Sharing Internet Access

You can share access to your dial-up (analog 56 kilobits per second) modem or your cable or DSL modem connection, if you have one. The simplest way is to use the Network Setup Wizard.

If you are using a router, you can see more about sharing Internet access through your router in Chapter 9. However, if you just want to share a connection, and your Windows XP computer is directly connected to the Internet, just follow these steps.

1. Open My Network Places (Start, My Network Places).

2. Under Network Tasks (on the top-left side of the My Network Places menu) click "View network connections" (Figure 8.10).

   Figure 8.10. Click "View network connections" so that you can see your wireless network connection.

   

3. Right-click the wireless connection you want to share and choose Properties (Figure 8.11).

   Figure 8.11. Select Properties to change the settings of your wireless network connection.

   

4. Click the Advanced tab (Figure 8.12).

   Figure 8.12. Click the Advanced tab to bring it forward.

   

5. Select "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection." (Figure 8.13)

   Figure 8.13. Set XP to share your computer's Internet connection.

   

6. Select the connection you want to share under "Home networking connection."

7. Click OK.

Your computer is now set to act as the router for your network. Remember to leave this computer on or the other computers on your wireless LAN won't be able to access the Internet.