Hi all, and sorry in advance if this question has already been addressed elsewhere.

Here's the dealio; I lost my internet connection, so I'm using my neighbors wireless (Per her consent of course) which is fine for my laptop. How do I go abouts connecting a cat5 from my laptop to my desktop so that I can share the wireless with my desktop? I've tried a few things, set a static ip on both machines, but for some reason, my computers wont connect to eachother, they both say a network cable is unplugged. Any ideas?

edit:  Also, i tried the microsoft directions for internet sharing, and when I go to set the  wireless to share I get this error:
Internet connection sharing can not be enabled.  a LAN connection is already configured with the IP address that is required for automatic addressing.

I know that's supposed to make sense, but I don't know what to do.Why not just purchase a wireless USB ADAPTER for your desktop?That's what I'm actually trying to avoid, I really don't have any money to spare at the moment, such is the reason for my internet getting shut off    Just trying to find a temporary solution till NEXT friday.You are trying to use ICS. In your neighbour's network (your laptop is a part of it) is used the network address 192.168.0. You can't use ICS on your computer further. You will have to find a routing program (I don't know an example) or a proxy, so you can set-up your own LAN and use another network address for your LAN. Instead of 192.168.0 use 192.168.1 or something else instead of that 0; or 172.16.0 network. Or 10.0.0 network. (You have to add another number after the last 0, so your computer would have an address like 172.16.0.5, subnet mask 255.255.255.0 or you may leave it as default).I can recommend you Jana Server (free to use at home). You won't be able to connect to internet with applications that don't know to use a proxy.

When you connect directly 2 computers, you have to use a cross-over cable. Did you?

My solution?
1) Your own connection to ISP
or
2) use a router and set it up properly
or
3) use a proxy server (a proxy program installed on your laptop - see Jana Server as example); you will have to use a different network address - if you don't understand, ask once more.

I won't tell a thing about Linux. If you knew Linux you would not be ASKING such questions here, you would not need our help. (This would be the fourth solution, and is equivalent to solution no. 2 or 3. from my previous list).Thanks for the response.  Well, I have a router that I can use.  I just thought that connecting my desktop to my laptop would be easier.  SO there is a way to plug my laptop that has the wireless connection, into my router using a cat5, and then plug my desktop into the router as well?  I suppose I should just try doing that straight up to make sure it doesn't work that simply  You will have to make some small adjustments on the router - IP address, DHCP address pool.

It is very easy to connect the laptop and the desktop together, in a simple network, but in your case you ask something else. The simplest solution for your case would be to buy a wireless network adapter and plug it in your desktop. You won't complicate with IP's, DHCP etc, you just plug the wireless network card, install DRIVERS, set up in the same way you set up the laptop and you are in your neighbour's network with both computers.Well, I have a wireless nic card in my desktop, but it's too far away from my neighbors house to get the signal.  The signal I get on my lap top is fairly low as it is, and I have to sit next to my window.  So, short of relocating my mass of hardware, getting this thing to work is my only other option.  What do you suggest I change my routers IP to and DHCP and what not?  Or is this just a lot more trouble than it's worth?  lol, I've got nothin' but time to figure this out  Thanks!

edit:  Also just realized that I probably couldn't have used a normal cat5 to connect the two machines anyway.  So the router fix is the only way to go Your router is wireless?Yeah, my router has wireless, that's what I usually use to keep my laptops and other computers connected, when my isp bill is paid, of course.  But I have enough cables to be able to plug everything in.  Or at least the laptop.  I'm fairly good with this stuff usually, i'm not really as dumb as I'm making myself sound, which is why this whole ordeal irks me even more lolSet it up as an access point. Disable routing functions, dhcp, let it to run only to connect your computers to your neighbour's network. You computers will receive IP settings from his DHCP server. I thought wrong when I told you about modifying router IP, I typed in a hurry, I gave you a wrong indication. Use your router as an access point.
Option 2) from my list should be "use a wireless router as an access point only". I'm sorry for my (huuuuge) error.
Good luck.
I have to go now.okay, so I'm n my router settings now, here COME some more stupid questions, how do I disable the routing functions?  DCHP has a drop down box, which option do I choose?  staticip etc. ?  Or just set the ip and subnet to my neighbors in the router settings?