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Hi,

I have set up one Windows Me machine with 2 Linksys NIC cards with one connected to the Cable Modem and other connected to my LAN through a Linksys router.

I am able to connect to the internet on the host Win Me machine without any problem. The external connection to the modem has a static IP address given by my Cable Modem people. I have installed Microsoft ICS and Check point Software on this host machine.

The internal connection has the IP address 192.168.0.1 with DHCP enabled. I have given static IP addresses to my LAN or client computers Win Me with address 192.168.0.5 and Win 98 with address 192.168.0.10 with 255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask. I have added 192.168.0.1 as the gateway for the router has the address 192.168.1.1. I am able to ping all the machines and able to share files and printer without any problem.

From the client machines I am unable to ping to the outside network nor am I able to connect to the internet from both of my client PCS. Could somebody let me know what I may be missing out ?

Thanks in advance

Ravi Shankar

You have to turn-off ICS’s DHCP server to use static IPs on the client computers. To test, I would first use automatic IPs. Allan McComb's ICSConfig (http://lynx.dac.neu.edu/a/amccombs/ ) is the easy way to configure Windows 98 SE/Me Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) for games, etc., and to turn off the DHCP server. Please believe me when I say that a router is worth of every penny or the $100 or so that they cost. Larry

Q. What are the ways to share a broadband (cable or DSL MODEM) Internet connection?

A. There are few ways to do it. One is to purchase another IP address from your service provider. Most service providers charge a monthly fee for additional IPs. The best way is to purchase a broadband router such as the SMC Barricade (http://duxcw.com/digest/Reviews/Network/smc/smc7004br/smc7004br.htm). That is what I use. They cost about $100.
The Barricade has serial port for an external dial-up MODEM and a printer port and printer server. A printer can be connected to the Barricade and shared by computers on the local network. Not all printers will work with it. Many routers do not accommodate an Internet connection via an external dial-up MODEM and do not have printer port and server.
The Barricade can be connected to an Ethernet hub or switch hub can to expand the network and Internet sharing to more than the four PCs directly supported by the router.
There are also single port routers on the market, routers that do not include an Ethernet switch or hub (http://duxcw.com/faq/network/hubsw.htm). I will review one shortly.
Another way to do it is with a software solution. There are two flavors: a proxy server and a NAT (Network Address Translator). I have found that a NAT works best for a small network. Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) and Millennium (Me) include ICS (Internet Connection Sharing; http://duxcw.com/digest/Howto/network/win98se/intro.htm and http://duxcw.com/digest/Howto/network/win98se_cab/intro.htm). It works OK for basic browsing and E-Mail functions, but has problems with some network games and conferencing programs, etc. It requires two network adapters in the PC connected to the Internet, one to the MODEM and the other to another PC via a crossover cable (http://duxcw.com/digest/Howto/network/cable/cable1.htm) or to a hub with a straight-thru cable as you have now. You would have to buy another adapter and cable.
Of the software I have tested, I have found that SyGate (http://duxcw.com/digest/Reviews/Network/sygate/sygate.htm) is the best NAT (it can also function as a proxy). The version of SyGate I reviewed requires two network adapters like Win 98 SE/Me ICS. The newest version is advertised to work with one network adapter in the host computer (the one running the NAT).
With a software solution you must have the host computer on for the other computer(s) (clients) to use the Internet. Most routers are small boxes running a specialized server that performs both NAT and firewall functions. With a router, only the router has to be on. The router is also easier to install, is generally faster, and has fewer problems.

Hi Larry,

Thanks for posting the information. With reference to what you said I downloaded Allan McComb's ICSConfig and used it to configure as follows:

On Host Computer with Win Me:
I disabled the DHCP but DNS is still on. Changed IP address of machine for LAN Nic to 192.168.1.10. I am able to connect to Internet without any problem. I am able to ping LAN ip addresses as well as external IP addresses. External NIC card still has the same configuration as required by the cable modem company with a static IP address.

On Client Computers with Win Me and Win 98:
I changed it get automatic IP addressing from the addressing from the router. I used Winicfg to check and found they get the IP addresses generally 192.168.0.3 and 192.168.0.4. I am able to ping all the IP addresses in the LAN but I still am unable to connect to the internet. I am unable to ping outside also.

I am still missing something, let me know if you could suggest me anything else I should do.

Ravi Shankar

I just reread your original post. I overlooked the fact that you have router. Sorry about the oversight… If you have a broadband router/switch (which one do you have?), you do not need ICS or the second network adapter in the computer currently acting as the ICS host. Uninstall ICS with Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Setup… Remove the gateway settings from the clients. Plug the MODEM into the router’s WAN port, the PCs into the routers LAN ports, and setup the router according to the manufacturers directions. Use dynamic IPs. The router should work much better than ICS. Larry

Larry,

Thanks for your quick reply.

What you suggested by using the router works fine. I have checked it out, internet connection is fine with this.

I am actually trying to use Sabre software which requires CheckPoint software to be installed. For this to work, one computer on my network has to be connected directly to the cable modem with a static IP address given by the cable modem people according to the Sabre Support people otherwise I will not be able to use Sabre. So they suggested me to have two NIC cards on one computer to act as a Host computer and the remaining to be connected through a router/hub to the gateway computer which is the reason I am trying it out like this.

Let me know if you could suggest something.

Thanks in advance again,

Ravi Shankar

Give me some time, perhaps a day, to look-over the documentation, etc. By the way, my wife and I used to own a travel agency. Larry

Well, I can’t get enough information to reach a conclusion. I don’t know which Checkpoint (http://www.checkpoint.com/products/index.html) product you are using and I cannot access Checkpoint’s manuals without an account and password. From what is available to the public on their web site, I would guess that checkpoint is providing a virtual private network (VPN) capability for a secure link to Sabre over the Internet. I would think it would be possible to establish this link through a router. I would suggest contacting Checkpoint about it.

As for the problem of running the router and ICS… Both the router and ICS have built-in DHCP servers. If you are going to use ICS, suggest setting your ICS clients to obtain their IP addresses automatically and turning-off the router’s DHCP server. Larry

Hi Larry,

Thanks for your reply.

I am using CheckPoint SecuRemote VPN version 4.1. I also tried accessing the manuals on their web site but was unable to get through. If you get to know of any other information let me know.

Thanking you

Ravi

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