dial up problems

[solver12345]

Hi all,I have a hp pavilion pc and connect to the internet using a fujitsu dial up modem.I have also just got a dell inspiron 15 laptop and would like to know how i can connect this to the dial up and use the laptop or pc at different times or can i use them both togerther in differnt rooms.

[greysts]

What you need is Dial-up modem and router combined. Up to about a year ago you could get them at Amazon, eBay etc. but now they are rarer than hens teeth. Without such a device you will not be able to use both machines at the same time. You will have to unplug one from the modem and then connect the other. And before you ask, no you can't use a telephone adaptor to split the t/p line.

[mgmcc]

You can connect either computer at different times by connecting your dial-up modem to it and connecting via any phone line.

You can also have both computers connected simultaneously by using a feature in Windows called "Internet Connection Sharing". Connect to the internet with your desktop PC, link the two computers directly with a crossover ethernet cable and enable "Internet Connection Sharing" on the Modem connection in the PC. There are instructions for enabling "Internet Connection Sharing" in XP or Vista <u>HERE</u> - ignore the references to an Ad Hoc Wireless Network, you'll just use a crossover ethernet cable, unless you actually want to set up a wireless link between computers.

Although "Internet Connection Sharing" will let you have both computers connected simultaneously, dial-up really is too slow to do anything useful with more than one computer at a time. Also, of course, the desktop PC must be running and online for the Laptop to use its "shared" internet connection.