Ad Hoc Network Problems

alanrowell

Have 2 XP laptops with wireless cards which I want to set up in an adhoc network so that I can download updates without having to connect to a public wi-fi network.

Following the instructions in Microsoft I have set up the first computer successfully.

But the 2nd computer can't see the adhoc network in the list of wireless networks available.

Both PCs do recognise other networks and I have tried it the other way with the 2nd computer hosting the adhoc network but with no success

I've tried turning off both the firewalls just in case this was the problem and I don't want to go to the expense of installing a wireless router just for the odd occasion I need it.

Any ideas on why they can't see each other?

mdbarber

make sure both adapters have been set to ad-hoc operation, set both ssid and workgroup to same values and manually assign both machines ip addresses in the same range
oh and make sure you have turned off the security on the adapters or configured both to same standard manually

alanrowell

Has already tried that - no result.

Can't understand why they can't see that there is a network as they pick up all the other local networks