Internet Connection Sharing Guide

1. Introduction
   
2. Things You Need
   
3. Setting Up your ICS server (computer already connected to the Internet)
   
4. Setting up your client (computer you want to connect)
   

Introduction
If you have two people with their own computers wanting to use the Internet at the same time - there is an easy way to share your connection, without the need to buy lots of specialist equipment.

Windows XP comes with a program called Internet Connection Sharing that does all the work, you need to supply is a network cable.

Things you Need

• Windows computers (at least 2)
  
• A broadband modem
  
• Each computer should have a network card.
  
• If you are planning to use a wired network you will need a cable to connect the two computers together. For connecting two computers together, without using a Hub or Switch, you will need a Category 5 Crossover cable.
  

Setting up you ICS server
To set up the computer that is already connected to your broadband service, follow these steps:

1. Open the Network and Dial-up Connections folder. Then right click the Internet connection that you want to share and select Properties.

   

2. The Properties screen shows the network components associated with your selected connection.

   

3. Click the Advanced tab, then tick Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection.

   

4. If you have more than one network adapter in your computer, you'll need to select the one to use for sharing the Internet connection.

5. Tick Allow other network users to control or disable the shared Internet connection if you wish to allow that capability on the connecting computer that is running Windows 98, Me, or XP.

   

6. Click OK. If your LAN network adapter already has an IP address assigned, Windows will warn you that it will change the IP. Click Yes to continue.

   
   

Setting up your ICS client
The Internet Connection Sharing server is now set up to share a broadband connection. Now set up the computer you are going to connect to your ICS server.

Make sure your network card is correctly installed, then start the Network Setup Wizard.

1. Select This computer connects to the Internet through another computer (the ICS server), and click Next.

   

2. Select the connection to the ICS server and click Next.

   

3. Enter a Computer description and Computer name. The description appears in My Network Places and Network Neighborhood on other networked computers. The computer name must be unique on the network. For maximum compatibility with all versions of Windows, use 1-12 letters or numbers, with no blanks or symbols.

   

4. Enter a workgroup name, which should be the same on all of the networked computers. Once again, use 1-12 letters or numbers, with no symbols or blanks. By default, the Wizard uses the name MSHOME. If your network uses a different name, enter it here.

   

5. The Wizard displays your chosen settings. Scroll down the list to see all of them. To change a setting, click Back. To accept the settings, click Next. To stop running the Wizard, click Cancel.

6. The Wizard then sets up the computer's network settings. The process may appear to stop working for a short time, let it continue until it completes.

   

7. Next this screen appears. Specify Just finish the wizard and click Next.

   

8. When the configuration is complete, the Wizard's Completion screen appears. Click Finish to exit.
   

You should now be able to share your Internet connection between your two computers.

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