Internet Connection Sharing

[BobaBird]

I currently have DSL on a desktop PC using an internal DSL card (Intel Pro 2100). It is running Windows Me and has a 10/100 card. I now also have a laptop in the house that is tying up the phone line, a problem previously solved by having DSL. The laptop is also WinMe and has a 10/100 PC card.

The idea is to get the laptop connected to my DSL account at minimal expense. My DSL is a reduced rate part-time (not always-on) connection, only compatible with the 2100 according to Qwest. Their solution is to take me off the 640K modem pooling connection that costs me $21.95/mo and put me on a 256K always-on for $29.95/mo using an external DSL modem/wireless-ready router they lease for $5/mo (no purchase option). My ISP rate will also increase a yet unknown amount from the current $14.95/mo. So $13+/mo even after the laptop leaves because they won't allow me to go back to DSL Select.

So I've been looking into wired and wireless home networking which both seem to require a substantial investment when I'd rather be saving for HDTV.

ICS seems to only require a cable but I'm having trouble finding a crossover cable longer than 14'. Also no one seems to support it but I was able to borrow a book that explains how to set it up. My problems (yes, this does get to a point) began after step 1. On both PCs I went into Add/Remove Programs > Windows Setup > Communications > Details then checked IPS. I cancelled the setup wizard until we could locate the RJ45 to PC card adapter. After that, neither computer could pull up a web page in IE. My ISP's tech support had me verifying various TCP/IP DNS settings then delete and reconstruct the DSL dial-up networking entry after which I couldn't even establish a DSL connection much less view web pages. The Qwest guy was going have me delete then re-install all the network components but wouldn't start me through it until I located my Windows CD.

Why would merely enabling ICS hose the ability to find a web page? What should I be doing different?

[gcutler]

You can get two long regular cables and buy a Crossover (Double Female Adapter) which will turn your combined cable into a very long cross over cable...

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0160835
$8

http://www.microcenter.com/image.phtml?id=0160835&sku=789198

[ibglowin]

Not sure what your problem is but don't waste your $$$ on a 256K DSL speed. Go with 640K at a minimum it's not that much more. Lookat other providers as well, Earhlink, cable modem.
My dad has the sweetest deal, he has SBC DSL for like $29 a month. Supposed to be 640K down. Speed test show him to actually around 1.5Mb down.

I told him don't touch anything or call them ever! ha!

[dtcarson]

Internet Connection Sharing means that one of the machines is reliant on the other, doesn't it? So if anything happens to the master machine, the second one is affected also.
Is the hardware Qwest wants to give you one piece, the "external DSL modem/wireless-ready router "? Do they have just a stand-alone modem? I'm on cable, so DSL may be different, but a wired router can be found for probably around fifty bucks, no more than a hundred.
I pay for one IP, have the wall connection going into the cable modem, modem to router, router to two machines. Very rarely does one machine affect the other, and they are independent, so if one machine goes down, the other's still up. Setup was easy; my router cost about a hundred dollars 1.5 years ago, but with my ISP charging 10.00/month for each add'l IP address, I have recouped my costs. Plus this allows me to plug in my work laptop as needed with no problem.
I don't understand something about your post: You pay 21.95 for the connection, and an additional 14.95 for an ISP? If that's the case, and your price is going to go up for 256k connection, I'd definitely do some comparison shopping on whatever is available to you. After the initial expense of the router, on cable modem, I've got 2 computers, sometimes 3, on a connection that gets up to 300-500k, for 44.95/mo.
Again, I don't know anything about DSL, or this may be out of your desired price range, so this may not even be an option for you.

[BobaBird]

I pay Qwest for the DSL connection but don't use them as my ISP. Being a DISHPlayer owner, I don't care to have any further involvement with anything associated with the MSN name. My DSL was initially 256K, when the service was increased to 640K I got a letter saying customers were getting the upgrade because it was easier/cheaper than installing the equipment to block the speed. The CSR I spoke to a few days ago said the speed was increased to ensure everyone would get at least 256K and that the current DSL technology is so much more reliable that I won't notice the difference. I wasn't sure whether to be grateful for everything Qwest is doing for me or to put on my hip waders.

The other thing keeping me from shelling out the bucks or looking into switching is I don't know how long I will need it - could be over a year or as little as 4 months. According to people who have cable modem, it is alot faster than DSL but it comes from the evil cable company I kicked out of my home nearly 7 years ago.

Getting back to the main question (bottom of the 1st post), could having AOL on both computers be a factor? AOL reportedly uses some non-standard settings, maybe there's a conflict with ICS?

[lee635]

Hi, I had the Qwest DSL low option for about 2 years and was quite happy with it. If you have the same system, it disconnects you after 2 hours and you can't relogin for 10 minutes. If you just disconnected and immediately reconnected when the warning box comes saying "you will be disconnected 5 minutes", you can avoid that pesky 10 minute wait.

I had a simple setup where I put a NIC card in the back of the main machine (the one with the intel 2100 modem) and bought a cheapie hub at Fry's to connect to my laptop. If memory serves (and this was about 4 years ago), you simply activate windows networking and tcp/ip and there was some sort of freeware program at www.tucows.com that allowed you to have 2 machines running through one dynamic ip address. Then, the laptop can surf the web while someone else surfs on the main machine.

Anyway, sounds like you have some problems beyond the network sharing issues. Others may offer different advice, but I would first delete the new software you just installed, delete the AOL, then reload the qwest connection software and get the system connecting to the internet again. Yes, you'll need the windows cd -- I just copied out the contents of the cd to a directory on my hard drive for convenience. When you apply service packs, there is some trick that you can use to update that directory, I forget how it works... Anyway, then you may want to try the sharing software again. Good luck. ;)