[wellduhhhh]

Hi, I have a PC, two laptops, a tablet and an X-box that access my current wireless network.
I have internet coming in via cable to a wireless modem that the cable company provided.
I don't want to pay the 9.95/month fee to use their modem, so I have a short RJ-45 cable that connects the cable company modem to my own personal wireless modem that serves all of the devices listed above with the exception of the PC which is connected to the cable company modem via RJ-45 cable.
Neither modem has a USB connection.

I want to be able to share the contents of one of the PC hard drive (where all of my media is stored)over the wireless network.

I'm not particularly smart when it comes to wireless networks, but here what I think my options are:

1 replace my personal wireless modem with a newer model that has USB connection and connect that modem to my PC and enable sharing on the PC hard drive.
2 keep the modems the same and get a USB modem and attach to the PC to connect that PC wirelessly to the network.
3 use a "USB 2.0 to 10/100 Mbps Ethernet USB Network Adapter" to connect the PC to the current personal modem.
4 remove the media hard drive, place it in an external hard drive enclosure and connect that to a new modem with a USB connection.

I realize I may be totally off base, but I'd like to do this as inexpensively as possible.

I priced new modems with USB Connections and they run anywhere from $30-$200 (and I believe you probably get what you pay for here).
The USB modems run in the $20-$50 range.
USB to Ethernet Network Adapters are in the $15-30 range.

If possible, I would also like to connect my USB printer to the network.

Any assistance you can offer is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

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What is the make and model of the wireless modem that you are currently using? Is there any reason it could not also connect to the PC? Sharing a drive via the network should be fairly simple if they are all on the same network. A usb to wireless adapter (just bought one at Fry's last week for $10) would also allow you to have them all on the same network if for some reason the wireless modem does not have an RJ-45 that could connect to the PC.

Ron

[RKinner]

What is the make and model of the wireless modem that you are currently using? Is there any reason it could not also connect to the PC? Sharing a drive via the network should be fairly simple if they are all on the same network. A usb to wireless adapter (just bought one at Fry's last week for $10) would also allow you to have them all on the same network if for some reason the wireless modem does not have an RJ-45 that could connect to the PC.

Ron

[wellduhhhh]

RKinner - Thanks for the quick response....I made a plea for help to my FaceBook friends and we got it figured out last night.

One issue was using Vista on PC, Win7 on laptop #1 and Win8 on laptop #2.....that and my inexperience/ignorance.

What I did was move my PC connection from ISP wireless router to my personal router....opened up the router interface and created a "Guest Network"...on my PC, I shared the printer and the media drive.

I was able to join that network from my two PCs and access the media drive without a problem....still can't print from either laptop, but one step at a time....

Best of all this didn't cost me a penny (if you don't count the two hours of frustration it took to partially resolve the problem).

[wellduhhhh]

was able to join that network from my two PCs laptops and access the media drive without a problem....still can't print from either laptop, but one step at a time....

[RKinner]

As I remember, getting a Vista to share a printer is not a simple matter.

http://www.howtogeek...p-to-windows-7/

http://forums.cnet.c...-vista-network/

http://www.geekstogo...post__p__959022