Connect to two networks at once?

I don't want to sound stupid or anything, but is it possible to connect
to a peer-to-peer wireless network and to a wireless router network
through one wireless adapter? I have a router downstairs, and a desktop
pc upstairs along with a laptop, both with one wireless adapter each.
Downstairs there are two other desktops that connect via wireless
adapter to the router. My laptop always gets crummy service, so I want
to create a peer-to-peer network with the upstairs computers. The
desktop would serve as a sort of 'router', connecting to the downstairs
wireless router and the peer-to-peer at the same time. I would then
share the connection to downstairs with the laptop via ICS over the ptp
network. Both upstairs computers are running Win XP. Please help. Any
suggestions are welcome.

> I would then
> share the connection to downstairs with the laptop via ICS over the ptp
> network. Both upstairs computers are running Win XP. Please help. Any
> suggestions are welcome.
>

That's absolute trouble for you with wireless cards in AD-Hoc mode, ICS,
and the XP O/S. You'll be spending a whole lot of time trying to figure
out why things have stopped working, why did it all of sudden go on the
blink, and I can't get it back, now what.

You'll be bald headed quickly, as you pull your hair out.

pcpedersen1@gmail.com hath wroth:

>...is it possible to connect
>to a peer-to-peer wireless network and to a wireless router network
>through one wireless adapter?

Sorta, maybe, kinda. It's not normally possible, but Microsoft has a
VirtualWiFi (formerly MultiNet) project which might make it possible.
See:
<http://research.microsoft.com/netres/projects/virtualwifi/default.htm>
<http://research.microsoft.com/netres/projects/virtualwifi/software.htm>
The problem is that I guess(tm) that it only applies to an all ad-hoc
or multiple infrastructure networks. I don't think you can mix the
two modes on a single client. However, I might be wrong.

>I have a router downstairs, and a desktop
>pc upstairs along with a laptop, both with one wireless adapter each.
>Downstairs there are two other desktops that connect via wireless
>adapter to the router. My laptop always gets crummy service, so I want
>to create a peer-to-peer network with the upstairs computers. The
>desktop would serve as a sort of 'router', connecting to the downstairs
>wireless router and the peer-to-peer at the same time. I would then
>share the connection to downstairs with the laptop via ICS over the ptp
>network. Both upstairs computers are running Win XP. Please help. Any
>suggestions are welcome.

Yech. Forget it. Way too complicated plus ICS is in my never humble
opinion a generally bad idea. There are better ways.

1. Get a better or more directional antenna on our access point.
http://www.freeantennas.com
2. Install a 2nd access point upstairs with a CAT5 cable as a
backhaul to the main router.
3. WDS repeater. This requires that both the main wireless router
and whatever you add will support WDS mode.
4. Run some CAT5 cable upstairs.
5. Power line networks (HomePlug), phone line networking (HomePNA),
or CATV cable sharing.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558