Hello,I am really new to this networking stuff and I need someone who can give me a lot of help.Here is my situation....I have a laptop running windows vista.....I connect to the internet through a sprint mobile broadband card...I also have a desktop running xp in a different room that I need to find out if I can network together to share the connection.I do have a wireless router and a usb wireless adapter. I just do not know how to do the connection correctly. I have browsed some articles, but there are so many options I am still lost.I would like to get the desktop connected if possible so that my son can use it.Thank you all for reading and any help available out there.Thanks

not clear what your setup really is; You say you have a router... is it connected to your broadband (dsl or cable) modem?If your only connection to internet is via the sprint mobile broadband, then a) the router will maybe be useful later. b) you are going to be using your laptop for 'connection sharing': the laptop becomes a router. [which means your desktop will lose connectively if the laptop walks away..]If you have broadband (dsl/cable) modem attached to your router, it is different.You should clarify your problem first, then maybe you can get more useful guidance.Note: if you are going to do connection sharing through the laptop,I suggest you put the laptop in the room with the desktop, and connect them with RJ-45 Ethernet cable to get the sharing software configured, *then* introduce the wifi/router.If you have a dsl/cable modem, you can inject the router, or connect the desktop directly to the modem.If you want a LAN so laptop & desktop can talk locally (share files) then you need to router in the LAN.Again: clarify your problem: do you not understand the LAN connectivity/wifi, or do you not understand the 'connection sharing'?

Hi, Thank you for posting. Regarding this, we need to set a connection between the laptop and the desktop. To do this, please try the following: 1. Connect the laptop with the router. Plug the network cable between the laptop and the router. (If you have a wireless NIC on the laptop, you may connect it with the router via Wireless LAN.) 2. Connect the desktop with the router. Plug the network cable between the desktop and the router. (If possible, you can plug USB Wireless Adapter to the desktop and set its connection with the router.) 3. Please refer to the document Using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) to enable the Internet connection sharing. For more information, please also refer to the following documents: Using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/bfd3bd31-82f0-4b9c-9cde-fb92bc2b14771033.mspx Internet Connection Sharing and Network Bridge in Windows Vista http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc748895.aspx If your laptop has a wireless NIC, you can plug the USB wireless NIC on the desktop and share the Internet connection with Ad hoc. Ad hoc networking http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/0e158c21-4c70-4235-879d-0c9133218e561033.mspx Set up a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/293c504f-b944-4d5d-835c-f080129bd5dc1033.mspx Hope this helps. Nicholas Li - MSFT