Internet Access on a Local Area Network

by Ron Everitt
Following my installation of NTL Broadband I decided to attempt the installation on a second computer on my LAN.
While I was discussing the Broadband system with the original ntl salesman I was told that I could simply plug the Ethernet cable into my Network Hub.
Connecting in this way allowed my initial installation to proceed and I successfully connected to the web and managed a file transfer rate of around 60 KB/second.
The only problem that was apparent at this stage was that I couldn't see the other computers on my network.
The other two computers on the LAN were still communicating with each other but neither could see the computer connected to ntl.
My next move was to try to connect another computer to the ntl Broadband.
The first problem was a lack of memory in the computer.
My Wife's system only had 32 MB installed and Broadband needs a minimum of 64 MB.
I installed a further 128 MB and started again.
The installation then proceeded to the next stage where it tried to install and connect and then came up with an error message that it couldn't install a second network card.
After a long discussion with ntl advisers I finally spoke to someone who had installed a similar system of his own and he told me that my original advice on the connection was incorrect and in order to run on a network I must either user a separate server to distribute the connection or use two network cards in one computer and connect Broadband into one and connect the network to the other.
I Would then need to install Internet Connection Sharing on this computer.
I then decided to try connecting my first computer to the Broadband system via the USB port and leave the network card to operate the network.
After reinstalling the software I had both Broadband access and full connection across my LAN.
The next stage was to install the Microsoft Internet Sharing Software that is part of Windows 98 SE.
I'm not sure whether it was part of the original Windows 98.
This installation can only be done on one computer in a LAN and creates a Floppy for use on the secondary computers on the LAN.
I followed the procedure and everything seemed OK except it didn't work.
After several attempts I looked at the Internet Options in Control Panel on the primary system and when I clicked on Connections I found that an extra Sharing option had appeared in the LAN box at the bottom of the Window.
When I clicked on the Sharing button I discovered that the system had two boxes for connection to the Internet and connection to the LAN and these were set the wrong way round and the system was trying to connect to the Internet on my network card and to my Lan on my USB.
When I swapped them over the whole system started working and suddenly we could both access the Internet or send and download emails at the same time.
It is obviously one of the mysteries of modern electronic magic how the system can sort out where the various signals are supposed to go.
Having installed Internet sharing I believe it would also work equally well with a conventional modem although at a much lower speed.