Windows 98 Internet Connection Sharing
Introduction
A quick tutorial looking at Windows 98 Internet Connection Sharing and sharing computers using
windows 98 when you have multiple windows 98 computers in one location.
Using a Local Area Network a number of PCs running Windows 98 can share one Internet connection be it via a modem
or an ISDN line. This is achieved using Microsoft's Internet Connection Sharing facility included with Win98SE, WinME
and Win2000.
ICS is not as sophisticated as Sygate, Wingate or Win Route, or the ICS in Windows XP, in that it does not cater for distribution of e-mails, nor does it
provide security such as firewalling. It is however, relatively simple to set up.
ICS sets up the PC with the Internet access as a simplified DHCP server. The Ethernet adapter on this 'Internet Server' PC is given the
IP address 192.168.0.1 and a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. The DHCP server part of the software then allocates the remaining
addresses in the subnet 192.168.0.2 to 192.168.0.254 to 'Client' PCs on the LAN.
The Client PCs are reconfigured so that their TCP/IP stacks obtain their addresses from the Server PC.
Setup
You need to make sure that no other device on the LAN is acting as a DHCP server otherwise there will be confusion.
You also of course need to make sure that the Server PC has a working connection to the Internet.
Follow these steps to set up ICS:
- Install ICS on the Server PC by selecting Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove programs >
Windows Setup tab and double clicking Internet Tools.
- Place a check mark against Internet Connection Sharing, click OK twice to close both windows.
You will need the Windows 98SE CD inserted in the CD drive.
- When the ICS Wizard starts, you will be asked for the type of connection used to access the Internet. Select
Dial-up connection if you use a modem or ISDN to connect.
- Get hold of a formatted floppy disk because you are now asked to create a Client Configuration Disk.
- Once the disk has been created, the PC will be rebooted.
- After the reboot, go to the Control Panel and double-click Internet Options.
- Select the Connections tab and click on the newly added Sharing button.
- In this window you can enable or disable ICS, show the icon in the taskbar and you can select the connection
used to access the Internet. The task bar icon also tells you the Status i.e. how many users are using the Internet
connection.
- If you select Start > Run and type winipcfg and 'Enter', you will see the IP configuration window appear.
- Click on More info and you will see the IP addresses for your Ethernet adapter, Default Gateway etc. plus
you should see a big tick by IP Routing Enabled. This means that this Internet Server PC will route IP packets
from other clients to and from the Internet.
- You will now need to take the Client Configuration Disk to each client PC and run the configuration of the client
whilst the Server PC is connected to the Internet. Microsoft put a small Readme file on the Client Configuration Disk
to guide you.
- Reboot the client PCs.
- Bring up the browser on one of the clients.
- Type in a URL and press enter. The client will cause the Server PC to dial out if the Server PC is not already
connected to the Internet, and the client will be able to browse the Internet.
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