Windows XP Home, ICS problem

[Mark Swinson]

Hi,

I'm not sure if anyone else has had this problem, but from
looking at other peoples postings it looks possible.

Summary:
I can't share my internet connection through Windows XP home.
Possible bug with ICS?

I have the following configuration:
I have a hub
I have a wireless access point connected to the hub, through ethernet.
I have a Linux machine, connected to the hub through ethernet.
I have a Windows XP Home Laptop with a wireless card,which connects to the
wireless access point.The laptop also has a broadband connection.
I have a third PC running Windows 98 with a wireless card, which connects
to the wireless access point. I want to share the internet connection on
the laptop with this PC.

All the machines can see each other through TCP/IP and , for the PC's
running
Windows, through Windows network sharing. That is I can ping between results
and get a satisfactory result. However when it comes to Internet connect
sharing
the problems start.

I've had ICS working before, but recently it has stopped working for no
apparent reason.
My IP configuration is correct ( correct gateway pointing to the laptop ).
Currently I have a
workaround, which is to install a proxy server on the laptop and have the PC
access
internet services through that. However this is no good for the services the
proxy does'nt
support.

A network professional I spoke to said that ICS was unreliable, and it was
he who suggested
the workaround. Does anyone know if this is a recognised problem? Are there
non Microsoft
bits of software I can download than implement ICS I can install? What did
people do before
ICS came along.


Mark

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Hi,

I'm not sure if anyone else has had this problem, but from
looking at other peoples postings it looks possible.

Summary:
I can't share my internet connection through Windows XP home.
Possible bug with ICS?

I have the following configuration:
I have a hub
I have a wireless access point connected to the hub, through ethernet.
I have a Linux machine, connected to the hub through ethernet.
I have a Windows XP Home Laptop with a wireless card,which connects to the
wireless access point.The laptop also has a broadband connection.
I have a third PC running Windows 98 with a wireless card, which connects
to the wireless access point. I want to share the internet connection on
the laptop with this PC.

All the machines can see each other through TCP/IP and , for the PC's
running
Windows, through Windows network sharing. That is I can ping between results
and get a satisfactory result. However when it comes to Internet connect
sharing
the problems start.

I've had ICS working before, but recently it has stopped working for no
apparent reason.
My IP configuration is correct ( correct gateway pointing to the laptop ).
Currently I have a
workaround, which is to install a proxy server on the laptop and have the PC
access
internet services through that. However this is no good for the services the
proxy does'nt
support.

A network professional I spoke to said that ICS was unreliable, and it was
he who suggested
the workaround. Does anyone know if this is a recognised problem? Are there
non Microsoft
bits of software I can download than implement ICS I can install? What did
people do before
ICS came along.


Mark

In my experience, XP's ICS is very reliable. Perhaps the network
professional is thinking of the much less reliable versions of ICS in
Windows 98 SE and Windows Me. Microsoft re-wrote ICS for XP. It has
fewer configuration options than in 98/Me, but it works much better.
I've written a web site showing how to use it. I recommend disabling
ICS and then re-enabling it as shown here:

Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics

If I understand your setup, you should enable ICS on the laptop's
broadband connection. If that connection is DSL using PPPoE, share
the PPPoE connection, not the Ethernet connection.

The client computers should point to the laptop for both the default
gateway and the DNS server.

One possible problem is that the wireless access point is running a
DHCP server. The DHCP server that runs on the ICS host computer must
be the only one on the network.

However, the best solution might be to replace the wireless access
point and hub with a wireless router and use the router, instead of
ICS, to share the broadband Internet connection.

If ICS clients still don't have Internet access after trying the steps
above, these tests should help you find the problem:

1. On the host computer, right click the local area network 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 Windows 98 client computer, run Winipcfg, select the
wireless network adapter from the menu, and click More Info. 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 Win 98 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.
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

 

[Mark]

Windows XP Internet Connection Sharing

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics

I'm not sure if my wireless access point has a DHCP server,
its a belkin54g. I'll check with the manufacturer on Monday
when they are at work.

I did'nt mention that the Linux machine is set up as a SAMBA
master domain controller. It also is running dhcpd ( though
does'nt assign anything to anyone anymore, I really should
disable it ). You mentioned something about not running
domain controllers with ICS on the same network.
Could you elaborate?

Mark

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I'm not sure if my wireless access point has a DHCP server,
its a belkin54g. I'll check with the manufacturer on Monday
when they are at work.

I did'nt mention that the Linux machine is set up as a SAMBA
master domain controller. It also is running dhcpd ( though
does'nt assign anything to anyone anymore, I really should
disable it ). You mentioned something about not running
domain controllers with ICS on the same network.
Could you elaborate?

Mark

On my web page, I say "Don't enable ICS if any computer in your
network is configured as a domain controller, DHCP server, or DNS
server. Don't enable it if another computer is running ICS or Network
Address Translation (NAT)." That's because the DHCP and DNS servers
built into ICS could interfere with the operation of the domain.

Microsoft designed ICS for use on a workgroup network, not on a domain
network. On your network, ICS might be the wrong tool for the job.
Can your SAMBA master domain controller handle the Internet sharing
job?
--
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

 

[Mark]

Microsoft designed ICS for use on a workgroup network, not on a domain

network. On your network, ICS might be the wrong tool for the job.
Can your SAMBA master domain controller handle the Internet sharing
job?

yes and no. Yes - I used to have it forwarding internet packets through
a dialup connection before I got broadband. No - the broadband router
I have has two connections, 1 USB and 1 ethernet. The ethernet connection
I need to keep for an XBOX so I have to ( as far as the current
configuration
stands ) connect the laptop to broadband through the USB connection.
I can't connect the SAMBA box to broadband via USB as they don't provide
any Linux drivers for the router.

( why does ICS not work with domain controllers, out of interest? What it
is about them that makes them incompatible?)


This network has been put together on a ad hoc basis over several
iterations.
It probably needs ripping apart and putting back together again from
scratch.
You suggested getting Wireless/DSL/router and running the internet
connection
through that. I could replace the ethernet card in my SAMBA box with a
wireless
card. However I still have a XBOX which will only work with ethernet.
Whats the best configuration in this circustance?

Mark

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

yes and no. Yes - I used to have it forwarding internet packets through
a dialup connection before I got broadband. No - the broadband router
I have has two connections, 1 USB and 1 ethernet. The ethernet connection
I need to keep for an XBOX so I have to ( as far as the current
configuration

Connect a switch to the router's Ethernet output, then connect the
XBOX and any desired computers to the switch.

stands ) connect the laptop to broadband through the USB connection.
I can't connect the SAMBA box to broadband via USB as they don't provide
any Linux drivers for the router.

( why does ICS not work with domain controllers, out of interest? What it
is about them that makes them incompatible?)

Microsoft designed ICS for use on a workgroup network, not on a domain
network. The DHCP and DNS server built into ICS could interfere with
the operation of the domain. As I understand it, domain controllers
running Windows server operating systems have other tools for Internet
sharing.

This network has been put together on a ad hoc basis over several
iterations.
It probably needs ripping apart and putting back together again from
scratch.
You suggested getting Wireless/DSL/router and running the internet
connection
through that. I could replace the ethernet card in my SAMBA box with a
wireless
card. However I still have a XBOX which will only work with ethernet.
Whats the best configuration in this circustance?

Mark

--
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

 

[Mark]

Connect a switch to the router's Ethernet output, then connect the
XBOX and any desired computers to the switch.

whats the difference between a switch and a hub?

Mark

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

whats the difference between a switch and a hub?

Mark

Typing "switch hub difference" in the Google search box gives numerous
sites with the answer. Here's the first one that comes up:

http://www.duxcw.com/faq/network/hubsw.htm
--
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