Sharing internet via computer (Not router)?

[VincentAnoid]

At school they have these computers which are always on, I know they don't have Wifi because they're connected at the back with an ethernet port. I was wondering whether there were USB Wifi Transmitter sticks which you could buy so that the PC's internet connection is shared over a Wifi Hotspot with the aid of the transmitter. Sort of like an adhoc network but only I can't access the settings on the school computers. Also the USB Wifi Transmitter will have to be capable of Plug and Play because I can't install anything. I was thinking of Portable Apps could help, because software runs without installation.

 

[johnlgalt]

Software would run without installation, but whatever device you add to the computer would have to have drivers installed, and you'd need administrative privileges to install those drivers.

 

[Speed Daemon]

I was wondering whether there were USB Wifi Transmitter sticks which you could buy...

Yes, there are USB Wi-Fi radios. They both transmit and receive, just like all regular Wi-Fi radios.

...so that the PC's internet connection is shared over a Wifi Hotspot with the aid of the transmitter.

A Wi-Fi hotspot is typically a stand-alone appliance that uses an Ethernet cable to provide the Internet backhaul. If you have a hotspot appliance, all you need to do is take the Ethernet cable from the computer and plug it into the hotspot.

Sort of like an adhoc network but only I can't access the settings on the school computers. Also the USB Wifi Transmitter will have to be capable of Plug and Play because I can't install anything. I was thinking of Portable Apps could help, because software runs without installation.

I think you're saying that the school computers are locked down. If that's the case, you either need to crack into the computers and gain superuser (root or Administrator) access in order to install the hardware drivers and NAT/router software if needed.

One possible work-around is to burn a live Linux CD or bootable USB thunb drive and see if you can boot from external media. Chances are that if the OS is locked down, the rest of the computer will be locked down too.

But if you have a Wi-Fi hotspot already, you can bypass the computer entirely.

 

[VincentAnoid]

Yeah I'll need admin privillleges, I should be able to boot from a USB thumb drive by installing Ubuntu onto it. I need to create a Wi-FI hotspot from plugging in a stick which has Wifi on it. I'm looking for like a thing which is a transmitter but isn't. Like this:

Hercules WiFi USB Transmitter (HWGUSB2-54V2-AP) - WiFi - Hercules

The website looks dodgy to buy from but it might explain it better than me.

I haven't tried the Ubuntu operating system boot so I'm not sure if it will be able to access the school's intranet because there are settings to it.

 

[Speed Daemon]

Yeah I'll need admin privillleges, I should be able to boot from a USB thumb drive by installing Ubuntu onto it.
...
I haven't tried the Ubuntu operating system boot so I'm not sure if it will be able to access the school's intranet because there are settings to it.

That's something you'll have to find out, because if you can't get an external drive to boot, not even a ready-made USB WAP isn't going to work.

I need to create a Wi-FI hotspot from plugging in a stick which has Wifi on it. I'm looking for like a thing which is a transmitter but isn't. Like this:

Hercules WiFi USB Transmitter (HWGUSB2-54V2-AP) - WiFi - Hercules

The website looks dodgy to buy from but it might explain it better than me.

It looks dodgy to me too. I'd want to see one in action before buying.

I get the feeling that your idea of "hotspot" isn't the same as mine. If the idea is to get a Wi-Fi connection to your school's wired network because they don't have their own Wi-Fi service, then buying a cheap Wi-Fi Internet router and plugging the Ethernet cable that runs to the computer might work better for a similar amount of money and less effort.

Can you share more details?

 

[scary alien]

Just thought I'd mention that it's likely that there's no wi-fi access available because the school doesn't want to make internet available in that manner.

Altering equipment and/or installing software or devices without the prior approval and consent of the school authorities is, at best, a bad idea and, at worst, something that could get you in real trouble (expulsion, legal action, etc.).

 

[VincentAnoid]

Lol yeah the school has two Wifi networks which are both locked down. And I think you misinterpreted me Speed Daemon, I meant that I should be able to run Ubuntu off a memory stick onto their computers and I would need admin privileges to install drivers etc.

I thought that could work too :O But it needs to be discrete so that its not in plain sight; a powerline adapter could work as a very small router? My school has computers which are connected to their intranet and then to the internet via their own systems. All I want to do is freely share this connection which the computers have onto my smartphone with a Wifi connection.

 

[VincentAnoid]

Just thought I'd mention that it's likely that there's no wi-fi access available because the school doesn't want to make internet available in that manner.

Altering equipment and/or installing software or devices without the prior approval and consent of the school authorities is, at best, a bad idea and, at worst, something that could get you in real trouble (expulsion, legal action, etc.).

Yeah they don't, its probably because of their already poor network; it won't be able to handle more workload. Youtube videos regularly pause and buffer when we watch them.

I doubt this school would ever do something because I booted one of their crappy computers with Ubuntu. Did I say that most of them are broke anyway because the operating system is corrupt?

 

[Speed Daemon]

Lol yeah the school has two Wifi networks which are both locked down. And I think you misinterpreted me Speed Daemon, I meant that I should be able to run Ubuntu off a memory stick onto their computers and I would need admin privileges to install drivers etc.

No, I didn't misinterpret that; I was talking about being able to boot from external media. I presume that your Ubuntu distro will have some provision for doing things as root.

Sorry, but I'm afraid of scary aliens, so I can't help you circumvent your school's rules. :burnout:

 

[scary alien]

Yeah, its pretty clear that we're talking about doing some things here that circumvent and breach someone's (a school's) network and we really don't want to allow that to continue here at AF, so I'm closing this thread.

Feel free to PM me if you disagree or have any questions.

Thanks!