[Shawzer]

Thanks. Dare I ask what ICS is?

[ekÆsine]

with ICS there is one single computer that acts as the traffic manager. usually you will have only 1 internet connection and many computers all wanting to use it at the same time which is not possible. so all of the other computers connect to the ICS serving computer by daisy chaining or paralell chaining to it.

they all request to use the internet through the ICS serving machine. so the ICS server allows them to all access the internet seemingly simutaneously, but not exactly. to the internet it seems like all of the request are coming from only 1 computer.

ICS is available with almost every windows operating systems so no need to buy software. sygate home office is ICS software that lets you combine more than 1 internet connection (sygate.com?). a router does basically the same thing as ICS and is much easier to setup and costs less to maintain since an ICS serving machine must always be left turned on. routers are very cheap and have built in switch which is why ICS is rarely recommended over a router. more info:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/h...onn_overvw.asp

[hilowe]

ICS is Internet Connection Sharing.

[Shawzer]

Thanks for the explanation. I think I'll try the router method though. It seems a bit simpler (and the simpler the better, as far as my IT skills go).

Cheers.

[boomer]

guys i have my router/dsl modem running directly to my 30 dollar 5 port hub myself and run a cat 5 cable to each pc,if you run your conn. through 1 pc to the other don`t you have to have the one on all the time for the other to access the internet,1 server-1 client pc?

[mikesgroovin]

Yes, you have to have it on all the time. Or, just times when you want the second PC to access the internet. Oh and BTW, ek, was right in the beginning when he sauid that you need a router to share internet access. Actually, let me get one thing straight right off the bat. These soho "routers" that have become so popular in the past 4-5 years are actually gateways! Just the NAT functionality of the gateway works as a router.....thats it. It's a gateway, router and usually a multi-port switch.
But, as ek said, you need a router......well, yes, you need a gateway and a form of routing. ICS provides a software version of both of these.

-Mike

[HoLoCroN]

Mike is right, also, by getting one of these router/gateways, you dump the load on the router instead of the PC. By enabling ICS, you will start to eat up system resources, potentially slowing your system down.