Trying to connect my Canon camera wirelessly

[jarheadpilot82]

First of all, thanks in advance from a new forum member to all who try and help me-

I will try to keep this short, so here goes. I own a canon SD 430 camera. It has the ability to wirelessly communicate between my laptop and the camera in order to transfer picture and to control the camera from the laptop (remote capture function). I am a realtor and use the camera to take elevated pictures of the properties that I represent, and it works great! I first used it with my iBook and it worked flawlessly. I upgraded to a MacBook Pro and sold the iBook. To my horror, I read the fine print and found out the remote capture software does not work with the Intel processor, only Power PC. Oops!

So, that is what brings me to VMWare Fusion. I have loaded the software and am running it under Windows XP. I am able to connect the camera via USB to Windows to do the initial setup. Under the software provided by Canon, you have the ability to connect the camera to the laptop via an ad hoc connection or through your wireless network (infrastructure). I can see the network in Leopard, and I have internet access in Windows via a NAT connection (you can tell I am not a IT professional from the way I use terms. My apologies, but I hope you understand what I am saying). But when I try to connect the camera to the wireless network or to the laptop directly (ad hoc), I am unable to do so as the camera is not able to see the laptop (ad hoc) or the network (infrastructure). I have tried changing the network settings in Fusion to Bridged or Host Only and that did not work either. Does anyone have any thoughts on how I can make this work?

I realize that unless you have this camera and the software it is not easy to fully understand, but I am merely looking for some advice. Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated.

[WoodyZ]

For not being an IT Professional you used the terms and presented your issue very well! Unfortunately VMware Fusion always presents a Wired NIC regardless of the presence of WiFi in the Host and I think the only way your going to be able to make a WiFi Connection inside the Windows Virtual Machine is to add your own WiFi NIC. As an example: Linksys Wireless Network USB Adapter

[jarheadpilot82]

Let me make sure I get this right. You are telling me that I should utilize a USB network adaptor to connect Windows XP (under VMWare Fusion) to the network directly as opposed to sharing Mac OS's connection? Is that right? What would I set my Fusion network preferences to? I really appreciate your quick response. I knew some one out there would have a suggestion! I will let you know whether or not it works. Thanks again.

[WoodyZ]

By adding a 3rd Party WiFi Network Adapter to the Virtual Machine the Virtual Machine's VMware Fusion Network isn't really in the picture in the use case scenario as it's a USB Device connect to the Virtual Machine and controlled by the OS and Software that come with the WiFi NIC and is independent of the VMware Fusion Network. In other words you should actually be able to disable and or remove the Network in the target Virtual Machine's Settings sheet and the Virtual Machine would have connectivity being provided by the 3rd Party WiFi Network Adapter back to an Airport or other type Router or be able to connect directly to the Camera. Not saying you need to disable or remove the VMware Fusion Network Adapter, I'm just siting it as a case use example.

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

Not necessarily having anything to do directly with your current issue however have a look at something I wrote as another use case scenario:

[jarheadpilot82]

WOODYZ, YOU ROCK, MAN!!!

(Sorry, I am calmer now.) You were exactly right. All I had to do was add the third party USB, go through the XP initialization process, and I was up and running in about 2 minutes. You have absolutely made my day!

I also want to say thanks not only to you, but to VMWare for putting this forum in place where people can help each other.

If you are ever in Athens, GA, I owe you a cold one. You don't know how much of a help you have been to me!