Compaq n6120 - can't connect wireless

Most wireless networks are setup as infrastructure networks, meaning all communication is to/from a wireless access point/router that serves the same function as a switch/hub in a wired network as a central point to transfer communications from machine to machine. One works over the air the other through a wire.

There is an alternate form of wireless networking refered to as ad hoc -- in this version of wireless networking every wireless adapter can "talk" to any other wireless adapter configured with the same SSID (name) and security encryption (none, WEP, WPA). This is how somewhat less impromptu wireless networks are created similar to impromptu infrared networks some of us have used. One limitation of the ad hoc networks I have seen configured to date is access to the internet. I have posted an article where a stationary PC (required to be running for any other wireless machine to access the internet) with a wireless card in ad hoc mode could act as the router for wireless network but it required a cabled connection the internet. I suppose it could be a second wireless connection on a separate channel with a second wireless adapter in an infrastructure network but why? These types of networks are only recommended in another article for a limited (small) number of machines.

Based on this are you asking to create an ad hoc network to connect 2 PC's wirelessly without a wireless router or access to the internet from the wireless network (without a dedicated machine)?