Site menu:



Home > TechFiles > Internet Connection Sharing

How to Install Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

By: Arie Slob

Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is part of Windows 98 Second Edition (or Windows 2000), so you'll need either one of these operating systems to be able to install ICS.

Notes before getting started:

  • If any of your client computers are set to Obtain an IP address automatically (from a DHCP server), you should shut down those computers before you install ICS. That is to make sure that the IP information assigned by the old DHCP server doesn't interfere with the information assigned by the ICS DHCP server.
  • If you already have another sharing application like Sygate or Wingate installed, uninstall it, before installing ICS. Some sharing programs (ICS included) take control of one or more of your Network adapters and/or Protocols, and having more then one program trying to control them can lead to conflicts.
  • If you're going to share a cable modem or ASDL connection with ICS, you'll need two Network Interface Cards (NICs) in the computer that you install ICS on. (The ICS installer doesn't give you any alternative.)
  • The Microsoft ATM adapter does not work with ICS.
  • Hybrid services like DirecPC and one-way cable modems with telco modem returns do not work with ICS.

Installing ICS:

  1. After you install Windows 98SE, select Start > Settings > Control Panel, and double-click Add/Remove Programs
  2. Select the Windows Setup tab
  3. Double-click the Internet Tools icon, and put a check-mark in the box for Internet Connection Sharing
  4. Click OK to close the Internet Tools window, and click OK again to close the Add/Remove Programs window
  5. ICS will launch its setup wizard to guide you through the process

ICS Setup wizard

The first selection you need to make in the Wizard is for the type of connection you will be using. Make sure you select the right one.

If you are using a cable modem, you will be asked to select a Network adapter (NIC). Be sure you choose the adapter that is attached to your cable modem. If you don't choose the correct NIC, ICS won't install correctly and you'll probably have to remove and reinstall it and try again. You will see that the ICS Wizard numbers your NIC's #1 and #2, but here's no clue as to which is connected to the cable modem and which is connected to your LAN. You have to guess, and if you guess wrong, you get to go through the whole process again!

Next the Wizard will tell you to create a Client Configuration Disk.

The next window will finish the installation and reboot your system.

Running Internet Connection Sharing