How to ICS WinXP-SP2? This should be simple !

[Ribs]

I can't believe the trouble getting ICS to work. This should be
simple, but no-go.

Both PCs have access to each other's shared files and dirs via a 1394
firewire connection. I'm using firewire to network because the client
PC/laptop does not have a working ethernet port.

The host PC links to the 'Net with a USB Motorola cable modem. It
works fine.

I've run network set up wizard on both PCs, with all expected results.
IP addresses are 192.168.0.1, 255.255.255.0 and 192.168.0.2 as they
should be. Internet connection on host says it's a shared connection.

There is simply NO 'Net connection through the host PC.

Any suggestions what is wrong?

My first guess is that with ICS, a USB connection to the 'Net from the
host, or a firewire client-host lan won't work, even though WinXP says
it's fine. Maybe only standard ethernet lans can be shared?

Thanks!

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

I can't believe the trouble getting ICS to work. This should be
simple, but no-go.

Both PCs have access to each other's shared files and dirs via a 1394
firewire connection. I'm using firewire to network because the client
PC/laptop does not have a working ethernet port.

The host PC links to the 'Net with a USB Motorola cable modem. It
works fine.

I've run network set up wizard on both PCs, with all expected results.
IP addresses are 192.168.0.1, 255.255.255.0 and 192.168.0.2 as they
should be. Internet connection on host says it's a shared connection.

There is simply NO 'Net connection through the host PC.

Any suggestions what is wrong?

My first guess is that with ICS, a USB connection to the 'Net from the
host, or a firewire client-host lan won't work, even though WinXP says
it's fine. Maybe only standard ethernet lans can be shared?

Thanks!

I've never tried this with a firewire connection....and I confess I'm not a
big fan of ICS to begin with. That said, can you even ping out? Ping the
host computer from the laptop? Ping anything?

To be honest, I'd probably just buy & install a PC card NIC for the
laptop....and I'd also likely get a cheapo consumer firewall/gateway
appliance to use instead of ICS. I've never had good luck with the latter
and I never cared to waste my time trying to figure it out.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I can't believe the trouble getting ICS to work. This should be
simple, but no-go.

Both PCs have access to each other's shared files and dirs via a 1394
firewire connection. I'm using firewire to network because the client
PC/laptop does not have a working ethernet port.

The host PC links to the 'Net with a USB Motorola cable modem. It
works fine.

I've run network set up wizard on both PCs, with all expected results.
IP addresses are 192.168.0.1, 255.255.255.0 and 192.168.0.2 as they
should be. Internet connection on host says it's a shared connection.

There is simply NO 'Net connection through the host PC.

Any suggestions what is wrong?

My first guess is that with ICS, a USB connection to the 'Net from the
host, or a firewire client-host lan won't work, even though WinXP says
it's fine. Maybe only standard ethernet lans can be shared?

Thanks!

Your setup should work fine. ICS can use a USB connection for the
Internet and a FireWire connection for the home network. I've just
set it up that way on my network, and I'm sending this message from
the client computer.

Make sure that the host is using the FireWire connection, not the LAN
connection, for the home network.

These tests should help find the problem:

1. On the host, right click the FireWire connection and click Status |
Support | Details. It should show:

IP Address: 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: none
DNS Server = none

2. On the client, right click the FireWire connection and click Status
| Support | Details. It should show:

IP Address: 192.168.0.x (1<x<255)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
DNS Server = 192.168.0.1

3. If #1 and #2 are right, open a command prompt window on the client
and enter these lines. Each one should get four replies:

ping 192.168.0.1
ping 216.239.39.99
ping google.com

4. If #1-#3 are right, enter these addresses in Internet Explorer on
the client. They should both take you to the Google web page:

http://216.239.39.99
http://google.com
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Ribs]

Your setup should work fine. ICS can use a USB connection for the
Internet and a FireWire connection for the home network. I've just
set it up that way on my network, and I'm sending this message from
the client computer.

Make sure that the host is using the FireWire connection, not the LAN
connection, for the home network.

These tests should help find the problem:

1. On the host, right click the FireWire connection and click Status |
Support | Details. It should show:

IP Address: 192.168.0.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: none
DNS Server = none

2. On the client, right click the FireWire connection and click Status
| Support | Details. It should show:

IP Address: 192.168.0.x (1<x<255)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.0.1
DNS Server = 192.168.0.1

3. If #1 and #2 are right, open a command prompt window on the client
and enter these lines. Each one should get four replies:

ping 192.168.0.1
ping 216.239.39.99
ping google.com

4. If #1-#3 are right, enter these addresses in Internet Explorer on
the client. They should both take you to the Google web page:

http://216.239.39.99
http://google.com

Steve,

Thank you! This is where I was before, it's what's in the ICS set-up
instructions everywhere. However, you have presented some diagnostics
that should help. Because of your networking background, I think the
complete solution should be trivial for you.

First, this all worked fine from the client, including pinging Google
at 216.239.39.99 and opening their page via http://216.239.39.99.

To reach other sites, I used my host to ping other web and news sites,
and get their IP addresses. Then I went to my client and entered
these in manually. Everything worked!

But trying to access 'Net addresses from my client via the names,
i.e., google.com or news.comcast.net, no names are resolved into
addresses. It appears my host PC is not working as a DNS properly.

My next step was to find the addresses of the primary and secondary
DNS's on my client. Using "Status | Support | Details..." I found
both addresses. Everything works perfect now!

Now, a further question, hopefully a perfect solution. I think it
will cause trouble in the future that I needed to manually enter my
"Preferred" and "Alternate" DNS servers in manually on my client. I
know that occasionally, my ISP changes these.

Isn't there a way to get my client to find the host's DNS addresses
automatically?

Maybe the settings on my client need to be adjusted, so it seeks the
current DNS servers from my host.

Thanks so far!

 

[Ribs]

In

I've never tried this with a firewire connection....and I confess I'm not a
big fan of ICS to begin with. That said, can you even ping out? Ping the
host computer from the laptop? Ping anything?

To be honest, I'd probably just buy & install a PC card NIC for the
laptop....and I'd also likely get a cheapo consumer firewall/gateway
appliance to use instead of ICS. I've never had good luck with the latter
and I never cared to waste my time trying to figure it out.

Lanwench,

Thank you for the insight. But when I'm sure I have the equipment to
make things work, I don't like to buy ready-made-solutions. I'm cheap
Also, I'm a do-it-my-selfer, and I like to learn.

Except for a minor problem of my client NOT automatically resolving
the host's primary and alternate DNS addresses, it works perfect! If
my ISP changes the DNS addresses, I'll need to find then on my host,
then manually type them into my client. An occasional inconvenience,
but not a big problem

Thank you again!

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Steve,

Thank you! This is where I was before, it's what's in the ICS set-up
instructions everywhere. However, you have presented some diagnostics
that should help. Because of your networking background, I think the
complete solution should be trivial for you.

First, this all worked fine from the client, including pinging Google
at 216.239.39.99 and opening their page via http://216.239.39.99.

To reach other sites, I used my host to ping other web and news sites,
and get their IP addresses. Then I went to my client and entered
these in manually. Everything worked!

But trying to access 'Net addresses from my client via the names,
i.e., google.com or news.comcast.net, no names are resolved into
addresses. It appears my host PC is not working as a DNS properly.

My next step was to find the addresses of the primary and secondary
DNS's on my client. Using "Status | Support | Details..." I found
both addresses. Everything works perfect now!

Now, a further question, hopefully a perfect solution. I think it
will cause trouble in the future that I needed to manually enter my
"Preferred" and "Alternate" DNS servers in manually on my client. I
know that occasionally, my ISP changes these.

Isn't there a way to get my client to find the host's DNS addresses
automatically?

Maybe the settings on my client need to be adjusted, so it seeks the
current DNS servers from my host.

Thanks so far!

You're welcome, Ribs. Setting the client's DNS server address to the
default of 192.168.0.1 should work, but I've seen cases where it
doesn't. You've found the right solution for that: configuring the
client to use your ISP's DNS servers. If your ISP changes them in the
future, you'll know it, because the host will be able to access web
sites by name, and the client won't be able to. If that happens, you
know how to fix it.

I don't know of any way to have the client automatically get the
current DNS servers from the host.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

On Mon, 29 May 2006 11:43:45 -0400, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

I've never tried this with a firewire connection....and I confess
I'm not a big fan of ICS to begin with. That said, can you even ping
out? Ping the host computer from the laptop? Ping anything?

To be honest, I'd probably just buy & install a PC card NIC for the
laptop....and I'd also likely get a cheapo consumer firewall/gateway
appliance to use instead of ICS. I've never had good luck with the
latter and I never cared to waste my time trying to figure it out.

Lanwench,

Thank you for the insight. But when I'm sure I have the equipment to
make things work, I don't like to buy ready-made-solutions. I'm cheap
Also, I'm a do-it-my-selfer, and I like to learn.

No prob - just thought I'd mention it.

Except for a minor problem of my client NOT automatically resolving
the host's primary and alternate DNS addresses, it works perfect!

Can't you manually specify the DNS server addresses in your client - while
leaving the IP address dynamic?

If
my ISP changes the DNS addresses, I'll need to find then on my host,
then manually type them into my client. An occasional inconvenience,
but not a big problem

Thank you again!

Glad you got it working. Best o' luck.