How to use a desktop as a router?

Question

I have an old desktop. Its got a modem input. Its online via dialup internet. I have a Highspeed ethernet wireless router but it has no telephone line input. The computer has an ethernet port. I know information is a two way highway. So my question is is there a way for me to use the ethernet port to broadcast the internet through my wireless router? its already plugged in. my laptop is connected to it already but no internet. HOW do I broadcast from the desktop?

Answer 1

If you have a router that has a dedicated WAN (wide area network, aka internet) then your laptop that is connected to the router wirelessly won't be able to get internet as the router does not see that ethernet line plugged into a LAN port as internet.



Go onto your machine with the dialup connection. Go to Network Connections if you are on XP, Network and Sharing Center if on windows 7 or vista. Once in Network and Sharing Center, on the left is a link "Change Adapter Setting" In there you will see at least two icons for Network connections that you have. One is your Dialup and one is your ethernet port, often called "Local Area Connection"



Select one of them and press and hold "ctrl" select the other one and then right click on one of them. Select "Bridge connection"



What this does is it tells your computer to bridge both connections together. Now your computer should be sharing your dialup connection through your ethernet port. Now plug your ethernet port into your WAN port on your router.



This might just fix you up, or it could take a little more tweaking on your routers GUI through your browser.

Answer 2

My configuration is only slightly different from what you are contemplating. On my old desktop, I run an Open Source product called "Smoothwall Express". It's intended to be a firewall, and works well as a firewall, but it also contains modem support, and will route IP traffic over an Ethernet port. Get it here:



http://www.smoothwall.org/



Two warnings: 1) It's a complete operating environment. You'll have to wipe out Windows on that old computer to install it. 2) I use it with an external modem. I don't know how well it will work with an internal modem.



You can then connect your Ethernet port to your Wi-Fi router (which will continue to operate as the router on your network). You'll probably need a "crossover cable".



I use this every day. It works well for me. But I don't use that old computer for anything else.



If you want to keep that old computer operational as a Windows machine, you may find "Internet Connection Sharing" more to your liking.

Answer 3

It is possible, but not practical.



You could share the dial-up connection on the PC and network that to the router via Ethernet.



The problem is the extremely slow speed of a dial up connection. A dial up modem has a maximum speed of 56Kbps and the FCC limits the connection to 52Kbps. Under realistic conditions your lucky if you get a consistent 48Kbps connection.



There is some speed loss involved in transferring packets of data around on a network. A 40Kbps Internet connection is not very useful for more than very limited Internet use, no heavy graphics, streaming audio or video, etc.



For comparison, a average low end DSL plan has a 1.5Mbps connection speed which is over 30 times faster. This speed is even marginal for networking, if you want to stream smooth video from the Internet.



Inexpensive broadband DSL plans are not much more expensive than dial up. You can get DSL in many areas for under $20 a month. The DSL modem can easily be connected to a wireless router to enable WiFi broadband in your entire home.



A lot will depend on what Internet providers are available in your specific area, and what levels of service they offer in that location.



For instance DSL Internet might be better in one city, and cable Internet options better in another. DSL is generally cheaper than cable Internet, however the cable plans are usually faster.



If you are interested in broadband Internet then go to a ISP comparison site that lets you input your address, http://isp1.us/find/ and compare the pricing and terms of the offers that are available in you area.



You'll want to pick the fastest plan that fits your budget. In some areas this can be 100Mbps+. But these high end broadband plans are expensive. You may find that something in the 1.5 to 20Mbps range might satisfy your needs at a much lower cost.



Good Luck

Answer 4

I'd say plug the router into the PC and then connect a wireless enable device by scanning for available wirless networks. If the desktop is online and the router is plugged into the eternet connection, you should have wireless!

Answer 5

You need to have a wireless NIC installed on your machine that will allow you to broadcast wifi signals otherwise you need to buy a wireless router.