Question about internet sharing

My knowledge of networking is limited, and I'm having a little trouble setting up a network.

Here's what I want to do:

I have a computer running Vista that is getting it's internet connection via a tethered connection to a Moto Q smartphone. I would like to plug an ethernet cable into the back of this machine, connect it to a router (or switch?) , so that any Windows XP machine that I plug into that router, will have internet access, preferably without having to change the TCP/IP properties from "assign IP address automaticaly" to manual IP mode.

I'm using PDAnet to connect my phone as a high speed wireless modem.... When I look at my networks, I have the PDAnet modem showing up as a dial-up modem, then I have my ethernet lan, and the usb "windows moble device" lan connection to the phone.

I have tried enabling sharing on the different connections. I'm really not sure what IP addresses I should be using.

If someone could give me a step by step tutorial on setting it up...I would like...totally write you in my will...when I get around to writing one.

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Thanks,

Mac

 

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never tried that type of setup (but have done similar thing) and networking isn't my strong point but might be able to help. How is it rigged? First thing that comes to mind is I would try Vista machine to phone as normal, then eth to internet in on router, setup the machine as gateway (unsure what in vista but in xp it's in networking wizard this comp is gateway all on network connect through this etc).

Then under network interfaces enable internet connection sharing (ICS) on your actual net connection and set other machines to connect via the gateway comp. For network addresses give them the gateway machine address not your isp ip address.

 

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another approach would be to leave the wan port unconnected and lan together the machines as you would a normal network without net access, making sure they all see each other etc. Windows ICS provides DHCP so disable it on your router.

 

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Thanks for the response...but talk to me like I'm 5...I'm great at fixing desktops and laptops but my knowledge of networking is very limited.

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cool, did some looking round on my own lan and second method looks most promising. I am unfamiliar with vista but we can work that out.

Start the main machine up and don't bother connecting to net.

Plug in your switch/router. We need to reconfigure it because windows ICS (internet connection sharing) assign IPa to other machines by DHCP so having a router do this too will mess things up as it's effectively 2 routers (actual one and windows gateway machine acting like one with ICS running). Turn off DHCP making router into simple network switch.

Next turn on net via your usb modem and in it's properties allow internet connection sharing (ics) option

Turn on next machine and connect to router/switch. Run network wizard and connect to your gateway machine we setup before. The gateway machine should give the new comp we turned on an ipa on the network. Check it's visible on the network. Then see if net sharing works. Windows firewall in xp will cause issues so stop it on the lan connection/ethernet connection. Add ethernet connection to trusted/unfiltered zone on firewall since they are all your home machines it's not a risk.

 

Cool..thanks man...I think my main problem is that is showing up as a dial up modem. I install windows xp 5-20 times a day at my job, but I'm not allow to hook these computers up to the company network to give them internet access in order to activate windows (for security and virus reasons)...so I have to send them out un-activated, and I think that's half ass. I once tryed to set up a computer with AOL dial up, and tried to share that connection, but had the same troubles.
Thanks again,

Mac

p.s. Do you know the difference between a switch and a router?..cause I don't.

 

I don't know but I think routers tend to have dhcp capabilities where as switches just connect them together and the network ip ads are assigned manually/ by the gateway etc. My dad has aol connection and I know they do something to stop ics working properly unless you have higher priced package. I spoke to support on his comp about this and they confirmed it but wouldn't tell me how they did it so I could get round it. I know it's not their browser since I configured his connection manually (through xp netwrok interfaces set up pppoe connection with his sign in details) to get around being forced to use their browser.

 

With my dial up, I found it easiest to have the network connected and working, then enable ICS for the dial up connection. Just followed the prompts on the ICS wizard, and it worked like a charm. This was with XP. Having a shared dial up connection is very sad, but the other computers only needed it to be able to send completed work units for Folding at Home.

 

Do I need to "bridge" the dial up connection to the ethernet? Bandwidth is no issue, all I'm trying to do is activate Windows.

 

I really don't know, I've never tried this sort of configuration, and this didn't really shed any light (at least, not when skimming it very quickly), http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wxpbrdge.html . I guess I would try it, and if it does not work, run the wizard again, and try it without bridging it.

 

Have you gotten it to work yet?

 

Start, right click 'Network, 'properties', 'manage network connections' right click the moto q connection, 'properties' 'Sharing' tab, and tick 'allow other network users to connect using this computers internet conection' , then press the settings button, and check the boxes that the other computer will need (http and https at the least) and click OK.

Then plug an ethernet cable from your comp into a cheapo router, and same for the second machine, and configure both of those machine network cards to have ip addresses in the same subnet, (one machine 192.168.1.1, subnet 255.255.255.0 2nd 192.168.1.2, same subnet)

Seems there's a bug in Vista and you'll need to patch ICS (Internet Connection Sharing);
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937168

I've only ever done this using W2K, and it was a while ago, before wireless routers were readily (read cheaply) available, so if it doens't work, ping me, also you might have to name the first server as the default gateway on the 2nd,... if so, add the IP address
192.168.1.1 as the default gateway on the 2nd box (right click network card in 2nd, properties, IP v 4, alternate configuration, and default gateway)

Or google Internet Connection sharing vista, for some like, professional instructions

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Thanks so much Ph, I'll try that.

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