[SOLVED] Broadcasting internet over wireless dongle

Jubbs

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Apr 2, 2015
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Hi peeps,
I have a PC connected to my router with a cable. As the wireless reception is rubbish where the PC is sitting I wanted to know if I could use a wireless dongle (my pc does not have wireless) to allow my mobile to use the connection.
I have in my posession 2 wireless dongles, one with an aerial and also a bluetoooth dongle if thats any use.
I'm not not sure if the wifi's transmit rather than receive wireless signals (although I have used the bluetooth dongle to allow my phone to share files both ways with the PC).
I have read that sharing connections is possible but no mention of what is needed from the PC or most advice apparently assumes the PC has wireless capability.
Any help appreciated.
Jubbs
 
Solution
Thanks for the advcie Greyfox :)

Kanewolf, I had thought of that but wasnt sure if it was going to work as an access point, but I suppose the wireless is there and I assume it would be into the old router first, then out to the PC ?
But I still dont understand the tech side of using a dongle, would the usb WIFI unit actually send data as well as receive because I cant get it to transmit (ever) and now it wont even show up on desktop, the icon and software is gone even though I have reinstalled both Realtek drivers and the USB dongle CD software. Its gonna take too much time for someone to sort this so really a used router is prob going to be the best bet.
Thanks for the tips peeps.
Jubbs.
You end up using your PC as the router...

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
Hi peeps,
I have a PC connected to my router with a cable. As the wireless reception is rubbish where the PC is sitting I wanted to know if I could use a wireless dongle (my pc does not have wireless) to allow my mobile to use the connection.
I have in my posession 2 wireless dongles, one with an aerial and also a bluetoooth dongle if thats any use.
I'm not not sure if the wifi's transmit rather than receive wireless signals (although I have used the bluetooth dongle to allow my phone to share files both ways with the PC).
I have read that sharing connections is possible but no mention of what is needed from the PC or most advice apparently assumes the PC has wireless capability.
Any help appreciated.
Jubbs
Get a used router and run it as an ethernet switch and WIFI access point. The Asus RT-N56U units are available on E-Bay for $20. That way you have WIFI even if your PC is not turned on.
 

Jubbs

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Apr 2, 2015
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18,510
Thanks for the advcie Greyfox :)

Kanewolf, I had thought of that but wasnt sure if it was going to work as an access point, but I suppose the wireless is there and I assume it would be into the old router first, then out to the PC ?
But I still dont understand the tech side of using a dongle, would the usb WIFI unit actually send data as well as receive because I cant get it to transmit (ever) and now it wont even show up on desktop, the icon and software is gone even though I have reinstalled both Realtek drivers and the USB dongle CD software. Its gonna take too much time for someone to sort this so really a used router is prob going to be the best bet.
Thanks for the tips peeps.
Jubbs.
 

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
Thanks for the advcie Greyfox :)

Kanewolf, I had thought of that but wasnt sure if it was going to work as an access point, but I suppose the wireless is there and I assume it would be into the old router first, then out to the PC ?
But I still dont understand the tech side of using a dongle, would the usb WIFI unit actually send data as well as receive because I cant get it to transmit (ever) and now it wont even show up on desktop, the icon and software is gone even though I have reinstalled both Realtek drivers and the USB dongle CD software. Its gonna take too much time for someone to sort this so really a used router is prob going to be the best bet.
Thanks for the tips peeps.
Jubbs.
You end up using your PC as the router. The dongle has to create a separate network from the wired. So if your wired network is 192.168.1.x then your WIFI dongle has to create a 192.168.10.y network. The PC then routes between the two. This is much less efficient than using an old router as an access point. The built-in switch in the router ensures your PC gets the same connectivity as though it was plugged into the wall. And the purpose built hardware in the old router bridges to the WIFI hardware in the router and all the devices connected to that WIFI source are on the same subnet as the PC.
 
Solution

Jubbs

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Apr 2, 2015
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Hi Kanewolf........finally (and thank heavens) someone has managed to explain it to me that makes sense. I see what you mean and where you're coming from and prob why I could never make the dongle work.
I've just realised I've got an old Tiscali modem/router with WIFI, looks like I'll be having some fun later, I'll update if and when I get it working.
Thanks again for the help. :))
 

Jubbs

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Apr 2, 2015
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Ah, second thoughts, that router may well not transmit decent wifi or be compatible with Virgin Super Hub 2. Prob get a new router (£18 amazon) with ADSL and 2.5/5Ghz but question is, the VM hub has no WAN socket so I presume and hope I can get a LAN to WAN cable (or converter) to the new router and LAN out of that into the LAN PC port or can I just LAN everything together ? fingers crossing.

EDIT... hold my horses, googling has brought up my answer, LAN it all and change a few settings like AP mode on and DHCP off in new router and IP pool address to xxx.xxx.x.100 and 254 etc. Dont use WAN, that was made quite clear.
I am such a noob.
 
Last edited:

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
Ah, second thoughts, that router may well not transmit decent wifi or be compatible with Virgin Super Hub 2. Prob get a new router (£18 amazon) with ADSL and 2.5/5Ghz but question is, the VM hub has no WAN socket so I presume and hope I can get a LAN to WAN cable (or converter) to the new router and LAN out of that into the LAN PC port or can I just LAN everything together ? fingers crossing.

EDIT... hold my horses, googling has brought up my answer, LAN it all and change a few settings like AP mode on and DHCP off in new router and IP pool address to xxx.xxx.x.100 and 254 etc. Dont use WAN, that was made quite clear.
I am such a noob.
When using a router as an access point, you connect the cable between LAN ports of the two routers.
Here is the sticky on how to use a router as an access point -- https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...-router-to-a-wireless-ap-access-point.966884/
You want to do all the configuration of the "AP" router before connecting the two together. If you mess up the configuration of the AP then you factory reset and try again.
 

Jubbs

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Hi Peeps, router turned up today and after one setback, a reset, got it all working, many thanks to Kanewolf for all the help.

Just got to try and get Firefox VPN to work now as it won't connect.

Google, where art thou.......
 

Jubbs

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Apr 2, 2015
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Small update.....

ugh! trying to find a driver on the Realtek site is a nightmare, found out the LAN family controller driver was old and slightly incompatible, so after several frustrating attempts to get the right one, found an autoinstaller that updated it correctly, now everything is fine and dandy and I can connect mVPN.