# Solved: Ad-hoc network not working? Please help me?



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

I followed the instructions on this website: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/setup/adhoc.mspx#1 , and i detected the ad-hoc network on my other computer. I connected, but yet when I went into firefox to surf the web, there was no internet connection, and it didn't work.I have already enabled Internet Connection Sharing on the host computer. What can be wrong? The purpose of creating this ad-hoc network on the host computer is to share internet connection on several computers in my house. Please help me, i would greatly appreciate it. I did everything the guide told me to do. If you need additional information, please let me know. Thanks!

Additional info:

- I use dial up connection (i use a samsung instinct as the modem)
- All of the comppters in my home, including the host, are capable of viewing and connecting to wireless networks in our area
- I have already enabled internet connection sharing on the host computer.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Some non-Windows firewalls (ZoneAlarm in particular comes to mind) on the host PC can block ICS unless they are configured to allow it.

Please show for the host computer and one of the others ...

*Start, Run, CMD, OK* to open a command prompt:
(For Vista or 7 type *CMD* in the Search box after *Start*)

Type the following command:

*IPCONFIG /ALL*

[Note that there is no space between the slash and ALL.]

Right click in the command window and choose *Select All*, then hit *Enter*.
Paste the results in a message here.

If necessary use a text file and removable media to copy the results to a computer with internet access.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Oh okay, but I use the windows firewall by the way.
I did what you told me to, and the results came up, but when I right click it to try to copy it, it doesn't work...

Never mind, I figured it out. Here it is:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Jose>IPCONFIG /ALL

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JoseDeLaCruz
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-AD-D2-3A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration IP Address. . . : 169.254.92.145
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-D4-2E-C4-3D

PPP adapter Sprint:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 99.205.129.211
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 99.205.129.211
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.28.250.92
68.28.242.91
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

ICS is enabled on the connection with internet access? If so, perhaps your mobile wireless carrier blocks the use of ICS (some do).


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Aww man  The phone is an samsung inspiron S30, and it has no wireless option. Do you know of any way I can make it wireless?... I really wanted to share the internet connection... 

I did enable ICS on the host computer... I went to WIRELESS CONNECTIONS and right clicked it, then went to properties, and I enabled ICS... The dial up internet that I use was enabled in ICS, but only one or the other (wireless connections 2 or the Dial up connection) can bee ICS enabled...I tried both ways, and it still didn't work... I hope im not confusing you... Thanks for the help.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> I went to WIRELESS CONNECTIONS and right clicked it, then went to properties, and I enabled ICS


If you mean the Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN (Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2) that connection has no internet to share.

How do you connect the phone to the host computer? That connection shows up in Network Connections as a dial-up?


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

TerryNet said:


> If you mean the Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN (Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2) that connection has no internet to share.
> 
> How do you connect the phone to the host computer? That connection shows up in Network Connections as a dial-up?


I connect it through the USB cord. Yes, it shows up as a dial up connection under the 'Network Connections'... s i mentioned before, I have already right clicked the Dial Up connection, and went to properties, and enabled ICS. And once the other computer was connected, it still wasn't working. I really want to share internet connection through the ad-hoc network that I made 

Currently, the Sprint Dial Up Connection has the ICS enabled, but I haven't tried it with the LAN enabled in ICS though...


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

OK, let's make one more check. Disable ICS on all connections. Reboot. Now enable ICS on that dial up connection and show another ipconfig /all.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

I disabled the networks ICS, restarted, and now I'm enabling the ICS of the Dial Up network. After tick the "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection", there's a dropdown box on it that says Select a private network connection", when I click on the arrow to see the options, there's the 'Wireless Network Connection 2" option, and the "Local Area Connection", which one should I choose? ( have to choose one, or else it won let me click okay)


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You haven't actually told us whether your ad-hoc network is wireless or ethernet (Local Area Connection). From the ipconfig /all I would guess wireless, but you would know that better than me.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Oh sorry My ad-hoc network is wireless, it's not ethernet
I know it's wireless though. because I made it by right clicking on the Wireless Connection 2 network, then going to properties, then wireless networks, and then under the Preferred Networks, I clicked ADD, and made my ad-hoc network.... So, I choose the Wireless Connection 2 on the drop down box when enabling ICS on the dial up network, correct?


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Yes, choose the wireless.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay. I did it. Here it is:


Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JoseDeLaCruz
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-AD-D2-3A

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-D4-2E-C4-3D

PPP adapter Sprint:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 108.109.85.97
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 108.109.85.97
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.28.250.92
68.28.242.91
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Your wireless is not connected to anything. ??


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Huh? What do you mean 'not connected to anything'?


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I mean connected to nothing. Or "Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected."


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

I guess not... 
Will it still be able to work? How can i connect it to something then?...


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You're trying to get it connected to another computer, right? You said initially that you had them connected, so either it lost the connection and you have to get them talking again or else you only thought they were connected.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

No, what I meant is that, I detected the ad-hoc network on the other computer, I double clicked the ad-hoc network, put in the password, and I connected to the ad-hoc network, but yet when I went to firefox to search the web, it didn't work. There was no internet connection. At the time I connected the other computer to the ad-hoc network, the host computer was connected to the ad-hoc network also. Sorry for the confusion... At the time that I send you the terminal info. , the ad-hoc network on the host computer was not connected to the ad-hoc network, and neither was the other computer. maybe thats what made it come out like: "Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected." ... I can connect to the ad-noc network on the host computer, and then on the other computer, and do the terminal again if you want...


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Yes, please show ipconfig /all for both computers when they are connected.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay, i connected the host and other computer to the ad-hoc network and ran terminal. Here it is:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JoseDeLaCruz
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-AD-D2-3A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-D4-2E-C4-3D

PPP adapter Sprint:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 108.109.197.230
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 108.109.197.230
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.28.250.92
68.28.242.91
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

I see that the media is still disconnected, but im happy to let you know that once i connected on the other computer, the internet connection worked!!!! Thanks for the help, i really appreciate it 
Now all of the computers join my home can share one internet connection through the host computer!I guess I just enabled ICS in the wrong network. Once again, thanks for your help.


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You're welcome.  The Media Disconnected above is for the ethernet; the wireless is connected (and obviously working).

You can mark this solved using the







button at the upper left of the page.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay great!


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Sorry to bother you again, but there's a problem ...
I disconnected the phone for a bit, and when I connected it back again, the ad-hoc network wasn't connected anymore (on the host computer), so i connected again on the host computer, and then connected the other computer to the ad-hoc network also. But, whenever try to browse the web on the other computer (or any other computer in my house), there is no internet connection anymore, even though the ad-hoc network is connected. What can be wrong? Before I disconnected the phone, everything was going great. All of the Dial Up network settings are still the same. here's a terminal, just incase you need it. At the time i did the terminal, the host and other computer were connected to the ad-hoc network. Please help...

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JoseDeLaCruz
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-16-D4-2E-C4-3D

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 802.11b/g WLAN
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-14-A5-AD-D2-3A
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

PPP adapter Sprint:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 174.151.39.214
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 174.151.39.214
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.28.250.92
68.28.242.91
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Looks like it should be working. Do an ipconfig /all on any of the other computers and make sure it is getting an IP address 192.168.0.x. If instead it is getting 169.254.y.z that means it is not really communicating with the host (that is, the ad-hoc wireless is not really connected).


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

TerryNet said:


> Looks like it should be working. Do an ipconfig /all on any of the other computers and make sure it is getting an IP address 192.168.0.x. If instead it is getting 169.254.y.z that means it is not really communicating with the host (that is, the ad-hoc wireless is not really connected).


Yup, I did the terminal on the other computer, and the IP address was '169.254.y.z" for some reason. Why did the IP address change? It was working earlier. How can I fix this problem( make them the same IP address that is)... This is happening with all of the other computers in my home too. How would I be able to make them the same IP address?


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

In a command prompt on the other computers try

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

Or else in Network Connections right click on the wireless connection and select 'Repair.'


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Okay, i tried it both ways, and yet nothing  
It repaired, but the internet connection is still not working... 
What should I do now?...


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Are you beginning to see why few people are really enthused about ICS? 

I suppose disable ICS on the host and then enable it again.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Yes i am ... Well, i tried it, but nothing, I will just have to keep repairing the connection. Or maybe unconnecting from the ad-hoc, then reconnecting again or something. Why does the IP address change?... It shouldn't change, it should always stay the same...

*Okay hold on, this is odd. On the other computer, I right clicked on the wireless network connection 2 network, and then clicked properties, on the generals tab, I highlighted the "Internet protocol(TCP/IP)" and clicked propertied, I then ticked the box that said "Use the following IP address" and the beside it I wrote, 192.168.0.1 and I also put in the Subnet Mask underneath it... After that, I checked the IP address of the ad-hoc network, and it read 192.168.0.1... The same IP as the host... But yet, when I go browsing, no internet cinnection. It's probably not an IP address problem, since I already matched the IP adress of the other computer with the IP address of the host computer... *

UPDATE: I went back to the other computer, and ticked the box that said "Obtain IP address automatically"... 
I also just finished getting a message on the host computer telling me that there is an IP address conflict... So i guess the problem does have to do with the IP address...


----------



## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Yes, each device on the network needs to have a unique address. If you are going to use static IP addresses on the clients make sure they are all unique (different last number), and the Gateway address and DNS server should be 192.168.0.1.


----------



## Laura111 (Mar 31, 2011)

Hey i fixed it! I made the other computer the same IP address as the host... What I did was: on the host computer, I right clicked on the wireless network connection 2 network, and then clicked properties, on the generals tab, I highlighted the "Internet protocol(TCP/IP)" and clicked properties, I then ticked the box that said "Use the following IP address" and the beside it I wrote, 192.168.0.1 and I also put in the Subnet Mask underneath it, and I put the same number as the IP address as the DNS server... On the Dial Up network, I left the get automatic IP and DNS option. That seemed to fix the Ip address. I will mark this question as solved, but if I need help with anything else, I'll be sure to ask here, and mark the question as unsolved. Thanks for the help!


----------

