Sharing one Internet connection among several computers
Sharing one Internet connection among all the computers on your home network saves time because you have to set up only one connection. And it saves money because you don't have to buy an individual Internet account for each computer.
There are two ways to set up Internet connection sharing: by using
a router,
or by using Internet
Connection Sharing (ICS).
Using a router
How it works: Each computer
connects to a router (sometimes called an Internet gateway
device). The router, which can be wired or wireless, connects to a broadband
(DSL or cable) modem,
and the modem connects to the Internet. The router and modem can also be
purchased as a single device.
 |
| share internet connection windows 7 |
A network using a router and modem
Make sure your router has a built-in firewall.
A firewall can help stop unwanted connections to your network from the
Internet.
Using ICS
How it works: One computer
on the network is designated as the host computer.
The host computer connects to the Internet and the other network computers share
that Internet connection.
A network using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
 |
| share internet connection windows 7 |
This method is a bit less convenient because it requires the host
computer to be turned on all the time. However, it's the best method if you have
a dial-up Internet connection, or if you use a modem with a USB
connection.
Notes
-
If you share your Internet connection by setting up an ad hoc network, the connection is shared only for that session. When you restart your computer, the connection will no longer be shared.
-
If you set up an ad hoc network and share your Internet connection, and then someone logs on to the same computer by using Fast User Switching, the Internet connection will still be shared. Only restarting the computer will end the Internet connection sharing.
0 Comments