How To Set Up Internet Connection Sharing in Windows 2000

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) enables you to use Windows 2000 Professional to connect a small office network or home network with the Internet. ICS provides network address translation (NAT), IP addressing, and name resolution services for all the computers on a small network. This step-by-step article describes how to install ICS on Windows 2000 Professional operating systems.

The following hardware or software is required for this procedure:

•	DSL or cable modem connected to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and an activated DSL or cable account.
•	Two installed network adapters. This article describes how to install a second network adapter.
•	The network is already configured with functioning TCP/IP.

How to Install a Second Ethernet Network Adapter to the ICS Host Computer

To install another Ethernet adapter to the ICS host computer, you must log on as a member of the Administrators group.

1.	Shut down your computer properly, and then physically add the network adapter.
2.	Restart your computer.
3.	When the Found New Hardware dialog box is displayed that lists the name of the network adapter that you installed, click Next.
4.	Click Next on the Install Hardware Device Drivers page.
5.	On the Locate Driver Files page, click the media option that contains the drivers for the network adapter that you are installing, for example, CD-ROM drive, Floppy drive or Hard Drive Directory.
6.	On the Driver Files Search Results page, click Finish. NOTE: When you click Finish, the installation of the network adapter that you just installed is completed.

How to Configure the ICS Host Computer

The ICS host computer provides a connection through the second network adapter to the existing TCP/IP network. Log on as member of the Administrators group to set up the ICS host computer.

1.	Click Start, click Settings, and then click Network and Dial-up Connections.
2.	Right-click Local Area Connection (the network card that you just installed), and then rename it "The Internet Connection". In the Network and Dial-up Connections dialog box, two connections are displayed (for different network adapters), The Internet Connection and Local Area Connection.
3.	Right-click The Internet Connection and click Properties.
4.	Click the General tab, and then verify that Client for Microsoft Networks and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) are displayed.
5.	Click the Sharing tab, and then click to select the Enable Internet Connection Sharing for this Connection check box. NOTE: Make sure that firewall software or other Internet sharing software from a third-party manufacturer has been removed.
6.	Click OK and exit to the desktop. How to Configure the Windows 2000 Client Log on as a member of the Administrators group to set up the Windows 2000 Professional clients that will share the Internet. 1. Click Start, select Settings, and then click Network and Dial-up Connections. 2. Right-click Local Area Connection and click Properties. 3. Click the General tab, and then verify that Client for Microsoft Networks and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) are displayed. 4. Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and then click Properties. 5. Click Obtain an IP address automatically, and then click Obtain DNS server address automatically (if these options are not already selected). 6. Click Advanced, and then make sure that the various lists on the IP Settings, DNS, and WINS tabs are all empty. ICS provides these settings. 7. Click OK and exit to the desktop. ICS and Dial-up Networking You can use Dial-up Networking (DUN) to connect to the Internet; however, DUN typically has a lower bandwidth connection to the Internet. This connection is not as useful when multiple computers share the connection. In addition, DUN is not persistent (you have to dial up and make a connection) and can cause initial delays when you connect to hosts on the Internet. For additional information about how to use ICS with DUN, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 237254 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/237254/EN-US/) How to Enable Internet Connection Sharing on Network Connections Troubleshooting The following list describes how to prevent issues from occurring when you configure ICS: • Do not connect a hub directly to your DSL or cable modem. If you do so, your internal network is vulnerable to other computers located on the Internet. If you do connect a computer directly to a DSL or cable modem, you must disable file and printer sharing to limit your vulnerability from the Internet. However, when you do so, your network is prevented from sharing files and printers, which may be your primary reason for networking in the first place. • Check that firewall software or other Internet sharing software from third-party manufacturers has been removed. Make sure that only the ICS-enabled computer is providing IP addresses, forwarding DNS names, or acting as a default gateway. If not, ICS may not work or you may have unexpected consequences. • You cannot modify the configuration of ICS. For example, you cannot prevent ICS from allocating IP addresses or modify the IP addresses that ICS has allocated. If these features are required, you must run Network Address Translation (NAT) instead. • The ICS computer automatically assigns IP addresses, forwards DNS names to the Internet for name resolution and assigns itself as the default gateway for connecting to the Internet. If the ICS-enabled computer is unavailable, other client computers on your network are unable to access the Internet. • When you configure your network to use the TCP/IP protocol, remove instances of the NetBEUI protocol when you find them. NetBEUI is not necessary and may slow down the network. Article Source http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307311