Desktop needing Internet, Setup Help!

[mastercogrove]

Hello peeps! I am not so handy when it comes to networking in anyway so I came to you guys for some help. Alright to get to straight to the point i have a laptop with I normally use for everyday use on my desk upstairs while my router is downstairs. I use my laptop wirerlessly to connect to the internet (no duh). So today my dad gave me his old desktop because he just bought a Imac so I get to keep the desktop in my room except there is one problem it does not have a wireless card. I'm thinking it may be possible to run a regular ethernet cable from the desktop to my laptop and they both share the connection. Now im not sure if that is possible but if it could someone please tell me how to, BTW on my desktop I run XP and on my laptop I run Vista.

Im not a complete nub at this I did try a wireless USB stick that is used by a newer desktop. However I had 2 flaws with it the first one being that it needed to install and it tried to look online for driver except you know the computer does not have any internet connection. My second problem is and Im not sure if it really counts but all the USB ports on this desktop is V1 and the wireless USB stick is USB V2 so please help guys!

 

[jmacavali]

You can use ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) though I've never used it and can't give you any walkthroughs on it. Also lots of people try to use it and have issues.

Use your laptop to download the drivers onto a flash drive and then copy and paste them onto your desktop so you can install the USB adapter (or go buy a new one that will come with a CD to use).