Developer Forum

I have two laptop computers with wireless adapters, laptop1 is connected to
the internet through a USB modem and laptop2 is connected to laptop1 on an
"ad hoc" wireless network.
Everything looks in order but I cannot access the internet on laptop2, only
shared files on both computers can be accessed on the network.
laptop2 doesn't even show an "internet gateway" connection.
This is how is set up:
laptop1 IP 192.168.0.1, subnet mask 255.255.255.0
laptop2 IP 192.168.0.2, subnet mask 255.255.255.0, default gateway
192.168.0.1, DNS 192.168.0.1
The funny thing is that if turn the computers around, that is, if I connect
laptop2 to the USB modem, configure everything the way it should be and share
the connection on the "ad hoc" network, laptop1 can access the internet
without problems.
what am I missing here?

More than likely you have not shared Internet connection on laptop 1. I
don't mean share at the wi-fi icon but at the icon representing your
connection to Internet, be that dial up or broadband.

Internet Connection is shared on laptop1 (not in the wireless icon but on the
USB modem icon). Like I said, it works if I turn the laptops around so that's
no the problem since I follow the same steps for each computer.
Now, I tried using a crossover cable between the laptops to see if it was a
wireless adaptor problem but the same thing happened. So frustrating!

Just so I am on the same page here:

Laptop 1 should be (using your IP numbering): 192.168.0.1 at the wi-fi NIC
and have no gateway assigned to it. The modem should be shared.

Laptop 2 should be 192.168.0.2 with gateway as 192.168.0.1.

If this isn't working but is working back the other way, then you should be
thinking about software problems on Laptop 1. If you have no third party
firewall on either computer (if you do, shut them down) and didn't have a
removed third party firewall (if you did have one, there is the chance it
didn't fully remove itself) then I would start by uninstalling then
reinstalling the NIC on Laptop 1 and the modem, too. Follow that up with
"SFC /SCANNOW" from the start/run prompt. The other thing to try - you have
shared the modem on laptop 2 and worked it OK. Remove the modem and any
drivers from that computer entirely but start by plugging it in to Laptop 2
and removing the sharing. It is possible that the problem is on laptop 2 by
having the modem shared there and not removed.

Ok, I reinstalled windows on laptop1 and now it's working like a charm.
Thanks!