Two Computers-One Internet

February 9, 2007 10:45 AM

Computer simpleton here with a simple computer networking question (I think) regarding shared internet access.

Thanks for your help. My searches get me bogged down in the wealth of detail and options and you have to account for me being a mechanical moron. So: I have a windows PC with a DSL connection. I just got a Mac desktop for Christmas. These computers are at opposite ends of the house. I don't want to network the computers.

I just want the Mac to be able to use the DSL connection for internet access. What's the simplest way to do this?

Thank you very much for your help.

posted by quercus to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

You need to buy a wireless router. What you'll do is plug your DSL into the router. You'll then "tell" the router some information from your DSL company (currently your Windows PC "knows" this information.) There will be some information on how to do this in the router manual and your DSL provider's webpage / customer support.

You'll also need to change the name of the wireless signal AND put a password on it. Again, information will be in the router manual.

The router will have some extra ports in it - you'll need an ethernet cable to plug your Windows PC into one of those ports.

Then you'll go to the new Mac and do a search for the name of your wireless network. After you've done that once, it'll always connect to it.

Good luck!
posted by k8t at 10:58 AM on February 9, 2007

Yep, wireless router is the way to go. Once you have that in place, it means you can link any computer in the house to this, in a similar way to how airports allow many people to just pick up the wireless network and connect.
posted by pettins at 11:36 AM on February 9, 2007

I'm rather confused as to why you wouldn't want to network the computers. It's really the standard way to share an internet connection, as others have described above.

Perhaps you don't want the files on each computer shared with the other? To be clear, networking the computers in this fashion does not necessarily mean that both computers will have access to the files on the other one. As long as you don't set up any network shares, you won't have the problem (or feature, depending on your perspective...)
posted by chrisamiller at 12:27 PM on February 9, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks everyone for your answers.

I just thought networking the computers was hard and have no clue how-I'm never against sharing!
posted by quercus at 1:33 PM on February 9, 2007