How to set up a internet network between a laptop and desktop?

I have just purchased a new laptop and want to use the internet on it. The wireless router i bought with it isnt compatable with my modem so i have decided to buy a new modem. The modem will not install directly to the laptop because the driver wont work on the laptop running vista and there are no drivers downloadable from the internet. I have decided that until i get a new modem i can try and make a network at home to acces the internet with the laptop. How do i go about this? I have a 1 networking cable and the internet on the desktop works. The desktop is XP. How do i set up a network between the two computers to allow internet use on the laptop?How to set up a internet network between a laptop and desktop?
i hope the internet connection that you have with the desktop is through a modem and your laptop has a nic card, if so the following will do otherwise ignore it...


1) if your modem has more than one ethernet port then you can connect your laptop with one and the desktop with the other provided your laptop has a ethernet card.


2) if your desktop has two ethernet cards then you connect one to the internet and other two the laptop provided your laptop has a ethernet card.


3)last option is two buy a switch or a hub with atleast three ports.


with 1) from the modem 2) from the laptop 3) from the desktopHow to set up a internet network between a laptop and desktop?
How did you determine that the modem is not compatible with the wireless router? If you mean you plugged it in and it didn't work, that isn't necessarily the case.





Are we talking broadband modem? Or regular telephone / low speed connection. If the latter, I don't think you are going to get a satisfactory connection there. If it is the former, then I don't know of any set up where the modem won't talk to the router at all, unless you are with mom and pop's amateur ISP. No offense to mom and pop.





Do you have to ';connect'; when you get on the internet? If so, then your modem is probably not set up to ';log on'; for you. Most modems will allow you to configure it so you can let it log on for you so you can put a router behind it. If not, then the wireless router usually has such a capability to do that for you as well. But if you set it up for that, you have to disable it on the desktop, and just set it up for ordinary ethernet connection with the option to set the IP address automatically.
If ur trying wireless on the laptopand wired on the desktop here is a good way of getting internet for the vista laptop get a Linksys router and hook it up to your internet service cord and that is a good way of getting wireless on the laptop if ur trying wired then u will need another ethernet cord