How to Internet Connection Sharing In Windows Vista

Posted on April 25th, 2008 by Jason

Let’s say you have a computer that’s connected to the internet via a broadband modem. This guide shows you how to share that computer’s internet connection (turning it into a router) with other computer(s) in your house without using a router or even a network switch in some cases.

Two Computers
If you want to share an internet connection with one additional computer on your network you’ll need an addition network (LAN) card installed on your computer if your broadband modem connects to your computer via a network (LAN) card.

If your broadband modem connects to your computer via a USB cable you probably won’t have to purchase an additional network card because one will be available.

Connect the two computers together with a regular CAT5 network cable. If you don’t want to run a wire or you want to make the shared internet connection wireless for a laptop, connect the computer sharing it’s internet to a wireless access point via a CAT5 cable and connect to the wireless access point wirelessly with the computers accessing the shared internet connection.

Three or More Computers
If you want to share an internet connection with two or more additional computers (a small network) you’ll need an additional network (LAN) card if your broadband modem is not connected to your computer with internet access via a USB cable. You’ll also need to purchase additional network cards (one for each connection), a switch, or wireless access point to network the computers you’re sharing the internet connection with.

Connect the computers to the computer sharing it’s internet via a network switch and CAT5 network cable or a wireless access point and wireless devices installed on each computer accessing the shared internet.

Enable Internet Connection Sharing

1. Click the Start orb and then select Control Panel.
2. Click Classic View on the left side of the Control Panel.
3. Open the Network and Sharing Center.
4. Click Manage Network Connections on the left side of the Network and Sharing Center.
5. Right-click the network connection you want to share and then select Properties.
6. Select the Sharing tab at the top of the Network Connection Properties window.
7. Check off Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s network connection.
8. Click OK to save the changes.
9. Now you can connect your computer, switch, or wireless access point to the extra network connection on the computer sharing it’s internet connection via CAT5 network cable.

Note: If you turn the computer connected to the broadband modem off all of the other computers will lose their internet connections as well.

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Tags: broadband, broadband modem, cat5 network cable, Computer, Connections, Internet, internet connection, lan, Network, network lan, network switch, usb, usb cable, Windows, windows vista, wireless access point, wirelessly

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This entry was posted on Friday, April 25th, 2008 at 7:50 am and is filed under Computer, Hardware, Internet. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

5 Responses to “How to Internet Connection Sharing In Windows Vista”

DAVID UWECHUE on 17 Jul 2008 at 11:37 am #

Thank you for providing solution to my problems.though i still have one problem. i followed the instructions you stated but i still could not connect to the internet, could it be due to the IP address i set please help me its urgent.

thank you.

David U.
Jimmy on 11 Jan 2009 at 9:47 pm #

I follow all instructions from all sites. They all generically state “Right-click the network connection you want to share and then select Properties.”

Here is the problem . . . There are 5 different choices here. WHICH ONE DO I SELECT? This is NEVER discussed or explained.

I definitely understand that I need to select the one that I want to share, but of the five, which one is the one that is to be shared. All sites assume that the user knows which of the 5 to choose from.

This is not true, because I have tried all five and get no connection, so I can only assume two things . . . I don’t have the knowledge to select the correct one or I have made the correct choice but the simple instructions do not work in my case.

thanks
David on 07 Feb 2009 at 3:31 pm #

I connect to the internet via a Sprint Aircard. I have Vista and am trying to set up a wireless router with my computer to share the aircard connection between my pc and a laptop. All of the configurations are correct as stated above, but the wireless router is not sending out the wi-fi signal for the laptop. I have a wireless card in my pc and am using the LAN plug with a CAT5 cable to connect the PC to the wireless router.

I would appreciate any help that you may be able to offer me.

Thank you,

David G.
Ron on 01 Apr 2009 at 3:51 pm #

I was able to make it work using an access point. Tried 5 different routers with little or no success. Plugged in an Access point and it worked all by itself. Been using for 3 years with Verizon air card. Just switched to a Vista machine and it stopped passing internet through ICS. Hate Vista!
JY on 14 Apr 2009 at 5:39 am #

Hi,

i want to share internet connection (p2p) over wifi, however, my internet is connected over a proxy server (password protected). how can i share my internet connection with other pc over wifi when my internet is password prtect behind a forewall.