Using 2 computers from one wifi signal

TonyS

Member
Joined
23 Feb 2003
Messages
616
Location
Southampton, UK
Visit site
Looking at the internet it seems that it should be possible to connect a second computer to the first by wifi or direct wire to use the internet. I have a booster that gives a good wifi connection on the vista laptop. Often this connection is free using scratch cards supplied by the marina from Orange in France. However, my wife would also like to be surfing! I have tried a few ways but none seem to pass the internet connection. Even connecting the 2 computers (second is win 7) with an Ethernet cable doesn't seem to work. Please could one of you wifi experts spell out how to do it in simple terms so I can try it at home before we leave for France. My wife will be so pleased! I would prefer the re-transmitting the wifi signal as I could then also use the Apps on my phone.
 
Joined
20 Jun 2007
Messages
16,234
Location
Live in Kent, boat in Canary Islands
www.bavariayacht.info
Here is how to share your Wi-Fi signal using a single card, under Windows 7 or 8

In windows there is a method of sharing the internet connection [ICS]
Windows ICS is a nightmare, and deprecated for wireless.

Here is how to share your Wi-Fi signal using a single card, under Windows 7 or 8:

First of all, learn how to open Command Prompt with Administrator privileges. Go to Start menu, right click on Command Prompt and select ‘Run as administrator’. If you don't have Command Prompt in your Start menu, then type cmd then right click as above.

In the Command Prompt window, enter the following command:

netsh wlan show drivers

If you see line: Hosted network supported : Yes

it means your Wi-Fi card will work, and you can share your Wi-Fi signal easily.

Now see here: https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/isg/?p=437

This should work with a lot of Wi-Fi cards, but if your card doesn't have Hosted network support, I recommend one of these: http://amzn.to/1ovBIdw
 
Last edited:

neil1967

Well-known member
Joined
28 Nov 2007
Messages
1,126
Location
Cascais, Portugal
Visit site
Or look at http://www.crucialwifi.co.uk - they have various aerials, routers etc to make it easier to drag in wi-fi or 3G signals and then re-broadcast as wi-fi to as many devices as you want. Not used them myself, but they have quite a good reputation. When I am ready to buy an aerial and router I shall use them.

Neil
 
Joined
24 Jan 2005
Messages
956
Location
Greece
Visit site
Connectifyme does it with windows 7 in software. It sets up the computer as an access point so any computer with the password can connect via your computer. If you buy the pro version it also connects to a Dongle and allows all other users to share that. Also checkout Connectify Dispatch as a dual package. Dispatch speeds up the internet connection sharing a wifi and a dongle - or as many connections as you can make - all at the same time.
 
Last edited:

Tomahawk

Well-known member
Joined
5 Sep 2010
Messages
19,149
Location
Where life is good
Visit site
Why don't you get a wifi bat?

it hooks to local 3g and created a small wifi zone for a limited number of users.. we are both logged on at the same time and looking at separate web sites..

You simply put a local 3g data sim into it... ( however getting the sim can be. different issue)
 

TonyS

Member
Joined
23 Feb 2003
Messages
616
Location
Southampton, UK
Visit site
Because wifi is often free or very cheap. Vendee wifi is €1/day unlimited and it is difficult in France to get a SIM card without a bank account. If it is not raining we only need an hour or so in the evening. Last year it rained much more than usual in France as in the UK.
I can also use my Kindle 3G for weather forecasts for free but not for Skype!
 

Mistroma

Well-known member
Joined
22 Feb 2009
Messages
4,882
Location
Greece briefly then Scotland for rest of summer
www.mistroma.com
Windows ICS is a nightmare, and deprecated for wireless.

First of all, learn how to open Command Prompt with Administrator privileges. Go to Start menu, right click on Command Prompt and select ‘Run as administrator’. If you don't have Command Prompt in your Start menu, then type cmd then right click as above.

In the Command Prompt window, enter the following command:

netsh wlan show drivers

If you see line: Hosted network supported : Yes

it means your Wi-Fi card will work.

Now see here: http://www.techylabs.com/setting-up-a-virtual-router-in-windows-7.html

This should work with a lot of Wi-Fi cards, but if you don't have Hosted network support, I recommend one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0041L3FI8/dolcetto-21

Sounds as if you did get it to work and the link above is probably better than the scribblings I have here. I remember someone claiming in an earlier thread that the same Wifi adapter couldn't receive and re-broadcast. However, that proved to be incorrect as I managed it fairly easily.

I suspect that you are correct and that Micosoft don't exactly consider it as something to be widely used and relied upon in future. However, I still have it as a fallback if only one of my Alfa units is getting a signal (I have 2 different models) and I need to share a connection.
 
Joined
20 Jun 2007
Messages
16,234
Location
Live in Kent, boat in Canary Islands
www.bavariayacht.info

Crucial Wi-Fi sell Alfa gear, so the same unit that I linked to, but you have to pay P&P.

I remember someone claiming in an earlier thread that the same Wifi adapter couldn't receive and re-broadcast... I suspect that you are correct and that Micosoft don't exactly consider it as something to be widely used and relied upon in future...
ICS doesn't allow users to share a connection, wirelessly, over the same Wi-Fi connection. WHN overcomes this problem by utilizing the Virtual Wi-Fi functionality in modern Windows versions.
 
Last edited:

laika

Well-known member
Joined
6 Apr 2011
Messages
8,142
Location
London / Gosport
Visit site
Why don't you get a wifi bat?

it hooks to local 3g and created a small wifi zone for a limited number of users..

I don't believe Tomahawk can be talking about the "wifi bat" mailasail sell:
http://www.mailasail.com/Shop/Wifi-Bat

Useful product though it is, it's just a usb wireless chipset integrated into an antenna (no 3G involved), so it'll feed one computer and you're then faced with the original problem of sharing it. As I do that with Linux, I can't usefully contribute to this windows-based discussion
 

Mistroma

Well-known member
Joined
22 Feb 2009
Messages
4,882
Location
Greece briefly then Scotland for rest of summer
www.mistroma.com
Crucial Wi-Fi sell Alfa gear, so the same unit that I linked to, but you have to pay P&P.


ICS doesn't allow users to share a connection, wirelessly, over the same Wi-Fi connection. WHN overcomes this problem by utilizing the Virtual Wi-Fi functionality in modern Windows versions.


Sorry, you are correct of course. I did know that but suffered brain fade and continued to use the familiar term ICS and left out the newer WHN used inconjuction with ICS. The instructions I pm'd or posted for you last year were for WHN with ICS and it does seem to work well. More fiddly than dedicated h/w option but not bad at zero cost.

This was covered back in Nov. last year but I haven't looked at it since then. http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?336119-ALFA-Wi-fi-signal-enhancer/page3 Back on the boat in another few weeks so may use it in earnest soon.
 
Last edited:

maby

Well-known member
Joined
12 Jun 2009
Messages
12,783
Visit site
Have you tried simply logging in separately from both computers using the same credentials? In my experience the accounting mechanisms are usually too simplistic to notice and will let multiple PCs connect simultaneously with the same user id and password.
 

Mistroma

Well-known member
Joined
22 Feb 2009
Messages
4,882
Location
Greece briefly then Scotland for rest of summer
www.mistroma.com
Have you tried simply logging in separately from both computers using the same credentials? In my experience the accounting mechanisms are usually too simplistic to notice and will let multiple PCs connect simultaneously with the same user id and password.

Not what we are talking about here though. Yes, it is sometimes possible to do that. Often easy to spoof MAC as well on some points with short one-off free trial as well to allow multiple access via one computer (opposite thing, as you make one PC look like several different ones).

I thought that the discussion here related to sharing one Wifi booster over several devices. e.g. WiFi booster connects to one laptop. Other devices onboard only have internal Wifi adapters (laptop, phone etc.) so can't connect to a weak access point. So the booster provides a local AP for the other devices.
 
Joined
20 Jun 2007
Messages
16,234
Location
Live in Kent, boat in Canary Islands
www.bavariayacht.info
Other devices onboard only have internal Wifi adapters (laptop, phone etc.) so can't connect to a weak access point. So the booster provides a local AP for the other devices.

With the device I mentioned (link below) and the info in post #3 I can connect to (and share) a low-power Wi-Fi signal that is indoors at the other end of our very long marina. With an iPad you can only get access within about 5m.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0041L3FI8/dolcetto-21
 

Mistroma

Well-known member
Joined
22 Feb 2009
Messages
4,882
Location
Greece briefly then Scotland for rest of summer
www.mistroma.com
With the device I mentioned (link below) and the info in post #3 I can connect to (and share) a low-power Wi-Fi signal that is indoors at the other end of our very long marina. With an iPad you can only get access within about 5m.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0041L3FI8/dolcetto-21

Yes, I've used Alfa units for many years now and they are very useful. However, your link shows a 2000mW NH model. I still believe that the 1000mW H is a better unit for most people. It can't handle a new "n" AP but most are still "b/g" in places I've been visiting.

Do you think that the time is right to buy AWUS036NH now instead of AWUS036H? The chipset in the NH doesn't seem to lock on to weak "b/g" APs as well as the H model with the Realtek 8187L (almost cult status). I believe that Alfa's own tests confirmed this and I've checked a couple of times myself. Other boats with AWUS036NH units couldn't connect to an AP 5.2nm away and I had no problem with AWUS036H.

However, times change and perhaps APs in yout area are now mainly "n". Is that the case?

Oh, how do you rate the directional antenna? I was tempted but so far the standard omni-directional one has been adequate. This one doesn't look as if it's highly directional so could be OK at anchor at times.
 
Joined
20 Jun 2007
Messages
16,234
Location
Live in Kent, boat in Canary Islands
www.bavariayacht.info
Yes, I've used Alfa units for many years now and they are very useful. However, your link shows a 2000mW NH model. I still believe that the 1000mW H is a better unit for most people. It can't handle a new "n" AP but most are still "b/g" in places I've been visiting.

Oh, how do you rate the directional antenna?

I wasn't sure if the AWUS036H supported WHN, I've seen a few people having problems with this. If it does, then the link below is a good deal:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0041OI01C/dolcetto-21

I find the 5dBi [EDIT 7dBi] directional antenna to be much better than the standard one, and better than the 9dBi omnidirectional that I bought. It is also more compact. On a swinging mooring, you may have to adjust it from time to time.
 
Last edited:

Mistroma

Well-known member
Joined
22 Feb 2009
Messages
4,882
Location
Greece briefly then Scotland for rest of summer
www.mistroma.com
I wasn't sure if the AWUS036H supported WHN, I've seen a few people having problems with this. If it does, then the link below is a good deal:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0041OI01C/dolcetto-21

I find the 5dBi directional antenna to be much better than the standard one, and better than the 9dBi omnidirectional that I bought. It is also more compact. On a swinging mooring, you may have to adjust it from time to time.

Thanks, seems to work with my AWUS036H but haven't been using it in anger yet to re-broadcast for phone. The opportunity will probably arise when I return to the boat in a few weeks. I found a 9dBi antenna worse than the standard (3dBi, I think) and it kept falling over. Highly directional cantenna style was good on land but useless on boat (for obvious reasons).

I might take your advice and grab a directional one if it's better than the standard omni. I expect it operates reasonably well over a reasonable wide angle and should be OK at anchor with odd bit of adjustment if wind shifts.
 
Joined
20 Jun 2007
Messages
16,234
Location
Live in Kent, boat in Canary Islands
www.bavariayacht.info
I might take your advice and grab a directional one if it's better than the standard omni. I expect it operates reasonably well over a reasonable wide angle and should be OK at anchor with odd bit of adjustment if wind shifts.

Good idea, it's only about £6:http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0041SLFLA/dolcetto-21

See here for directional characteristics http://www.alfa.com.tw/products_show.php?pc=46&ps=36 I hadn't realised there was a front and a back, so I may even have used it the wrong way round! I've emailed them to ask which is which.
 
Last edited:

Other threads that may be of interest

Top