Setting up an “Ad Hoc” wireless network with Windows XP

Client PC

Enable the Wireless Zero Configuration service by going to “Start > Run”, typing services.msc and clicking OK. Scroll down to the entry for Wireless Zero Configuration, double click it to open its Properties sheet then set its Startup Type to “Automatic” and “Start” the service. Click OK and then close the Services window.

Now open the Network Connections folder (“Start > Run”, type ncpa.cpl and click OK), right click the Wireless Network Connection, select Properties, then the Wireless Networks tab. Tick the box “Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings” and then click the Add button.



Fill in the details in this next box:
- Enter your own SSID (Network name).
- Set it to Connect even if the network isn’t broadcasting.
- Set Network Authentication to “Open” and Data encryption to “WEP”.
(It appears that an "Ad Hoc" network doesn't support WPA encryption)
- Enter a network key. For 64-bit WEP this should be 10 Hexadecimal characters and for 128-bit WEP, use 26 Hexadecimal characters. (The Hexadecimal characters are “0” to “9” and “a” to “f” only – a total of 16 available characters.)
- Untick the box for “The key is provided for me automatically”.
- Tick the box “This is a computer to computer (ad hoc) network…”



Now go to the Connection tab and tick the box to “Connect when this network is in range” and click OK.



Back in the Wireless Network Connection Properties Sheet, select the General tab, highlight the entry for “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)” and click the Properties button. In the next box that opens, ensure that the options have been selected for:

a) Obtain an IP address automatically
b) Obtain DNS Server address automatically.

Click OK to close both Properties sheets.

Host PC

Open the Network Connections folder (“Start > Run”, type ncpa.cpl and click OK), right click the actual internet connection (modem connection), select Properties then the Advanced tab. Tick the box “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”. If there is more than one network adapter available to connect to the "Client" computer, there will be a drop-down menu from which to select the relevant "Private Network Connection".



Now follow the same procedure as above for the “Client” PC except for the very last part relating to the IP and DNS addresses. Here Windows should automatically have configured the IP address of 192.168.0.1 and Subnet Mask address of 255.255.255.0 which must not be altered.


Connection

In each PC, go into the Network Connections folder, right click the Wireless Network Connection and select “View Available Wireless Networks”. Select your “Ad Hoc” network and click the “Connect” button. Both PCs should then be connected to the “network” and the Client should have internet access.