Win2000, ICS and bridging?

[Donald Newcomb]

I did a Google search and learned from postings circa 2001, that Win2000 ICS
(Internet Connection Sharing) permits only one LAN (NIC) to share a
connection to the Internet. Win ME allows two and XP some larger number. I
have not seen anything posted on this subject in the last 6 months and just
wanted to check if this is still true? Are there any reasonable 3rd party
solutions that would permit bridging connections?

Background: I have a Win2000 Pro desktop with two laptops connected by wired
Ethernet. I use ICS to connect the LAN to a dial-up (yes, dial-up, no snide
remarks please) to permit all machines to access the Internet. I recently
purchased a Palm Tungsten T5 with Bluetooth and have successfully networked
this to the desktop but the decision of which net (wired or BT) gets the ICS
connection is either/or. I'd like to find a way to allow both LANs (wired &
BT) to share the connection to the Internet.

Thanks,

 

[Herb Martin]

I did a Google search and learned from postings circa 2001, that Win2000 ICS
(Internet Connection Sharing) permits only one LAN (NIC) to share a
connection to the Internet.
Correct.

Win ME allows two and XP some larger number.

It is still 1 'interface' as far as I know.

Thus the reason for bridging, turning multiple physical NICs
into a single "interface" and the connect separate segments
into a single bridge area (broadcase domain.)

I
have not seen anything posted on this subject in the last 6 months and just
wanted to check if this is still true? Are there any reasonable 3rd party
solutions that would permit bridging connections?

Other than XP I don't know of any but if your issue is the limits
in ICS there are other solutions for the NAT/ICS functionality
which don't have the 1 interface limits.

My favorite is using NAT on a Server product.

Another is buying a wireless/ethernet router that allows
either bridging or sharing on both interfaces -- I use NetGear
but there are a bunch of these.

Background: I have a Win2000 Pro desktop with two laptops connected by wired
Ethernet. I use ICS to connect the LAN to a dial-up (yes, dial-up, no snide
remarks please) to permit all machines to access the Internet. I recently
purchased a Palm Tungsten T5 with Bluetooth and have successfully networked
this to the desktop but the decision of which net (wired or BT) gets the ICS
connection is either/or.

Bridging is probably not a good idea for Bluetooth
anyway.

I'd like to find a way to allow both LANs (wired &
BT) to share the connection to the Internet.