Internet on iPad via adhoc wifi hotspot

Scroll down for the solution, read on for some trial-and-error background info.

When no direct wifi internet connection is available, then it is possible to use the internet connection of wired Windows PC. The only requirement is that the PC needs to also have a wireless (wifi) network card.

It is possible to use internet connection sharing (ICS) on Windows to setup an adhoc wireless network and connect to this network from the iPad:

• Control Panel -> Network and sharing center -> Setup a new network or connection -> Set up wireless adhoc (computer to computer) network -> Next
• Give the network a name
• Security type: WPA2-Personal
• Give the network a password (security key) of at least 8 characters
• Click "Turn on internet connection sharing"
• Select the LAN internet connection when asked "Select the internet connection that you want to share"
• iPad -> Settings -> Wi-Fi -> Select the network, type in the password

I couldn't get this to work properly. I tried all of the following:

• "Turn on internet connection sharing" does not appear. Try a solution posted by sinnerman on windows7forums.com:
  
  • Open Network and Sharing Center
  • Go to Change Adapter Settings
  • Find the adapter for the default internet connection (it was a PPPOE in my case)
  • Right click on that -> Cancel as Default Connection
  • Right click -> Properties -> Sharing tab
  • Uncheck "Allow other network users to connect ..." if it is not
  • Setup the ad-hoc as explained above, the Turn on Internet connection sharing should appear.
• Disable Windows Firewall. If you have another one, for example Bitdefender, then there is/might be a direct option to allow ICS.
• Allow other users on internet connection:
• Control Panel -> Network and sharing center -> change adapter settings -> select internet connection -> Properties -> Sharing -> Check "Allow other network users to connect ..."
• Set a policy that allows you to use ICS: 
• Start gpedit.msc.
• Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Network -> Network Connection
• Set "Prohibit use of Internet Connection Sharing on your DNS domain network." to false

Solution

• Download Connectify. It is freeware
• Install and allow the software to install drivers
• Start Connectify and start easy setup wizard
• Give the network a name, next
• Give the network a password, next
• Select the connection (wired/LAN) through which there is an internet connection
• iPad -> Settings -> Wi-Fi -> Select the network, type in the password.

The connection from the iPad is lost when unused for a couple of minutes. When using, for example, Safari on the iPad, the connection is quickly restored via a popup that lets you select from wifi networks. Sometimes this is not even necessary and safari restores the connection automatically.

Bluetooth device not found on Dell laptop

If you are sure you have a built-in bluetooth device on your Dell laptop, but you cannot find it in control panel or device manager, then try these steps:

• Determine bluetooth device type using the Dell device locator
  or
  Go to http://support.dell.com and type in the search bar: "Find Out Which Bluetooth Adapter Is in Your Dell Computer"
  or
  Go to the webtool "system configuration tool" directly: system configuration tool
  In all cases, use the service tag that can be found on the bottom of the laptop
• Search for "bluetooth" on the page that the SCT returns, it should have code beside it, i.e. "370"
• Go to http://support.dell.com and type in the search bar: "bluetooth 370"
• The results page contains drivers for bluetooth for various Windows OS'es:
  - Look for "Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Minicard, v.XXX" and search for the most recent version XXX.
  - Make sure "Win 7" is in the description, if the driver is needed for Windows 7.
• Download and install the driver.

Notes:

• The SCT only works from Internet Explorer 5.5+
• And only from the 32 bits version of Internet Explorer. Make sure you don't use the 64 bits one.