I was wondering if it was possible to share an internet connection via an ad-hoc connection between two laptops. I want to use my laptop to connect to the internet, and then connect a laptop to my laptop to share the internet connection.
Yes, that's possible and you've almost got the right phrasing for what you want; it's called Internet Connection Sharing or ICS for short (they call it that in the Help and it took me a few minutes to figure it out - duh!). If you use an ethernet connection (network port) to get onto the internet, then you need TWO network ports on the laptop that connects to the internet. If you are using dial-up or the USB port (which is a bit dodgy so it's better to go with ethernet) then you only need one network port in either laptop. (Ethernet network ports are those ones that you put a blue or red cable into with a big plug at the end that looks similar to the one you use for your telephone - it's an RJ-45 if you want to look up a picture of them.) Then you need a network port (or network card) in the other laptop and a crossover network cable to run between them - a straight through cable is no good. You can tell the difference by checking to see if the wiring order of the colours on both plugs match; on a straight-through they match but on a crossover they don't. Then you run the ICS wizard on both laptops. Having done all that, there is still one catch - when you set up the Internet Explorer connection on the 2nd laptop (if that's what you use but I suggest Firefox because it's safer and tends to behave better) there is a spot where it wants you to Auto or Manual look for settings, if memory serves. (I've tried to find this thing again but haven't managed.) Anyway, just try different choices as you go through the connection wizard and it will work.
