Can I connect my desktop to my laptop, which is uses a wireless connection to a router?

Question

One master computer is connected to a router and cable modem. I use a wireless connection from my laptop to the router. I have another desktop I don't feel like moving downstairs next to the router. Can I connect it instead to my laptop using an ethernet cable? Will my desktop now connect to the internet?

Sorry about any confusion. This is just a temporary situation for the week. I usually use a Linksys wireless adapter for the desktop, but my mother is using it at our summer home.

Answer 1

You'd need a special cable and you'd have a tricky setup to make it work. A better option would be to get a wireless usb adapter that you'd plug into the second desktop. The second desktop can then connect wirelessly to router. Many companies makes these, here's one that had decent reviews on new egg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833124126

Answer 2

As long as you have a network card in the desktop and an open port on the router you can add the desktop computer to your network.

If the desktop is in a separate room away from the router add a wireless card to the desktop and run it using wireless. That way there is no need to run cable all over the house.

I have 2 desktops and 3 laptops and all of of them use wireless to connect to the router.

Answer 3

you can connect all 3. instead of running cable upstairs, go to an electronics store and pick up a pci wireless G card. you can plug it into the desktop just like any audio or video card. They come with a small antenna, however if you can afford it i suggest picking up a high-gain antenna also. Much better reception when going through walls. Also, make sure you look at the router and find out whether it is wireless B, or wireless B/G. Most routers now have both B/G, but not all of them. G wireless has a much faster transfer rate so I suggest you utilize that.


*PS qwerty is right.... but the others above me talking about a crossover cable don't know what theyre talking about :)

Answer 4

Kind of unclear about what you're trying but it sounds like youshould be able to get it to work fine. If you have more than 1 port on you router for ethernet then you can connect up to that and should be good. Otherwise get a wireless card for the PC. If you have an old hub lying around you can chain that to the router and put as many cables on as you like. Just make sure your WAN port on the router stays connected to the cable modem.

Here's a secret: Most new routers are smart enough to detect tx and rx flow so you dont need a crossover any more. You probably might need one for the cable modem but that cable shouldn't change anyway.

Answer 5

You would need a crossover cable and some setup in CONTROL panel to do that. You would be better off getting a wireless card for your desktop PC. That would free you from wires wherever you locate the PC. They go for somewhere between $29 and $49 and can be a regular card or a USB plug-in. When they are on sale their price drops to zilch. Having a wireless link makes network life easy.

Answer 6

Your router should have at least 4 ports on the back of it.
You have one going to the Master computer, so you should have 3 left. The laptop is getting its connection wirelessly so that does not effect the other PC at all.

Answer 7

well the best solution would be to keep the laptop mobile and go to any electronics store and spend $30 and get a wireless card for your desktop, then both can be wireless.

Answer 8

yes you can but it will drasticly slow things down between the 2 of them==first of all you need to buy a crossover cat 5 cable
not a patch cord!! this cable is lableld as such(crossover cable) then you need to go into your network connections settings and connect the 2 together..look inyour help section it should help ya

Answer 9

absolutely, thats what I do.