Sharing internet from a USB drive

Hey everyone, I’ve got this wireless USB dongle for mobile data, and I basically just swap between an AT&T and a Cricket SIM card depending on what I need. My goal is to spread that signal throughout my apartment so I can get my laptop, tablet, and a few other gadgets online at once.
I'm looking for the best way to set this up without spending more than $33.
I was wondering if I could make use of some old gear I have lying around—specifically a desktop PC that doesn't have a Wi-Fi card, plus two routers, a Linksys E-series router and a Cisco Integrated Services Router (which actually has a USB port on the back, though I have no clue what it's actually for).
Alternatively, maybe there's just a simple plug-and-play adapter that puts out a decent signal without being a massive headache to install? I'd love to hear any recommendations you guys might have. Thanks in advance.

casualcyclist18 said:Hey everyone, I’ve got this wireless USB dongle for mobile data, and I basically just swap between an AT&T and a Cricket SIM card depending on what I need. My goal is to spread that signal throughout my apartment so I can get my laptop, tablet, and a few other gadgets online at once.
I'm looking for the best way to set this up without spending more than $33.
I was wondering if I could make use of some old gear I have lying around—specifically a desktop PC that doesn't have a Wi-Fi card, plus two routers, a Linksys E-series router and a Cisco Integrated Services Router (which actually has a USB port on the back, though I have no clue what it's actually for).
Alternatively, maybe there's just a simple plug-and-play adapter that puts out a decent signal without being a massive headache to install? I'd love to hear any recommendations you guys might have. Thanks in advance.

It could work. Just plug the modem into that PC. Since you don't have wireless on the desktop, you'd run an Ethernet cable from the computer to a router, and then let that router broadcast the signal throughout your place.

wiredcanyon94 said:It could work. Just plug the modem into that PC. Since you don't have wireless on the desktop, you'd run an Ethernet cable from the computer to a router, and then let that router broadcast the signal throughout your place.

Thanks for the reply. Could you clarify what kind of wire we're talking about here? Is it a Verizon cable? Also, do you happen to know how to actually configure everything in the router and the computer settings?

casualcyclist18 said:Thanks for the reply. Could you clarify what kind of wire we're talking about here? Is it a Verizon cable? Also, do you happen to know how to actually configure everything in the router and the computer settings?

Yeah, just a standard Verizon cable.
I know my way around the setup.
But honestly, I'm not sure if I could even walk you through it. If you're asking which specific wire connects them, I'm guessing networking isn't really your thing.
My bad.

wiredcanyon94 said:Yeah, just a standard Verizon cable.
I know my way around the setup.
But honestly, I'm not sure if I could even walk you through it. If you're asking which specific wire connects them, I'm guessing networking isn't really your thing.
My bad.

Aha, so you're one of those people who gets a kick out of acting superior because someone else is struggling. My condolences on having a life like that.
Since you brought up technicalities, I figured I should double-check what you were actually talking about, especially since you seem like the type who thrives on making others feel small. Truly, I feel for you.

wow! Short fuse, huh? Someone’s clearly having a bad day. Damn, man, they were just trying to help you out... and you immediately jump down their throat like some kind of total jerk.

How is anyone supposed to judge how much expertise or experience you actually have just by looking at a username? Believe me, people come here with zero clue what they're doing. From what I can see, you didn't even ask them to explain things or mention you had any background in this—you just went straight for the attack.

With an attitude like that, don't expect anyone to lift a finger for you. By the way, you realize the people responding to posts here aren't getting paid a dime? They’re doing this purely out of goodwill, giving up their own free time just to help people who are stuck.

darkowl72 said:wow! Short fuse, huh? Someone’s clearly having a bad day. Damn, man, they were just trying to help you out... and you immediately jump down their throat like some kind of total jerk.

How is anyone supposed to judge how much expertise or experience you actually have just by looking at a username? Believe me, people come here with zero clue what they're doing. From what I can see, you didn't even ask them to explain things or mention you had any background in this—you just went straight for the attack.

With an attitude like that, don't expect anyone to lift a finger for you. By the way, you realize the people responding to posts here aren't getting paid a dime? They’re doing this purely out of goodwill, giving up their own free time just to help people who are stuck.

well wow, is there anyone here actually sane without a massive ego?? I politely asked him to clarify, and he shuts me down like some self-important professor.
I mentioned the wire, I asked him what kind of wire—what's the big deal? EGO? HEAT? Are you just like him, or are you actually him under a different username, just enjoying the fact that someone doesn't know something and refusing to explain it?? Is that it?
Here is the exact copy of what I sent him:
''thanks for the reply, could you explain which wire connects to what? is it a Verizon cable? and do you know how to configure everything in the router and the computer settings?''

What he failed to tell me was: "hey dummy, plug the cable in here and there and adjust these Windows settings." Instead, he just flexes his miserable ego at someone who hasn't mastered this yet. I have a desktop, a laptop, a USB drive, a wireless router—couldn't he have at least inferred that I know how to click through menus and navigate a Control Panel? It's just that I don't know how to configure this specific setup, and he seems to actually enjoy feeding his ego by withholding info.
Seriously, what is with this incredibly egotistical crowd?? Has everyone turned into these elitist, fragile types who think they're somehow superior to everyone else? In reality, they're just worse and full of themselves. Honestly, my condolences to everyone; things are only going to get worse, and frankly, you haven't even earned the right to complain.

Honestly, I think you’ve got way bigger issues on your plate than a router or signal splitting. You just picked the wrong place to vent all that frustration.

darkowl72 said:Honestly, I think you’ve got way bigger issues on your plate than a router or signal splitting. You just picked the wrong place to vent all that frustration.

Say whatever you want, but I came here politely asking for help, and you and your buddy are just out here flaunting your massive egos like you're some kind of gods who know everything. It’s honestly pathetic how people act like this in this country; it feels like this kind of attitude is why things keep getting worse everywhere. So, my condolences to you—you aren't exactly a hero for refusing to help just so you could talk down to someone from your self-appointed pedestal. Just a bunch of primitive egoists. Enjoy being stuck in your own little bubble with that mediocre info you use to feel superior. It's basically Idiocracy in real life.
I'll figure it out one way or another, but unfortunately, you guys are exactly who you are..

I honestly think casualcyclist18 is a bit of an oddball 👎 ... casualcyclist18, when someone mentions a "hardwired connection," they’re talking about using physical cables instead of relying on Wi-Fi. And they make a fair point—once you find yourself asking what kind of wire you need, it's probably a sign you should just call a technician to handle the setup since the basics aren't clicking. My condolences, casualcyclist18...

shadowlynx102 said:I honestly think casualcyclist18 is a bit of an oddball 👎 ... casualcyclist18, when someone mentions a "hardwired connection," they’re talking about using physical cables instead of relying on Wi-Fi. And they make a fair point—once you find yourself asking what kind of wire you need, it's probably a sign you should just call a technician to handle the setup since the basics aren't clicking. My condolences, casualcyclist18...

Buddy, you're just another oddball in this crowd of idiots. Nothing smart or useful comes from you, just pure condescension... if you know what I mean.
When that guy mentioned a cable, I thought, here we go, another freak (and unfortunately, he is one) claiming you connect a stick with some wire. Here’s his exact wording:
''Plug that stick into the computer. Connect it with a wire.''
He doesn't explain anything, and now it's obvious he wasn't trying to clarify things anyway—he just wanted to mess with people, and I guess he's getting exactly what he deserves while he sits there enjoying these replies—scattered but widespread across our forums.
So now I'm the one at fault for asking him what kind of cable, just trying to verify things... I was asking about a Verizon cable, and he could have just said, "Yeah, use a Verizon cable."
Instead, it turns out he was just waiting for someone who doesn't know something so he could play little god and belittle them for not knowing basic info that he probably expected me to beg for. It's a pure forum fetish where people feed their egos by putting others down online.
If he actually wanted to help, he would have told me—like I said—plug this here, adjust that there... but no, he'd rather humiliate me as if I've never seen a PC or Windows in my life. He got what he wanted: a little ego boost, a chance to talk down to me, and now he's just waiting for the next naive person to come along so he can swoop in with that God complex. That's how it works—that's just how life goes in this beautiful, yet unfortunately cursed America.
My condolences to you too, because you're just another one lurking around, insulting people without helping anything, and from the looks of it, you're enjoying the drama just as much.
I guess everyone expects us to bow down and beg for a few scraps of info just because you happened to learn some technical details slightly before someone else—how incredibly intelligent. 🙂

🙂

Enough with the nonsense!