Simplified creation and termination of an ad hoc wireless network with internet connection sharing

A method for establishing an ad hoc wireless network performable by a first computing device, the first computing device comprising a first wireless network adapter for communicating with the ad hoc network, the method comprising the steps of:

• guiding a user of the first computing device through a process for generating network configuration parameters for creating the ad hoc network;
• informing the user of at least one method for transferring the network configuration parameters to a second computing device, by which the second computing device can connect to the ad hoc network;
• invoking a network protocol address assignment server on the first computing device to assign a network address to the second computing device after the second computing device has connected to the ad hoc network;
• and
• invoking a name resolution server on the first computing device to provide name resolution service to the second computing device.

A system for establishing an ad hoc wireless network between two or more computing devices, each computing device comprising a wireless network adapter for communicating with the ad hoc network, the system comprising:

• an ad hoc network initiator user interface for execution on a first computing device;
• a transfer mechanism for transferring ad hoc network configuration information from the first computing device to one or more other computing devices;
• and
• an ad hoc network joining user interface for execution on the one or more other computing devices;
• wherein the initiator user interface provides user instruction for using the transfer mechanism to convey the network configuration information, and wherein the joining user interface provides user instruction for using the transfer mechanism to input the conveyed network configuration information onto the one or more computing devices.