You dont have a radio antenna on your roof or wall hooked to a modem or router from sprint? That is what you would normally hook to the router.

You should call sprint and talk to them to see if they have an access point connection available to you so you could use multiple computers.

If not, then you would probably just leave one computer on full time with that usb adapter - and set up windows 'internet connection sharing' on that computer... then that computers ethernet connection would supply LAN ip's and routing for the other computers .

You could possibly hook that ethernet to one of your routers ports after disabling the routers DHCP. Then you could be using the router as a network switch to supply the other wired computers.

You may get lucky and it will still work wirelessly too, probably needing some configurations, or it possibly could work wirelessly using a software change. I'm not a linksys user or fiddler so I know not what your routers capabilities are and havent messed with aftermarket reprogramming them. But there is a lot of software available for some of the linksys routers.

Thanks, Mikie-

Sprint is not too helpful with this internet stuff. But no, there is no physical input to my computer for the internet- just through the "Sprint Card" hooked to the USB port.

I am going to try your suggestion as soon as I get home. I will have to figure out how to set up the internet connections sharing and how to disable the router's DHCP, but I think I can do it.

Also, I'm thinking a crossover ethernet cable might do the trick. What do you think of that?

I'll send the family to a movie so I can work on this in peace. Thanks, again!

Movies?
in the Boonies
Danial Boone Movies ?

We are only 6 miles from a decent size city but far enough out that we do not have cable or DSL available. That is why I say we live in the boonies. Just far enough out not to be worth their while.

Tried the suggestion about internet sharing, did not work the first time. My daughter needed the internet for school, so I did not have time to troubleshoot. Will try to wrangle internet card from her or have to wait til she is out of the house for an extended period.

I can't get internet sharing to work. I disabled the router, plugged the PC's ethernet cable into the internet slot in the router. Plugged usb card into computer. Then did internet sharing via the PC. Tried all different combos, none worked. Will work some more tonight, but ready to throw in the towel.

plugged the PC's ethernet cable into the internet slot in the router.

Plug your puter that you've set up internet connection sharing into one of the regular lan ports, an end port is ideal especially if its marked upload port...dont use the routers 'internet slot' plug nothing into that.

you may need a crossover cable there, but thats unusual unless its a real old router.

Tried that, too. Tried every combo I could think of.

Does the host PC need two network cards? Here is a quote from networkclue.com: "the primary (host) PC should also have a network card installed that is not being used." I think they assume the secondary PC will be wired to the primary PC.

Anyway- I plan on doing a bit more troubleshooting, then give up.

I'll probably buy a Linksys G-Router WRT54G3G-ST that takes a Sprint card. The cheapest I found was $208. WOuld rather find a router with USB input for internet, but can't find one. Do they even make 'em?

Here's sort of an old article at Microsoft for Internet Connection Sharing on XP which sort of a step by step walks through configurations.

Maybe look through it to see if you perhaps see something that has been overlooked.

Could be your usb connection wont cross over to the network card, but I've seen others use it that way with usb wifi adapters, which are pretty much the same deal.

Really pretty simple for a network guy,, If you have a bit of a geeky neighbor, maybe ask for some help.

It could be that the supplied usb cards driver software purposely wont bridge to the nic to defeat sharing and then you would need a card adapter which is on the bus like a real nic would be.

Here is a link that might be useful: Internet Connection Sharing with Windows XP

I have officially ceased my quest. I surrender! I read and read and tried everything. However, there is a router that Sprint has that has a slot for their internet card. It's over $200. I may try that but I don't like the price and I would have to exchange my card- again. We'll just have to share the internet the old-fashioned way.

Thanks for your help.

Hi wxmom

When I tried to set up my Linksys G router and couldn't do it, I called Linksys's help line. The rep there walked me right through it......very clear.......very helpful.

wxmom, you have to have a special router to use with wireless broadband. I have been looking into this since I am going this route in the spring. Regular wireless g routers will not work. These are more expensive, but seem to do a good job. One highly recommended is the Kyocera KR1 mobile router. There is a good forum for EVDO users (which is what you are using, I believe).

Here is a link that might be useful: EVDO users' forum