Server - Pentium 4, 512Mb, Windows XP Home Edition SP2, Fresh/Clean Install
Client - Sony Vaio Centrino, 512Mb, Windows XP Pro Edition SP2, Fresh/Clean Install

Server - Cable & Wireless 802.11G 54MBPS Wireless LAN Mini USB Adapter
Client - Built-in Wireless
Installed - Ad-hoc, TCP/IP, File and Print Sharing
Server name - peter
Client name - peter-laptop
Both Server/Client Workgroup - rowan89

The server has an ADSL Router plugged into it via a network cable from the internal network card. I’ve plugged the USB Stick into a spare USB port in the server.

There is also a second client that is plugged into the ADSL Router mentioned above too but this isn’t part of the equation.

Internet Connection Sharing is enabled on the Local Area Connection on the Server as that’s the connection which the ADSL Router is plugged into. I want to piggy-back the Internet using ICS over the Network connection to the Wireless USB Stick. I’m sure this is possible.

I ran the Windows XP Wireless Setup Wizard through to completion on the Server and now both machines see each other connected at 54Mbps. This part was dead simple!

But the Client Laptop has no Internet access and going into Network Neighbourhood/View Workgroup Computers on the Laptop only shows PETER-LAPTOP none of the other computers on the Network.

On the Server I cannot see PETER-LAPTOP and can just see itself (PETER).

The bigger picture: If I ping peter (the server) on the laptop it recognises the correct IP address but says Unreachable. If I ping peter-laptop (the client) on the Server it cannot even find Peter at all.

I’ve also ran the Network Setup Wizard through to completion which worked fine. The Wireless link is using WPA encryption but switching this off makes no difference. ZoneAlarm Internet Security running on both is configured to allow both IP Address’ in the Trusted Zone but again switching this off makes no difference.

On Monday night for reasons I can’t work out it suddenly kicked into life with Internet and Full File Sharing access. It was unencrypted at the time so after I was happy it was working I put the encryption on and haven’t been able to get it working since. For a short time I just lost Internet Access and the File Sharing remained now I've lost both.

Last night I started a fresh by completely uninstalling Wireless and starting again. I’ve ticked/unticked all the necessary boxes (as far as I know) but no joy. There isn’t really that much to tick/configure.

Both the Wireless USB Stick and Wireless connection on the client laptop are setup with a static 192.168 unique IP address.

I get the impression it’s the Ad-hoc approach that’s at fault, it seems really flaky. Do you really need a Wireless Router? (My Dad has only just bought the Router I was thinking of seeing if I can swap it for a Wireless version).

When I did this with my computer via a 10/100Mb Wired connection (second client) all I did was run the Network Setup Wizard and in 5 minutes I was up and running.

Any help would be appreciated?

p.s - This is the Wireless USB Stick I own:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0009HJEMY

[Edited on 22/9/2007 by bradavon]

I forgot to say I know it's not a Firewall issue as turning off both Firewall makes no difference. I'm using ZoneAlarm though on both and it's configured for the IP Address' to be in the Trusted Zone.

Oh and Thanks in advance.

[Edited on 22/9/2007 by bradavon]

Off the top of my head I'd say you need to bridge the Lan connections on the server - ie: the connection sharing device and the wireless connection.

I've had problems with doing this though so take a system restore first in case you need to return to current state.

You say it all worked 'suddenly' and then died when you added secuirty - does the 'ping peter' part still work when you have security enabled?

Also going to infrastructure will be much better/easier to configure, make sure none of the connections have the 'connect only to infrastructure networks' ticked