Wanting wireless hookup

Hi and welcome to FixYa,

The simplest would be:

• run the home computer as it is, connected to the Internet through dialup;
• in the home computer, enable Internet Connection Sharing;
• purchase a crossover Ethernet cable;
• plug the crossover Ehternet cable from the home computer to the laptop.

• Operating Systems of the home computer and the laptop;
• is the laptop WiFi capable and do you want to use it;
• are you planning to use DSL if and when available and/or add PCs later.

Ok, I don't know if you have just a normal ADSL modem or a wireles ADSL modem router (the wire from the phone point will connect to one of these) If the router is wireless and your laptop supports wireless, then we need to know which of these you have.
Please give a detailed description so we can help you further.

regards

1)Prepare your modem. Unplug the modem's power cord and place the wireless router unit next to the modem. If the router has antennas, make sure they are raised to their full upright position.
2)Reassign your networking cable. Unplug the cable currently connected from your computer to your modem and plug it into the port located in the wireless router. This port is usually colored blue.
3)Connect the router and the modem. Use the networking cable that came with your wireless router to connect the modem and router unit. The router port is typically colored in green.
4)Start up your modem. Plug in the modem's power cord and wait 1-2 minutes while it configures its settings and prepares to connect to the Internet.5
5)Start up the wireless router. Plug the wireless router's power cord into an outlet and wait 1-2 minutes to get it started. The router is ready when the 'wired computers' and 'modem' icons light up. These logos or icons vary by make and model of your router so consult the owner's manual if needed.6
6)Insert your installation CD. Use the wizard or assistant to check the configurations of your computer settings and launch your wirelessnetwork
Things You’ll Need:

• Wireless Router unit
• Networking cable (comes with router unit)
• Installation CD
• Modem
• Modem power cord

What you need to do is run the dial-up to your desktop. Then have a router that you run a Cat 5 cable from your desktop to it. Then run a cable from the router to your laptop and then configure your desktop and laptop settings to set up a network under Start>Control Panel>Connections

If you have any specific questions while doing this, please let me know

Here's my take:
internet -> dial-up modem -> desktop (share the connection) -> router -> other computer (wired or WIRELESS)
note: must turn OFF DHCP on router and set manual IP to it and to the other computer

2 ways to do that

get a router with a dial-up feature like the SMC 7004BR broadband Barricade router with dialup fallback.

or

make your home computer (desktop?) share the internet connection. you need a small hub to connect both computers to create a home network. have the desktop use the modem, connect to ISP, then launch the Network Setup Wizard.

Well if your using dial up it may be more trouble than its wrorth. Generally, Wireless routers use network or Patch cables and connect to a High speed modem. if you want to use dial up, you would have to get a dial up wirless modem, which are probably hard to find now a days, at a local store. You could get a port splitter and install the dial up software on the laptop and wire it directly in just like the pc is, into the phone jack, but you can only have one at a time using the dial up or you will get data colisions like when some one calls and it kicks you off.


One otehr option is to get a Mode that connects through the phone line, like AT&T used to do, then, from the Modem you plug a Wirless router into it. Configure the router so that your laptop can connact wirelessly, try to connect you computer with a hard wire if you can or get a wirless card for it.

So then basically you have a small home network that goes through a modem that goes through the phone line.

For this you would have to have a service provider though that covers your Area. I would call them all, compare prices and see whats available.

As far as hardware, routers and modems can be found at walmart or any computer store.

Good luck