Internet Connection Sharing Over A Wireless Network

Internet connection sharing is an unquestionably convenient thing. However, the process of setting it up can be somewhat difficult.

How Does It Work?

In order to get set up, you need one of your computers as a gateway into the internet and then you'll use other computers to access the gateway to get onto the internet. This is done through internet connection sharing.

What happens is that the request for the use of the internet from these computers is sent through the gateway. Responses are also being sent back across the network as well through your computer. The computer that is the 'gateway' is the only computer that is connected to the internet.

How To Set Up The Gateway

Let's assume that you have already set up your wireless network, but have not yet connected to the internet.

Your first step is to connect the computer that has the modem to the system. To set it up as the gateway to provide service to all other computers, you'll do the following:

1. Go to the control panel and click on network connections.
2. Then run the network setup wizard by clicking on "set up a home or small office network."
3. When you get to the screen on the wizard that says "select a connection method," select "this computer connects directly to the internet. The other computers on my network connect to the internet through this computer."
4. Then, click "next" until you finish.
5. Turn on file and printer sharing when you are asked.

This computer is now ready to be the gateway into the internet for the others.

Setting Up The Network

Now, you need to set up the other computers on your network to use the gateway you just created. To do this, run the network setup wizard on each of these computers, but this time choose "This computer connects to the internet through another computer on my network through a residential gateway."

If this computer was using dial up to connect before, you need to change some settings in the web browser:

1. Open Internet Explorer
2. go to the options screen which is in the tools menu.
3. click on the connections tab
4. click never dial a connection
5. untick the boxes automatically detect settings, use automatic configuration script, and use a proxy server.

Having Trouble With Internet Connection Sharing?

If something on the gateway computer is switched off, all other computers will lose their access to the internet.

Other problems can happen as well. The internet connection sharing may work fine for the web and email, but it can have problems downloading files from file sharing networks or videoconferencing. In these cases you have to fiddle with the gateway computer's settings.

This can become frustrating. If problems persist, you really should consider a wireless router.