a laptop server ?

[SINNER]

hi there i have installed xp on an old time machine that has 128 meg mem and a 20 gig hd this is going to be used as a very very basic pc and connected to the net via a dongle just for my brother to go on facebook.

now i said id set it up ready with all the xp updates and free anti-virus and firewall software etc (thanks to this site btw) on my BB connection so his usage isnt used up.

now i cant connect this old tower to my router so i want to try and connect my laptop to it and use my laptops wifi to download everything i need to this old pc (this is more for my benefit as i hope to learn something so DO NOT reply with just connect the tower to your router or ask why etc) i have a cross over cable but i what want to know is ........are there any settings etc that i have to alter on my laptop or this old desktop ?.


thanks in advance for any help/advice offerd.


ps i will repeat DO NOT say just connect the old tower to the router this will not help me learn anything ok !..........thank you :-)

[RichieP]

Just connect the tower to the router...

I'm not sure what you mean by this
[ QUOTE ]
so his usage isnt used up.

[/ QUOTE ]
And you haven't actually said what you want to download for the tower. You said you've already got the anti-virus and firewall software (which you don't need if he's not going on the 'net).

[mgmcc]

I THINK what you're asking about is connecting your Laptop "wirelessly" to the router, connecting the Laptop and PC directly with a "crossover" ethernet cable and enabling "Internet Connection Sharing" on the Laptop's "wireless" connection. If so, this will let the PC have internet access provided the Laptop is running and online.

When you enable "Internet Connection Sharing" on the Laptop's Wireless Network Connection, Windows will allocate the IP address 192.168.0.1 to the Laptop's Local Area Connection (the ethernet adapter with which you'll connect to the PC). The PC's Local Area Connection should be set to get its IP address automatically, which it will get by DHCP from the Laptop.

Because "Internet Connection Sharing" uses the 192.168.0.0 Subnet (IP address range), it is essential that your router doesn't operate in the same Subnet. If your router's IP address is 192.168.0.1 (so that it allocates addresses in the range 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.254) you will need to change the third 'octet' of its address so that it uses a different Subnet. Give it an address such as 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1 etc.

If I've understood correctly, I'm sure you 'll have additional questions, but give it a try.

[SINNER]

the tower is going to be on the internet via a dongle ie mobile broad band and they have a usage limit per month (say for example 5 gig of downloads) and down loading all the xp updates and a firewall and an anti virus will use up the moblie broad band limits so i want to connect my laptop with a cross over cable to this old tower BEFORE the dongle is put in to download everything the old tower needs so the mobile broad band limit of 5 gig a month isnt used up.

and thank you for your reply mgmcc ill plug it in and give it a whirl and come back if theres any probs.