Firewire Internet Problems

[trekie8472]

Ok, I've got a brand new beautiful computer for college, and I'd like to be able to get onto the internet with it. Both the new one and the old one, which is connected to the internet through broadband cable, are running on Windows XP Pro.

I've got file sharing to work between them over firewire, but I haven't had any luck getting the new computer to connect to the net. I'm to the point where in the Network Connections window, under the heading Internet Gateway, it says "Local Area Connection on ENCLAVE" (Enclave is the awesome/intimidating name of my old computer). If I go into the properties of that connection, under activity it shows a nice straight line between an Internet icon, an Internet Gateway icon and a My Computer icon. Packets are beaming to and fro, the status is "connected" and the speed is 100.0 Mbps.

So what am I missing? Thanks for any and all help.

[lukeski]

I believe you would need to setup internet connection sharing (I believe it has a new name in XP) or you should put in a router. The router actually is a better option and the good news routers have come down in price tremedously... I would suggest a router.

[ShawnC1032]

It would probably be easier for you just to put a router in. Internet connection sharing is a pain in the butt program.

You can pick up the plain jane Linksys 4 Port Broadband router for $80 at Best Buy. For most hosts it doesn't require any configuring, unless you are using programs that us unusual ports that it might block out of the box.

Myself it works fine out of the box.

[lukeski]

I saw at office depot that they have a 4 port router switch with wireless (I am assuming 802.11b) for $29.74 after rebates...

[trekie8472]

Yeah, I mucked around with the Internet Connection Sharing stuff and couldn't get it to work. It's only going to need this network for the next month and a half, so I'll just have to download on this, then transfer over to that.

[JohnM720]

Unless I'm mistaken you can't do internet sharing over fire wire. It requires NIC cards. The computer hooked up to your broadband would need 2 NIC cards (1 to the modem and the 2nd card to your other computer) and needless to say that means the other computer needs 1 NIC card. The other thing to consider is that for the connection to work the computer connected to the modem needs to remain turned on.

I agree with ShawnC1032 that you would be much better served and much more secure getting yourself a router.

[satis]

Windows sees a firewire port as being a nic...treats it the same. You should be able to use ICS on it.

However, ICS is really buggy and really really sucks. I'd go with a router or just make do. Or use Linux. :)