I am having problems sharing internet on my wired network. I have 2 cards; a 3Com Gigabit LOM {3c940} and a Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet. One of the cards is for the DSL connection through an external modem, and the other is used for the network hooked up through a Linksys 5 port workgroup switch. File sharing and internet sharing are turned on. Internet is working on the host computer, but not on either of the clients. File sharing is working on all computers. I can ping the clients but the clients will not ping the host. Using the network wizard, results in not being able to acquire a network address for the second card or not having a Default Gateway selected. Switching the cards has not cured the problem. I have tried to manually set an IP address on the card but that didn’t work either. Any thoughts on why the second card will not acquire an IP address? All computers are running Windows XP Pro. I will be away from the computer until tomorrow but thanks in advance for any help.

jeffb51

Hi Jeff
Are you using dialup? Have you ever had the setup your descibing working?
If not why are you not using a router plugging the ADSL or Cable modem into the WAN plug on the Router - plug all the other computers into the switch and run a ethernet cable from the router to the switch. You will only need to use one NIC on your host pc .
If its dial up you should setup a proxy and it will make life a whole lot easier
Post back and we' ll continue resolving this issue
DrD

You can get some help with ICS here:
http://www.homenethelp.com/ics/ics-install-arch.asp
This would be significantly easier with a router.

Not dial up...DSL. The router supplied connects to the LAN port. If I plug modem into swithc, then I have to install the software for DSL on all the computers along with anti virus etc. I don't have much money to work with, but if this is the way to go..so be it.

jeffb51

There is no need to install any software anywhere. The router needs to be properly configured, and you need a connection set up on each computer, but all the software you need is native to windows.

you have things all wrong, does the DSL have wireless capability??
connect the DSl to the router. then config your router and connect each wireless devices through the router.

I don't have wireless, it is wired. The obvious solution is connect the modem to switch and the computers to switch, right? But then I will need to install antivirus software on all computers, something I really didnt want to do. And no, it never shared the internet the way I had it set up. Basicly, I am lazy and it didn't work out the way I wanted.

jeffb51

any type of connection you use to get to the internet on any PC you should install antivirus and firewall. there are many free and excellent ones out there. and yes connect the DSL to the router then the pc's to the router.

Thanks for all your help, sorry for being so lazy. I will be working on this on Thursday, I have an irrigation leak that needs attention right now.

jeffb51

I'm Back, leak is repaired.
I have a workgroup switch and not a router. I think to share the internet connection I will need to hook up the modem to the host computer with something other than a LAN connection, I'm thinking the usb port. Origionaly I had the internet connected through a ethernet cable and installed another LAN card to do the networking. This arrangement didn't work. The modem is external. Am I correct in my assesment?

jeffb51