How to share your broadband internet access with your wifi capable mobile devices

One thing I avoid in my tech-life is redundancy. I know it sounds foolish (at least from a corporate view point). One thing all the tech books I've read recently have hard coded into my running configuration (I  mean my conscious mind) is to always mitigate network/device/application failure via redundancy.
To make this less techy, all redundancy means  is - Always have more than one road connect two cities! So now you will better understand my second sentence in the first paragraph.

Why do I avoid redundancy? Ok, to make it less wordy I'll list all I have in my tech cabinet -
1. Sony Vaio laptop
2. Android phone
3. iPod touch 64GB
4. HSPA/EDGE/GPRS USB modem, and
5. Nokia 6021 dumb phone.

Implementing redundancy means a ready alternative for failure of any of the laptop, phones and modem. So in practical terms, I'll have to own two of each (at least have access to two). Now you might say, "You've got two phones, your android phone can function as a modem too, and there are cloud apps that can ameliorate failure of your laptop. So you already have some redundancy." Uh.., well, maybe yes. But I still avoid redundancy, I don't fancy owning two laptops, two phones (actually my android phone is mean't for everything besides phone call, I hate receiving calls on it) or even a bigger screen iPod (iPad).

Now you might be wondering, "Why all this yarn?" Simple! I don't like having separate internet access on my devices (except the dumb phone, which I care little about than its green and red button). So the essence of this post is to show you how to share internet access (be it broadband or dial-up) on your laptop with all your other wifi capable devices (especially the mobile ones).

So, allons-y!


STEP 1


I am assuming you use Windows OS.

For Windows XP
On your Windows XP, goto Start, Connect to and Show all connections.
Note the screenshots below each substep.

Right click on the Wireless Network Connection, select Properties.

On the new window that pops up, select Wireless Networks tab and in the Preferred Networks container click on the Add button

Enter the Network Name (SSID), Enable the Connect even if the network is not broadcasting, leave the Network Authentication as Open and set the Data encryption to Disabled. Finally, enable the
This is a computer to computer (ad hoc) network. Then commit the settings by clicking OK.

If you use Windows Vista or Windows 7, just goto Network and Sharing center, create an ad hoc (peer-to-peer) network through the provided link at the left side. Don't bother looking for where to enable This is a computer to computer bla bla bla. (With special consideration to the post length, I am reluctant to simplify the already simplified means of creating ad hoc networks on Vista and 7). If you have issues, kindly ask my buddy http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=setting+up+adhoc+network+on+windows+vista

For Windows 7 or Vista
If you use Windows 7 or Vista, click on the Network Icon at the right side of the taskbar (most likely at the bottom of the your computer/laptop screen).

Click on the Open Network and Sharing Center at the bottom of the pane that showed up. Then go click on Setup a New Connnection or Network, well illustrated below.

On the window that pops up, scroll down to Set up a wireless ah hoc (computer-to-computer) network. Select it.

A window will come up, just click Next.

The next page will require of you the details of the network you want to create. Enter the Network name you desire, choose No authentication (Open) as the Security type and click Next.

Now you will see the network among other wireless network, but showing a Waiting for Users status.

STEP 2


For Windows XP
Go back to the Network Connections window.
Right click on Local Area Connection, select Properties, click on the Advanced tab and inside the Internet Connection Sharing  container, enable Allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection. Select Wireless Network Connection in the drop down list. Commit these setting by clicking on OK.

For Windows 7 or Vista
Go back to Network and Sharing Center, click on Change adapter settings at the left of the window.

A window showing the different network connections will come up, choose the network connection your want to share -- whether it is a dial up connection or a LAN connection. But since I have shown that of the LAN (on XP though) and the settings being the same, I will proceed with a 3G (actiually HSPA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS modem).
So right click on the connection, select Properties. On the window that pops up, select the Sharing tab, then tick the Allow bla bla bla  tab.

STEP 3


For Windows XP
Now connect to the network you just created on the laptop you created it on. Don't worry if it seems like it doesn't connect, it's because you must be using Windows XP (just go on to the next substep).

For Windows 7 or Vista

Just move on to the next paragraph, you are already connected to the new network. In fact, the computer is waiting for you to connect from your other devices (be it a computer or a smartphone).

On your wifi enabled device, search for the ad hoc network you just created and connect to it. If you can't see the ad hoc network, then go back to the initial substep of this step, I mean connect to the network on your laptop.

Now that should do it.

EXTRA
If that doesn't do it (which should be the case if you use Windows XP), just go to STEP 2, disable the Allow other network bla bla bla and commit the change. Then re-enable it. That should do it.

Well, if the it is still not yet done, hit me via the comment link above this post body.
Thanks for reading my initial blabbering.