# Connection sharing with Win2k Pro. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 17, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connection-sharing-with-win2k-pro/124367 "2002-08-17T18:14:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ookpik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c68b51/32.png) [@ookpik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ookpik)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connection-sharing-with-win2k-pro/124367/1 "2002-08-17T18:14:38Z")
Anyone know if it’s possible to share a cable connection without using an external router like Linksys? I’ve set this up before with such a device and it works flawlessly. But today I was asked to do this using the routing services built into Windows 2000 Pro. I haven’t had much luck. So far, the setup is like this: One PC with 2 NICs, one connected to the Cable modem, the other goes into a hub along with the other PCs that require access. The main PC has DHCP running and it is assigning addresses correctly. I have connectivity to the Internet and to the other “client” PCs. But the client pcs don’t get out to the web. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connection-sharing-with-win2k-pro/124367/2 "2002-08-17T18:54:46Z")
You’ll need to set up [Internet Connection Sharing](http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/ics_2000) on the main PC. The others will go through it as long as they’re set to obtain IPs and DNS servers automatically. I’m a little confused when you say the main PC has DHCP running and assigning addresses. There’s no DHCP server in Win2K Pro. Anyhow, disable any DHCP servers running on the network before installing ICS. It will hand out internal IPs in the 192.168.0.x range. ---
**Author:** ![ookpik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c68b51/32.png) [@ookpik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ookpik)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connection-sharing-with-win2k-pro/124367/3 "2002-08-17T19:26:34Z")
Thanks! We’ll try that out. DHCP service is actually included in the version we’re using…go figure. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connection-sharing-with-win2k-pro/124367/4 "2002-08-17T21:06:51Z")
I always use static IP addresses on the local network. The win2k box will be 192.168.0.1 on the local network, so use this number for default gateway under your network settings for the other computers. Then assign each other computer a static IP address of 192.168.0.x where x is a unique number for each computer. I’ve always found it to be very simple and error free when I’ve done it this way. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2002, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connection-sharing-with-win2k-pro/124367/5 "2002-08-17T22:17:52Z")
The other machines won’t be able to get to the Internet with that configuration. Something has to perform Network Address Translation to let the internal nonroutable IPs (192.168.x.x) access other networks. Win2K Pro can do it with ICS, but it requires that all the other machines be set for DHCP. Of course if you’re running 2000 _Server_, as **ookpik2** may or may not be doing, you can install NAT through the Routing and Remote Access snap-in. This has a lot more flexibility, and does allow for static IPs. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connection-sharing-with-win2k-pro/124367/6 "2002-08-18T06:55:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Number \* > **The other machines won’t be able to get to the Internet with that configuration.** Then explain how I’m posting this. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2002, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connection-sharing-with-win2k-pro/124367/7 "2002-08-18T15:37:56Z")
Is your router doing NAT?