Comments on: If I use a cell connection to access the internet in my rural home, can I use a router? http://the-distance-learning.com/if-i-use-a-cell-connection-to-access-the-internet-in-my-rural-home-can-i-use-a-router Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:50:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: william s http://the-distance-learning.com/if-i-use-a-cell-connection-to-access-the-internet-in-my-rural-home-can-i-use-a-router/comment-page-1#comment-75970 william s Mon, 12 Jul 2010 02:04:17 +0000 http://the-distance-learning.com/if-i-use-a-cell-connection-to-access-the-internet-in-my-rural-home-can-i-use-a-router#comment-75970 You can't connect your phone directly to a router, but you could do something called "Internet Connection Sharing," assuming you are running a version of windows that supports it. The simplest way I can think of to get this rolling for you would be to 1) Purchase a router and connect your home PC's to it via network cable, or wireless cards. Do not use the port labeled "WAN." We only need a router so that it will hand out IP addresses to your computers using something called DHCP. Alternatively, you could purchase another device called a "switch" and allow windows to assign the IP addresses, but this can be problematic. A router does not cost much more than a switch and it will give you the option to go wireless. 2) Follow these instructions (http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/networksetupwiz.htm ) to set up Internet Connection Sharing. You will want to set the connection that your phone uses as the "Internet Connection" and your network card as the "Local Connection." This is not the ideal set up, but it should do the trick. Note that the computer with your cell phone connected to it will need to be running and connected to the internet for the rest of the computers to get online. Also, your connection speed will be slower, as you are sharing it with more than one computer. You can’t connect your phone directly to a router, but you could do something called “Internet Connection Sharing,” assuming you are running a version of windows that supports it.

The simplest way I can think of to get this rolling for you would be to

1) Purchase a router and connect your home PC’s to it via network cable, or wireless cards. Do not use the port labeled “WAN.” We only need a router so that it will hand out IP addresses to your computers using something called DHCP. Alternatively, you could purchase another device called a “switch” and allow windows to assign the IP addresses, but this can be problematic. A router does not cost much more than a switch and it will give you the option to go wireless.

2) Follow these instructions (http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/networksetupwiz.htm ) to set up Internet Connection Sharing. You will want to set the connection that your phone uses as the “Internet Connection” and your network card as the “Local Connection.”

This is not the ideal set up, but it should do the trick. Note that the computer with your cell phone connected to it will need to be running and connected to the internet for the rest of the computers to get online. Also, your connection speed will be slower, as you are sharing it with more than one computer.

]]> By: Jon http://the-distance-learning.com/if-i-use-a-cell-connection-to-access-the-internet-in-my-rural-home-can-i-use-a-router/comment-page-1#comment-75969 Jon Mon, 12 Jul 2010 01:56:10 +0000 http://the-distance-learning.com/if-i-use-a-cell-connection-to-access-the-internet-in-my-rural-home-can-i-use-a-router#comment-75969 yes... you can, as long as there's a network card in the laptop.. which since you're using an air card, there should be a physical NIC as well. Internet Connection Sharing will work, but only if the laptop is powered on, and connected to the internet... if either stop, the other computers can't access the internet. For one computer, a crossover cable can be used. If you have a network switch, you don't need a crossover cable, but two plain old ethernet cables... which you can use 3 total to connect all three workstations/laptops together at once. The ICS will split out over the switch to both other computers and hand out addresses as long as DHCP is enabled on them. (which usually is by default, but just in case) yes… you can, as long as there’s a network card in the laptop.. which since you’re using an air card, there should be a physical NIC as well.

Internet Connection Sharing will work, but only if the laptop is powered on, and connected to the internet… if either stop, the other computers can’t access the internet.

For one computer, a crossover cable can be used.

If you have a network switch, you don’t need a crossover cable, but two plain old ethernet cables… which you can use 3 total to connect all three workstations/laptops together at once. The ICS will split out over the switch to both other computers and hand out addresses as long as DHCP is enabled on them. (which usually is by default, but just in case)

]]>