired with the use of cross-crimped cables.. isnt it?..

but i guess its not possible in wireless....

is there any emulator/software that will sit on TRAY, fool the OS into thinking it as normal wireless connection and let me play games??


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## infra_red_dude (Nov 15, 2007)

I'm sorry bikdel, I haf no idea regarding multiplayer games over ad-hoc connection. Someone else mebbe able to help you out.

But in a wired connection how can you play multiplayer games over cross crimped connection with such a kind of IP settings?


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## mail4kaja (Jul 11, 2008)

Hello Infra...

I have recently got a new ADSL cum Wi-Fi router from BSNL ( UTSTARCOM WA3002-g1 Wireless ADSL Router ). It has 4 ports.

I'm having a desktop & a laptop. I want to have my broadband always connected. It should be available to both my desktop & laptop (through Wi-Fi too).

Please help me how to configure my router, desktop & laptop.

With regards,
R Kaja Mohideen


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## infra_red_dude (Jul 11, 2008)

Hello Kaja,

I've never handled those BSNL wifi modem/routers - hereafter referred to as "device". I will however try to give you a general idea to set up the network.

Unless changed the device IP would be 192.168.1.1 and DHCP would be enabled. Get a normal LAN cable - RJ45 and connect it to either of the computers. Wait for the computer to get an IP from the device. Once its done, launch your web browser and type *192.168.1.1 in the address bar.

The next screen would prompt for the device username and password. It'll mostly be "admin" and "admin". Check the user manual for more details. After inputing the correct info the Device config page would open up. To connect automatically use the PPPoE mode in the WAN/DSL setup page. These pages would mostly be available in a frame on the left margin. Input the username and password assigned to you by BSNL. Goto the DHCP config and make sure its enabled. The wired part configuration is done.

For the wireless, goto the wireless tab and make sure Wireless is enabled. To prevent others from using you need to put in a network key. You can either select WPA or WPA2 network protection. You will need to provide a 16 character key. Make sure its a very loosely knit key with no relation between the characters or no recognizable words. That will give you the strongest protection. After this is done, Save and reboot the modem. Note this password/key down for immediate use.

I'm assuming you are using Windows. Goto the Network Center. On the desktop, right click on the LAN adapter and select Properties. Now in the first page, white area scroll down till you find TCP/IP. Select it and click on Advanced/Properties. Select Obtain an IP automatically. Do the same for DNS. Now repeat the procedure on your laptop but this time make sure you are changing this property for the Wireless LAN adapter in Network center and NOT wired/LAN adapter 

Connect the LAN cable to your PC. You PC should automatically connect to the net. Turn on the WiFi in your laptop and search for New networks. It should detect your home network. Select that and click Connect. You will be prompted for the Network Key. Enter it correctly. You should now be connected to the router and hence to the net. You can select to connect to this network automatically on startup by ticking the relevant option in the Connect dialog.

Hope it wasn't confusing. I've tried to explain everything in detail.


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## mikeon (Aug 11, 2008)

Hi can i use a wi fi modem/router, with a desktop pc and a laptop without any wires at all ? I mean no wires (ethernet) going to the router except for the phone line ? How reliable is such a network ?


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## infra_red_dude (Aug 12, 2008)

I do not quite understand what do you mean by using a router without wires. If what I got is correct, then you need a wireless setup with a router and a desktop and laptop. you can follow this tutorial and get wifi pci adaptor for the desktop to make it wireless enabled.


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## mikeon (Aug 12, 2008)

what i meant was can the desktop and pc both be wireless ? thus no wires are conncted to the router, is there a need for a singe wired connection for the router to function properly or can it work totally wireless ? and is a fully wireless network reliable ? because i don't have ethernet on my desktop, and need a card for it, instead I could also opt for a wi fi card for the same price right ? which one is better ?


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## infra_red_dude (Aug 16, 2008)

Yes, both can be wireless. Just get a wifi adapter - either a PCI card or a USB dongle. I've been using a fully wireless setup at home since an year without any problems. Wifi PCI cards for desktop is better than USB.


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## narangz (Aug 22, 2008)

I wrote an article on Wireless security. I am sharing the link here & I hope Ani won't mind:

*Secure your wireless network- Better safe than sorry*


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## infra_red_dude (Aug 24, 2008)

Of corz not! Why should I mind? Its all about sharing and learning  Thanks for the link, Rajbir  A valuable contribution!


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## narangz (Aug 24, 2008)

Thanks Ani


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## Sreekuttan (Oct 16, 2008)

thanks man..good information...


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## gmg9 (Nov 4, 2008)

i have local cable internet connection which connects directly to my lappy rj45 connector. the cable guy give me a static ip address with all details. its 24online. so everything is static. they also provide a software to install and connect using that. i connect to the internet through a weblogin page of my isp (the cyberoamclient s/w wont run in vista).
i have recently bought a d-link 2640T wifi+modem+router. what i want is, if it possible....

**connect that 24online's rj45 to my wifi router (it has 4 rj45) so that i can connect to internet through 24online wirelessly. got the idea. so i need to know how do i setup my router and vista for that.

pla reply back soon, as o am in very urgent need.
thx for help


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## infra_red_dude (Nov 4, 2008)

Your router will most prolly haf a WAN port. Connect the RJ45 there. Then open up the Router Web config page and Enable the login info. Put in the username and password there and the router should now be able to connect to the internet. 

To enable sharing , follow the rest of the tutorial.


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## gmg9 (Nov 4, 2008)

infra_red_dude said:


> Your router will most prolly haf a WAN port. Connect the RJ45 there. Then open up the Router Web config page and Enable the login info. Put in the username and password there and the router should now be able to connect to the internet.
> 
> To enable sharing , follow the rest of the tutorial.



thx for ur reply.
the d-link 2640t have 1 power+1 rj11(adsl)+4 rj45 ports. now i can connect to the internet, but the router page not showing when i try to connect 192.168.1.1 (default LAN ip or router). my conf as follows .........

router wan ip: 172.x.x.19 (self given) 
subnetmask: 255.255.255.0 (provided by isp)
gateway: 172.x.x.1 (provided by isp)
dns: 172.x.x.1 (provided by isp)

router lan ip: 192.168.1.1 (default)
subnetmask: 255.255.255.0 (default)

my laptop ip: 172.x.x.5 ( provided by iap)
subnetmask: 255.255.255.0 (provided by isp)
gateway: 172.x.x.1 (provided by isp)
dns: 172.x.x.1 (provided by isp)

the problem is that whenever i try to connect to router conf page it says "_(110) Connection timed out"_. i also disable the router's dhcp option. now i can connect to the internet but i cant access my d-link router's conf webpage.


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