Wireless networking

[Mhtml]

Do I need a access point to have a wireless network? I have a laptop which has a wireless adapter built in and a desktop which I want to network with but before I go and buy an adapter and access point I'd like to know if I can save some cash by just getting a 802.11b/g adapter for my desktop.

[speedracer]

if you have a nice router already(like 8 port and up), then an access point would be all you need. if you don't have a router yet, then don't buy access point. buy wireless router instead. that's all you would need. if you want, you can just buy wireless adopter for your desktop and access internet through that computer instead if your running winXP. but that wouldn't be practicle.

best and praticle way to do this will be to just buy wireless router and setup that way. don't need to buy wireless adopter for your desktop. just run a NIC cable to the router.

[Basscyst]

You can run an adhoc network which is pc to pc. So you could put a wireless card in your desktop and ICS to the laptop. An access point is not necessary, nice but not necessary.

Basscyst

[Mhtml]

Well my main reason for networking my laptop to my desktop is mainly to sync any data which I might work on during the day, occasionly accessing the net and there might be a chance of a game every once in a while.

I'm only on dial-up as well so I want to forgo the cost of a router/access point if I can because there isn't really much need for it..

So, if I just put an adapter into my desktop it'll work just like my normal wired network?

[liorean]

For PC-Mac networking you, from my experience, will find the access point/base station necessary. (Though that might be because of the WiFi card and software I have on my PC. The Mac seems to do WiFi like it was made specifically for that task.) For Mac-Mac or PC-PC networking you just need two WiFi capable computers, given one of the computers can establish an adhoc server.

[Mhtml]

Okely dokels, I stumbled into the help today somehow for wireless networking and I see how to setup that adhoc network that was mentioned ... Thanks for the advice peoples :) ..

[Spookster]

If all you want to do is sync up the computers can you not just use a crossover cable?

[Mhtml]

Well I already run a crossover cable from one desktop to another one and I'm sick of crawling behind my computer to change the cables so I can plug in my lappy .. And I'll be able to sync data from anywhere in my house (and I'm pretty lazy so it's a bonus)..

I might do connection sharing so I don't have to plug a phone cable into my laptop as well but that isn't the main purpose of it..

I'm probably moving next year onto university campus so again wireless is a bonus as I'm not sure what sort of network facillities we have, and I'll undoubtedly be able to mess with other people's computers remotely .. heh heh heh ... :P