WLAN connections

[=?Utf-8?B?VGhvbWFzWg==?=]

Hi,

I got a project coming that requires my app to connect together 3 or more
computers by Wireless network without a WLAN router available. I believe it
could be done with some kind of software routing on one of the computers. I
have been searching for som kind of info around this for weeks but don't
really know where to start..

Anyone have any idéas?

Best regards
/Thomas

[Oliver Sturm]

Hello ThomasZ,

First of all, this is the wrong group for your question. This group is
about the .NET Framework.

>I got a project coming that requires my app to connect together 3 or more
computers by Wireless network without a WLAN router available. I believe it
could be done with some kind of software routing on one of the computers.

This sounds like what you want is simply ad hoc mode, which is the mode
that is used when computers talk among themselves without a router being
present. This does not in itself require any software router either, as
long as data doesn't have to be routed elsewhere.

You can find some info about ad hoc mode here:

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials...le.php/1451421
Oliver Sturm
--
http://www.sturmnet.org/blog

[=?Utf-8?B?VGhvbWFzWg==?=]

Hi Oliver,

Sorry if I ofended your sense of order but I tried to be brief in my
description in an attempt not to scare people away with a lot of details. So
here are the details:

Today I have a VB6 application that our people use when working in groups at
client offices. The application sets up networking with shell commands and
sets IP adresses, network shares, decrypts client data and set up our
buisness application to connect to this netshare. One user selects to be a
server and contains the client data that all other users use. A hub is used
to achieve the networking in this scenario but nowadays all our users have
laptops with WLAN adapters so my next project is to rebuild the VB6
application in VS2005 so we can use WLAN and our users won't need to carry
hubs and cables around anymore.

I have not found a good approach to achieve the network connections, set IP
and share folders or how to get a WLAN working with more than 3 computers. I
have seen som mention of WMI beeing used to achieve network mapping but have
not found any relevant infromation about how this would be done. So any
pointers to info on any of the above would be really appreciated.

The link you gave me seems vey interesting, I will read it on Monday.

Best regards
/Thomas

"Oliver Sturm" wrote:

Hello ThomasZ,

First of all, this is the wrong group for your question. This group is
about the .NET Framework.

I got a project coming that requires my app to connect together 3 or more
computers by Wireless network without a WLAN router available. I believe it
could be done with some kind of software routing on one of the computers.

This sounds like what you want is simply ad hoc mode, which is the mode
that is used when computers talk among themselves without a router being
present. This does not in itself require any software router either, as
long as data doesn't have to be routed elsewhere.

You can find some info about ad hoc mode here:

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials...le.php/1451421
Oliver Sturm
--
http://www.sturmnet.org/blog

[Oliver Sturm]

Hello ThomasZ,

>Sorry if I ofended your sense of order

Eh? Where does that come from? Because I said this isn't the right group?
Well, your post didn't contain a single reference to anything related to
..NET, that's why I said it - nothing to do with a sense of order, but with
your chance of getting a good reply to your question.

>my next project is to rebuild the VB6
application in VS2005 so we can use WLAN and our users won't need to carry
hubs and cables around anymore.

I don't quite understand what that has to do with your application... are
you writing an application that duplicates what Windows can easily do
itself, i.e. set up an ad hoc WLAN connection? I understand from your
further details that this is what you're trying to do - maybe it's just
me, but I don't really see the point in that.

>I have not found a good approach to achieve the network connections, set IP
and share folders

Okay, setting up shares - that's a different thing from what I mentioned
above. Well, in a way.

>or how to get a WLAN working with more than 3 computers. I
have seen som mention of WMI beeing used to achieve network mapping but
have
not found any relevant infromation about how this would be done. So any
pointers to info on any of the above would be really appreciated.

Nope, don't have any, sorry. Never tried doing that kind of thing from a
..NET application.
Oliver Sturm
--
http://www.sturmnet.org/blog

[=?Utf-8?B?VGhvbWFzWg==?=]

Dear Oliver,
I was not trying to be mean in any way, I just wanted to express that I
understand your point of view but maybe I used the wrong phrases when
replying. I am sorry but English is not my native language so maybe I was
missunderstod.

Yes it is basic Windows functions I am using for this application. The idéa
behind this is that it's supposed to be easy to use for our users with
limited computer knowledge. With a press of one button they can connect our
buisness application to each other without having to go through the steps of,
setting static IP, sharing folders, decrypting files(in the share). The VB6
version is very appreciated among our users since it makes their task alot
easier when outside the office.

You're previous link was very interesting and it seems like it might work
"out of the box" to set up a multiuser ad-hoc network. I still have to test
this live though..

I am looking at the wmi path since it seems to be the only way to configure
the netadapter in a manageable way.

Again I am really sorry if I offended you, it was never my intention

Best regards
/Thomas
"Oliver Sturm" wrote:

Hello ThomasZ,

Sorry if I ofended your sense of order

Eh? Where does that come from? Because I said this isn't the right group?
Well, your post didn't contain a single reference to anything related to
..NET, that's why I said it - nothing to do with a sense of order, but with
your chance of getting a good reply to your question.

my next project is to rebuild the VB6
application in VS2005 so we can use WLAN and our users won't need to carry
hubs and cables around anymore.

I don't quite understand what that has to do with your application... are
you writing an application that duplicates what Windows can easily do
itself, i.e. set up an ad hoc WLAN connection? I understand from your
further details that this is what you're trying to do - maybe it's just
me, but I don't really see the point in that.

I have not found a good approach to achieve the network connections, set IP
and share folders

Okay, setting up shares - that's a different thing from what I mentioned
above. Well, in a way.

or how to get a WLAN working with more than 3 computers. I
have seen som mention of WMI beeing used to achieve network mapping but
have
not found any relevant infromation about how this would be done. So any
pointers to info on any of the above would be really appreciated.

Nope, don't have any, sorry. Never tried doing that kind of thing from a
..NET application.
Oliver Sturm
--
http://www.sturmnet.org/blog

[Oliver Sturm]

Hello ThomasZ,

Okay, I understand the point of what you're doing. I would still suggest
you try and look at modern mechanisms that may make your task easier - I
suspect your old application was possibly not written for current Windows
versions, and there may be things that have changed since then, like the
introduction of good WLAN support for instance, also in the user interface.

>I am looking at the wmi path since it seems to be the only way to configure
the netadapter in a manageable way.

Assuming you still have to do that, you may be right - I'm sure there are
also API calls for this, and also for the share creation part of things. I
can't tell you anything about this as I've never done it myself. I'd have
to look it up and I don't have that much time at the moment, sorry.

>Again I am really sorry if I offended you, it was never my intention

No problem :-)
Oliver Sturm
--
http://www.sturmnet.org/blog