Internet Sharing Software: Home Network

[Hideous_Hog]

What's the best solution for a 4 computer home network, currently sharing a 56K modem (cable in a few months hopefully). On the list are Wingate, Sygate, and WIN98SE/ME upgrade. Have tried Sygate (decent), am trying Wingate (looks like Sygate but a bit weaker). No clue if WIN98SE/ME is any good.

Any opinions? Any other possibilities I have omitted?

 

[Lord Evermore]

NAT32 is also an option.

Win98SE/ME's Internet Connection Sharing would be the worst to choose. I've yet to see someone say that they're really happy with it. More often it's reported that it's buggy, slows down the throughput, etc.

All software options will require that one of the machines have a second network card installed, and will slow that system down somewhat. Everyone reports varying degrees of performance loss on the router/firewall computer though, so I couldn't say for sure what you would see.

Best option for ease of use and performance once you get cable is a Cable/DSL router from Linksys, Hawking, Netgear, Asante, SMC, etc. They're less than 150 dollars, some near 100. The Asante FR3004LC comes with a serial port for attaching an external modem (meant to be a backup to the main service), so you could get it now, use it for the 56k connection, then plug the cable in when you get it, no changes needed for the rest of your network.

 

[Danlz]

Sygate works great, but with 4 computers you would need the 5-user license. Windows ICS would freeze the server when someone on the LAN shutdown (gave up trying to find that bug). If I did it over, I'd follow Lord Evermore's advice with a router.

 

[ALstonLoong]

hi ,
Currently i am using sygate the perfomance is much better then using ICS provided by microsoft. Well...you can install ICS at first ... then install syagte ...you can really see the difference. Thats why i recommand sygate for network solution.

alston

 

[RossGr]

Just for the record, I am running a 4 system home network with Win98SE/ ICS. Until recently I was running a 28800 modem so if any one system was doing a signifacant download it made for slow surfing for everyone. Since I had the cable modem installed that is no longer a problem. I have no problems. Works like a champ. If you have SE already I can see no reason to spend extra money for a built in feature.

 

[ArchAngel777]

Do you plan on gaming? If so, then I recamend getting some sort of "home networking" option from your future Cable Modem Provider which will provide you with extra IPs. A router is very poor for games splitting up one IP. Often times with a router, things like Napster and certains games will not work on some or all the computers. For a software solution I recamend Wingate, as it's pretty easy to setup and use. But really they all do a fine job, and ICS from MS is a bit buggy, but if you manage to get it to work its GREAT!

 

[Lord Evermore]

Routers will work with MOST games. Some games will not work however, and you can usually read about that on the game's sites. The only thing that won't work with them, though, is that multiple computers on YOUR LAN can't play them at the same time. A single computer on the LAN trying to connect to the game server should always work.

Programs such as Napster can be used without problems, they just require slight modifications instead of using the 'default' settings.

Getting multiple IP's from your provider can be expensive (MediaOne charges an extra 15 bucks a month for a total of 3 IP's). A router is more expensive in the short term, but over the course of less than a year, you've paid for it by not paying for the extra IP's.