Wireless and ethernet on same PC for internet access

[#1]

Hi
I have a wireless network with one PC wired to the Thomson router and three other PCs connected wirelessley.  However, one of the wireless pcs is some significant distance from the router and I cannot get a connection about 50% of the time.  I also have this PC connected via cable to one of the wireless pcs.  Is there anyway that I can piggy back off the other pc whose wireless connection is strong in order to access the internet when I can't get a wireless signal from the pc whose wireless connection is unreliable?  Thanks.

[#2]

So you you want to connect wireless -> cable -> 2nd laptop or wireless ->wireless ->2nd pc
The 1st option if using M$ s/w would be enable connection sharing, the second I think you would have to setup a second wireless connection on a different subnet etc.

[#3]

...or use Powerline Adaptors

[#4]

I liked the sound of setting up the option on the first PC to share its internet access so tried that.  No problem with the network access between the two pcs using an ethernet cable but still no internet access on the pc with the weak wireless connection.  So I tried many different settings such as setting which services internet users can access, and mucking around with the firewall, etc to no avail.  Just as I decide to call it a day I try the internet connection on the PC with the strong wireless signal.  Nothing, no connection.  But the signal was still strong and was marked as connected to the wireless router.  What has happened?  Tried to retrace my steps in order to reverse what I had done.  Found it eventually.  Indicating that I want to share my internet connection with other users on my ethernet card disables the internet connection on the wireless card.  How stupid is that?  Has anyone been able to share an internet connection through an ethernet card whilst still having a wireless connection?  If so, what am I doing wrong?  Many thanks.

[#5]

I suspect I can guess what the problem is. Internet connection sharing (ICS) will set the IP subnet on your wired network card to 192.168.0.xxx. This is also quite often the default subnet on your modem/router. The PC doing the ICS is now confused, it has 2 network connections on the same subnet , the wireless one with an IP allocated by your router and the wired one set at 192.168.0.1. All traffic on the 192.168.0.xxx subnet goes via the wired connection hence access to the internet via the router stops.
You need to ensure that the router and ICS are using different subnets. However I dont think that you can change the ICS configuration ( unless someone knows different ? ) so you will probably need to change your router to put it on a subnet of say 192.168.1.xxx, then it should all work...
 

[#6]

You can't change the ICS config.
ICS will always assign 192.168.0.1 to the adaptor you enable ICS on.
For many networks in default configuration this will also be the address of the gateway/router, so enabling ICS will actually disable internet access.

[#7]

Quote

You can't change the ICS config.

Thanks for that confirmation James, its a while since I played with ICS. Let's hope that is britincans problem.
@britincan, if you're not sure how to change the routers subnet then post back with the router make/model and we'll try to help.

[#8]

Thanks MisterW for the offer of help.  I have a Thomson TG585 v7.4.4.7

[#9]

You say that you get about 50% connections with one pc, which I assume is further away from the wireless router, therefore signals strength is the problem?
have a look at this....


There are various other vids to increase the range, which may be a way for you......

This one shows how to make an extended lead from the computer to a home made antenna, which plugs into the wifi card.....

[#10]

Quote

Thanks MisterW for the offer of help.  I have a Thomson TG585 v7.4.4.7

Sorry for the delay, I missed your post.
Having had a look at the Tg585v7, its default subnet is 192.168.1.xxx so it hadnt ought to be a problem.
Unless either ICS or the router have a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0 set instead of 255.255.255.0 , but I cant see that being the case.
Anyway the router settings ought to be on the 'Home network' page of the router configuration, probably identified as something like 'local subnet' and defaults to 192.168.1.xxx.