Before starting let me say at the outset I am a complete novice at networking but having followed various guides and tutorials I am still utterly stuck. Here is the problem:

I have two laptops Laptop1 and Laptop two. Laptop1 has an inbuilt wireless adapter an Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945 ABG Network Card. Laptop2 has a Belkin 802.11g Wireless Card. I have BT Broad band using a BT HomeHub 9543. At the moment the connection profile is as follows:

SSID: BT Homehub-9543
Authentication: Open System
Encryption: Disabled
Attempt to use this connection first is checked

In the network connection box of the control panel I have:

Internet Gateway Heading
Internet Connection Disconnected

LAN or High-Speed Internet.

1394 Connection
Disabled

Wireless Network Connection
Connected

Personal Area Network

Bluetooth Network Connection

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Now I have tried the following:
The wizard using the Windows Zero Configuration
I have tried changing the TCP/IP properties from obtain automatically to

Use the following IP Address on Laptop1: 192.168.0.1
and
192.168.0.2 on laptop2

I tried to set up a new profile with

SSID: MSHome
Network Authentification: Shared
Data Encryption: WEP
A 10 character network Key

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I don't really understand all these things but when I change the obtain IP Address automatically to the IP Addresses above I lose my internet connection on both laptops. Clearly I am doing something really stupid.

Can you tell me in very simple language:

a. what I am doing wrong
b. How I can setup so that I have internet connection on both machines and allow the machines to talk with one another or at least be able to share files.
c. How will I know when the network is working properly and where can I see the second laptopn from the first and vice versa.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Beeky

Not familiar with BT HomeHub 9543. Is it a Router or Modem?

It is a wireless router

Most routers require one computer be hardwired to the router, i.e., a cable is attached from the computer to the router. If the modem is separate from the router, that also has to be plugged into the router. If it's an all in one, i.e., the modem and router are one unit, this isn't an issue. Suggest you do the following. Disconnect and turn off the computers and reset the router to the original factory settings, the manual will tell you how to do this. There is usually a button on the back of the router, often times it's recessed, that will do this. Once the router has been reset follow the instructions for setting it up precisely. Often times these instructions are on a CD that came with the router. If there on a CD, do not connect anything to the router or even turn it on until instructed to do so. Once the router is installed and set up and you have the computer that is hardwired connected to the Internet, then start the computer you're connecting wirelessly and run the Wireless Connection Wizard. Do not set any security on either the router or computers, e.g., your firewall or WEP encrytion, until each computer can connect to the Internet and you can access shared files. Any files you want to share you will have to allow them to be shared, generally easiest to put them in one or more folders, which you set to share. While the Workgroup names should be set the same when setting them up, if you have a problem connecting to the other computer, this is the first thing to check. In XP Right Click on My Computer and go to the Name tab. Be sure to set sharing for subfolders as well. Be sure to have your address automatically set. Set up your security, your WEP or WPA on the router and the firewall on the computers, after you know everything is working. While your router may allows you to set up WPA, the stronger encryption, if the wireless card doesn't allow this, you'll have to use WEP. Doing it this way not only do you get a clean start but if you run into a problem, it's much easier to identify

Thank you I will try this

Beeky

Let us know how it works out. Hopefully you won't but if you run into a problem, post it right away. i.e., don't go to the next step, will be easy to try to figure out what it is. Also, if you run into a problem if possible, post the web address for the manual. Good Luck