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

Setting up a wired "Computer-to-Computer" network with Windows Vista -see note at end.


"CLIENT PC"

Enable the "WLAN AutoConfig" service by going to “Start > Run”, typing services.msc and clicking OK. Scroll down to the entry for WLAN AutoConfig, 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 go to "Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center", then click the link at the left "Manage wireless networks" and click the "Add" button:



Select the option to create an "Ad Hoc" network:



This window opens, just click "Next" -



In the next window, give your Ad Hoc wireless network a Name (its SSID), set the Security type, enter the encryption key, and tick the box to 'Save this network'. Click 'Next'.



You will now see a window indicating that the Ad Hoc network is ready to use. As this is the Client PC in the Ad Hoc network, do not turn on Internet Connection Sharing.




"HOST PC"

In the "Host PC", the one with the actual Internet Connection (Modem Connection) follow the same procedure as for the "Client" PC but, at the end, "Turn on Internet Connection Sharing".

"Internet Connection Sharing" can also be enabled without the wizard by going into the Network Connections folder ("Start > Run" type ncpa.cpl and click OK), right clicking the Internet Connection (Modem Connection) and selecting Properties. Click the "Sharing" tab and then tick the box "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection".

Note on IP Addressing

When "Internet Connection Sharing" is enabled on the actual Internet connection in the Host PC, Windows will configure the network adapter used to connect to the Client PC with the IP address 192.168.0.1 and Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0. There is no Default Gateway or DNS Server address for this connection because it is connecting to the Client PC, not the Internet. These settings must not be altered.

The Client PC's network adapter used for the Ad Hoc network should be set to get its addresses automatically, which it does by DHCP from the Host PC. It will get an IP address in the 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.254 range with Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0, Default Gateway 192.168.0.1 (the Host PC's IP address) and DNS server 192.168.0.1 (the Host PC's IP address).

"Wired" computer-to-computer network
A direct computer-to-computer network can also be set up using a "wired" ethernet connection. Connect the network ports of two computers directly with a crossover ethernet cable, enable "Internet Connection Sharing" manually on the actual Internet connection (Modem connection) in the Host PC, selecting the network adapter (Local Area Connection) used to connect to connect to the Client PC. The IP addressing details are exactly the same as in the "Note on IP Addressing" above.