Running Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
After installing, ICS should be ready to go.... But where to find it?
You can access ICS's controls from Internet Options in Control Panel. When ICS is installed, you'll find a new Sharing button on the Connections tab.
!!! Note: It is possible that after you install Microsoft Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), the Sharing button will be missing from your Internet Options dialog box.
This issue can occur if the Inetcpl.cpl and Inetcplc.dll files are not version 5.00.2614.3500 or later. This is part of the same error that won't update your version of Internet Explorer 5, which was installed previous to installing Windows 98 SE. For more information on how to "force" the latest version of Internet Explorer 5 (ver. 5.00.2614.3500) to install see: Windows 98 Second Edition Update doesn't update Internet Explorer 5.
If you just wish to install the latest version of the Inetcpl.cpl and Inetcplc.dll files, you can do so by following these steps:
- Select Start > Run, and type sfc in the Open box, and then click OK
- Select Extract one file from Installation disk
- Type inetcpl.cpl in the Specify the system file you would like to restore box, and then click Start
- In the Restore From box, type the drive letter and path to the Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM folder
- In the Save File In box, type the full path to the \Windows\System folder (eg. C:\Windows\System), and then click OK
- Click OK to use the default backup folder when you are prompted
- Click OK to start extracting the file
- Repeat steps 3-7, using the Inetcplc.dll file in step 3
Clicking on the Sharing button brings up the ICS Control Panel. There are not a lot of options, however. No control of logging, no ability to open special ports, no control over Client network access (other than to shut off ICS), no control over ICS' DHCP server.
Note the Help button in the screenshot. Clicking it will bring up ICS help. The Client machine setup information isn't much help and is confusing because it referred to the LINKLOCAL 169.254.X.X addresses, when ICS uses the 192.168.0.X address for the LAN.
I suggest checking the Show Icon in Taskbar box so that you'll have easy access to the ICS Control Panel.
When you right-click on the ICS Icon in the system tray, you can choose:
-
Status - This will show you the number of computers using Internet connection
Note: it can take up to 15 minutes before ICS shows the correct number of connections. This is caused because ICS holds Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports open for a client for up to 10 minutes after the activity on that port has stopped. When a port is open for a client, ICS counts the port as a connected client. The count of connected computers is updated after the port is closed.
- Options - This will bring up the ICS control panel
- Disable Internet Connections Sharing - Disables Internet Connections Sharing
If ICS installs itself properly, go ahead and try your browser on your Shared computers. If things don't work, however, (which happened to me), you may want to see if ICS installed properly. Here are some things to check:
-
Select Network in Control Panel... you'll see some new additions:
- A new Internet Connection Sharing adapter
- Copies of a new Internet Connection Sharing protocol installed and bound to each of your Network adapters
- A copy of TCP/IP installed and bound to Internet Connection Sharing, replacing the TCP/IP protocol which was installed before you installed ICS
- Select Start > Run and type winipcfg in the Open box. You should find an ICSHARE adapter replacing the type of adapter you used to connect to the Internet (Dial-up adapter, cable modem NIC, etc.).
