How to connect windows computer to Mac wireless internet share

A typical home network includes a broadband connection such as DSL or cable modem, a router, and wireless access point. With the Apple Mac OS, you can enable a feature called internet sharing that allows you to bypass purchasing a router and wiress access point and still get the same home network benefits. One issue however with internet sharing is that it's not trivial to setup a Windows machine to connect to the internet share of your Mac computer when WEP security is enabled. The below steps describe how to setup internet sharing on your Mac, as well as how to enable your Windows PC to connect to the Mac wireless internet share.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Apple Mac computer to enable internet sharing
• Windows PC with wireless support

1. 
    
   System Preferences

   The first step is to enable Internet sharing in your Mac OS. Any Mac machine with OS X supports internet sharing. Click on the "System Preferences" program in your doc, and once open click on "Sharing" under the "Internet & Network" section.

2. 
    
   Internet Sharing

   Once you open the "Sharing" option, you will see a check box for "Internet Sharing." On the right side of the image, you will see options to share your ethernet, firewire, or AirPort. To share via your AirPort so your Mac acts as a wireless router and access point, click on "AirPort." Under the "AirPort Options" button, you can configure the WEP security. This is highly recommended so you control who has access to your internet share.

3. Once you enabled your Internet Sharing option through your AirPort, any computer with wireless access can connect to your internet share and use your network. The client computers will have to enable WEP security and input the same passcode you used when you enabled the internet share on your Mac. For client Mac computers, this is a simple task. For Windows computers however, there is one step which is critical in enabling the Windows machine to access your internet share.

4. 
    
   Network Authentication Setting

   To make your Windows PC compatible with your Mac internet share, you will have to change the connection type setting once your Windows machines finds the wireless connection. The network authentication type should be set to the "Shared" option. Any other type of network authentication will cause the Windows PC not to successfully connect to your Mac internet share.

Resources

• Connecting windows machine to wireless Mac shared internet

[rdander]

on 1/24/2010 Look under "Control Panel", and then "Network" is where you would find your network connections.

[swimmerkk2424]

on 1/24/2010 How do i OPEN my network connections?

[riahpapaya]

on 9/15/2009 Hi there,

I used to be able to do this but my windows laptop crashed and now after it's been fixed it won't access the internet via my mac. All of the mac settings are the same, but on the windows it won't even register the wireless as being an available network. The wireless switch is on - any help?

Thanks,
Riah

[chaywoo]

on 9/14/2009 OOOOOPPPS! I mean set to SHARED not OPEN omg.. I've been having this problem way too long, Im getting brain belches mixing up my words..

[chaywoo]

on 9/14/2009 Fantastic explanation, best on the web. I've searched for hours two and a half days before finding this.. And now after I went into the advanced settings for network connections, and manually input my ssid and wep info, and set to OPEN, now Im set!
Great! Thank You!
Chris