I would like to network a wired desktop with a wireless laptop (with a
wireless router). The desktop has Windows XP Home with SP1 and the laptop has
Windows XP with SP2. I ran the Network Setup Wizard on the desktop just fine,
and I created a new workgroup. But when I ran the network setup wizard on the
laptop, it said that a network cable was unplugged (obviously the wired cable
isn't plugged in, I want to use the wireless connection). Can I just bypass
this step and join the network anyway, or do I have to run the Wireless
Network Setup Wizard (this looks to me like all the computers must connect
wirelessly). Or can this even be done?

Try disabling the wired network connection in the Device Manager, then
making sure the wireless connection is associated with the access point or
router in its properties.

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"Pat" <Pat@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:12E1F65D-D00B-40CC-B5CD-08E4F4FA94BE@microsoft.com...
>I would like to network a wired desktop with a wireless laptop (with a
> wireless router). The desktop has Windows XP Home with SP1 and the laptop
> has
> Windows XP with SP2. I ran the Network Setup Wizard on the desktop just
> fine,
> and I created a new workgroup. But when I ran the network setup wizard on
> the
> laptop, it said that a network cable was unplugged (obviously the wired
> cable
> isn't plugged in, I want to use the wireless connection). Can I just
> bypass
> this step and join the network anyway, or do I have to run the Wireless
> Network Setup Wizard (this looks to me like all the computers must connect
> wirelessly). Or can this even be done?

In article <12E1F65D-D00B-40CC-B5CD-08E4F4FA94BE@microsoft.com>, Pat
<Pat@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>I would like to network a wired desktop with a wireless laptop (with a
>wireless router). The desktop has Windows XP Home with SP1 and the laptop has
>Windows XP with SP2. I ran the Network Setup Wizard on the desktop just fine,
>and I created a new workgroup. But when I ran the network setup wizard on the
>laptop, it said that a network cable was unplugged (obviously the wired cable
>isn't plugged in, I want to use the wireless connection). Can I just bypass
>this step and join the network anyway, or do I have to run the Wireless
>Network Setup Wizard (this looks to me like all the computers must connect
>wirelessly). Or can this even be done?

You don't need to run the Wireless Network Setup Wizard at all -- you
can configure the wireless network settings manually. Even if you run
the Wireless Network Setup Wizard, you don't need to run it on other
computers, and other computers can connect to the router using wired
or wireless connections.

Enable the wireless network adapter and establish a wireless
connection to the router. Then, run the regular Network Setup Wizard.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

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