Hello Everyone, I am having a major issue that likely has a simple solution that I keep passing by... I have a Vista Ultimate desktop wired to a hub and reuter to access the internet. This PC also has a draft-N card installed. I also have a HP tablet running Vista Home Premium with a draft-N card. I am trying to create an ad-hoc network between my desktop and laptop so that the two computers can share files and the laptop can access the internet as well. What I have accomplished so far is what I though would be the hard part; to get both computers to access the internet. I can do this using either ICS or a Network Bridge, and have tried both many different times. What I cannot do, however, is to get the two machines to locate each other on the network at all. Both are in the same workgroup, with the same wireless settings, same encrytion settings, and the internet works perfectly on both (and anywhere in my house with the laptop). I have Network Discovery, File sharing, Public Folder sharing, Media sharing, and even Printer sharing enabled on both. I have ensured that both machines have several different folders shared and have even tried enabling Network Discovery for all Public Networks (in one senario I attempted my wireless connection was "unidentified" and "public", but not for the others). I have spent many hours surfing forums and the only results I turn up are for people who have the file sharing working and cannot seem to share the internet connection. I have been messing with computers and networks for many years and this is the first time that I turely feel stumped. I will admit that more likely than not my problem is silly and my relative inexperience with Vista (1.5 yearsnow) is the root of it. I would be very greatful for any assistance that anyone might offer. Thanks.

HiGlobetrotter, Please understand that Ad-hoc isn't necessary if you have a router. If you haven't already please go through the steps of file and printer sharing in the TechNet Article. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727037.aspx If you continue to have problems then please provide the following to diagnose the problem further. ============ 1. Is the machine connected to a router or access point? If so, what is the make and model of the device? 2. What Antivirus/Firewall software do you have installed on the machine? 3.Can you provide the ipconfig/all output? To do so, please perform the following steps: 3.1 On Windows Vista machine, click Start, click Programs, click Accessories, and then click Command Prompt. 3.2 At the Command Prompt window type: ipconfig/all 3.3 Click the iconin the menu bar on the left, click Edit, thenclickSelect All. 3.4 Click on the icon again, and choose Copy. 3.5 Then paste the ouput into your next reply. 3.6 Repeat the process to provide the ipconfig output on another computer so we can compare the results. -- Eric Cross Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Thank you for your response. Also, I misspoke; my connection is not to a router but just to a cable modem. I have gotten into the habit of referring to my modems as routers because almost all of them have been... but not this one unfortunately. Both computers are running the latest version of Norton 360 and the Windows Firewall. As an update:I have managed to get the Desktop to discover the laptop on the network (not the other way around though), but attempting to brows the laptop returns the error that it is not a valid host name. Here is the ipconfig result for the Desktop: Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. C:\Users\DELETED USER NAME>ipconfig/all Windows IP Configuration Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . :DELETED COMPUTER NAME Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No Ethernet adapter Network Bridge: Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : MAC Bridge Miniport Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-0C-6E-BA-AA-19 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::4481:a415:b57c:8a63%20(Preferred) IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.104(Preferred) Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0 Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, June 23, 2008 3:47:09 PM Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, June 24, 2008 3:47:09 PM Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 216.144.187.199 204.186.0.201 207.44.0.1 NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.hsd1.pa.comcast.net. Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7: Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e50:20ec:2ffa:3f57:fe97(Preferred) Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::20ec:2ffa:3f57:fe97%8(Preferred) Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : :: NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{5FC663A4-21B6-4E95-BFE7-D8F48281D978} Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes I will post the result from the laptop in the next post.

Here's the ipconfig result from the laptop: Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. C:\Users\DELETED USER NAME>ipconfig/all Windows IP Configuration Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . :DELETED COMPUTER NAME Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Mixed IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network) Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-6B-DF-79-A6 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection: Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcom 4321AG 802.11a/b/g/draft-n Wi-FiAdapter Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-73-8D-2D-EF DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::b00f:6dce:4023:37f4%9(Preferred) IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.102(Preferred) Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0 Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, June 23, 2008 3:49:49 PM Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, June 24, 2008 3:49:48 PM Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1 DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 216.144.187.199 204.186.0.201 207.44.0.1 NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-24-92-51-92 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{F69F0405-5EA0-4005-ADB5-53A8D8AA801D} Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{FE458B26-7EDF-4319-8FFF-6E041678E481} Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11: Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-01 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e50:34d5:3cac:3f57:fe99(Preferred) Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::34d5:3cac:3f57:fe99%12(Preferred) Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : :: NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 13: Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{156A1D00-EE87-47C3-9E76-29A24AB60A91} Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0 DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes Thanks for taking a look at this.

Norton 360 includes a firewall so it isn't necessary to also use the Windows Firewall. If you haven't already, please be sure to configure Norton 360 to properly work with your home network. After you configure Norton, then try accessing the computers over the network. http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/norton360.nsf/0/969656e8f5a44a3f6525740f007bdd68?OpenDocument&seg=hm&lg=en&ct=us -- Eric Cross Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Thank you very much! It was the laptop's Norton protection that had auto-labeled the SSID for a limited connection. A simple solution as I expected, haha. Have a wonderful evening!

You're very welcome. Glad it worked! -- Eric Cross Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) http://mvp.support.microsoft.com