Create a wireless network with windows?

[cringemaster]

I need help creating a wireless network under Windows XP and sharing an ethernet based connection over a wireless adapter, kind of like the Internet Sharing feature under OS X.

 

I have about 6 classmates who are going to need wireless access in out school lab and I have an old Ralink USB stick and I need to use it as a temporary wireless router. Under XP.

 

Any ideas? Thanks.

[Aurora]

There're a few ways to do this. Probably the easiest is to set up your wireless interface to accept ad-hoc connections, and then in 'Network Connections' create a bridge between that and your Ethernet interface. That will allow anyone else to connect to you, but as you say they need internet access, so you'll also need a DHCP server. I've used Tiny DHCP for this purpose before and it worked out well, however, I've never had more than one or two clients connected simultaneously.

 

Good luck with this.

[inimicus]

Pickup a wireless router? :\

[cringemaster]

There're a few ways to do this. Probably the easiest is to set up your wireless interface to accept ad-hoc connections, and then in 'Network Connections' create a bridge between that and your Ethernet interface. That will allow anyone else to connect to you, but as you say they need internet access, so you'll also need a DHCP server. I've used Tiny DHCP for this purpose before and it worked out well, however, I've never had more than one or two clients connected simultaneously.

 

Good luck with this.

 

Thanks, I'll try that and see if it works under TinyXP. I just fixed up my broken laptop just for the purpose of serving up a connection, so I'll check this out tonight.

 

Pickup a wireless router? :\

 

Unfortunately, I dont have any cash, and I thought it would be a useful thing to know incase I ever needed to do this again in the future.