Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is one issue many individuals who are involved in IT installations still find difficult to understand. ICS provides networked computers with the ability to share a single connection to the Internet.

If you have multiple computers, you can use ICS to allow you and others on your local area network (LAN) to perform different tasks simultaneously. For example, one person can send and receive e-mail messages, while another person downloads a file, and another person browses the Internet.

You can also gain access to your corporate e-mail accounts from a client computer while others on your LAN cannot. You can use Web-enabled programs (such as downloading updates) as well as Microsoft NetMeeting and other video conferencing programs.
Your Internet connection sharing depends on the kind of network you are running. It also depends on the kind of Internet connection you want to share as well as the type of devices installed in your network.

Internet Connection Sharing can be configured using software or hardware support. An example of a software support sharing is when we use Microsoft windows. A hardware support sharing is when we use a device like router.

In order to connect multiple computers to the Internet through a single connection using window support sharing, one computer must be running Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Me or Windows Second Edition with Internet Connection Sharing installed. ICS is a built-in feature of these various versions of Windows as listed above. With this, other computers on your LAN can now gain access to the Internet through the connection to the computer with Internet Connection Sharing.

Your ICS network is a type of local area network that relies on a single computer called a gateway, through which all other computers and TCP/IP-capable devices connect to the Internet. A practical guide from Microsoft which has helped me is presented to you here.

The hardware and software needed to set up a home network includes:

* A primary computer, called a gateway, that provides network connectivity to the Internet
* This computer must be running Windows XP, Windows 98 Second Edition,
* Windows 2000 or Windows Me with Internet Connection Sharing enabled.
* One or more computers running Windows XP, Windows 98, Microsoft Windows NT4.0,
* Windows 2000 or other TCP-IP enabled client software.
* Devices that are capable of connecting to the Internet.
* A network connection device for each computer.
* Cabling and hubs, depending on the type of connection devices you use.
* A single modem (or an ISDN or ADSL line) for the entire network.
* Internet browser software and TCP/IP drivers installed on each device that shares the connection.

Let us look at how to configure Internet Connection Sharing in Windows XP
To use Internet Connection Sharing to share your Internet connection, the host computer must have one network adapter that is configured to connect to the internal network and one network adapter or modem that is configured to connect to the Internet.
On the host computer

1. Log on to the host computer as Administrator or as Owner.

2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

3. Click Network and Internet Connections.

4. Click Network Connections.

5. Right-click the connection that you use to connect to the Internet. For example, if you connect to the Internet by using a modem, right-click the connection that you want
under Dial-up

6. Click Properties.

7. Click the Advanced tab.

Under Internet Connection Sharing, select the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection check box.

8. Click OK.

You receive the following message: When Internet Connection Sharing is enabled, your LAN adapter will be set to use IP address 192.168.0.1. Your computer may lose connectivity with other computers on your network. If these other computers have static IP addresses, it is a good idea to set them to obtain their IP addresses automatically. Are you sure you want to enable Internet Connection Sharing?

9. Click Yes.

The connection to the Internet is shared to other computers on the local area network (LAN). The network adapter that is connected to the LAN is configured with a static IP address of 192.168.0.1 and a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0

On the client computer

To connect to the Internet by using the shared connection, you must confirm the LAN adapter IP configuration, and then configure the client computer. To confirm the LAN adapter IP configuration, follow these steps:
1. Log on to the client computer as Administrator or as Owner.

2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

3. Click Network and Internet Connections.

4. Click Network Connections.

5. Right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.

6. Click the General tab, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in the This connection uses the following items list, and then click Properties.

7. In the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box, click Obtain an IP address automatically (if it is not already selected), and then click OK.
Note You can also assign a unique static IP address in the range of 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.254. For example, you can assign the following static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway:

IP Address 192.168.0.2
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Default gateway 192.168.0.1

8. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click OK.

9. Quit Control Panel.
We will be looking at Internet Connection Sharing using a hardware support sharing with our focus on Routers. We will also be talking about Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) Internet Connection Sharing. This will be coming up in the next edition keep a date with us.