Judging by my inbox of late there’s a whole generation of new computer users wanting to share a broadband connection and not knowing how best to go about it. Often it is to let the kids play games without hogging the family PC, while for others it’s to share web and email access on a small home network. Either way, the options are much the same, and this month’s article explains what’s available and the pros, cons and cost of each approach.
The budget option
We’ll start with software because if you’re on a budget this is by far the cheapest way of sharing a broadband service. That’s because most ADSL and cable providers include the basic hardware required (a broadband modem) with their standard consumer products – often for free. Also the software needed to share it, ICS (Internet Connection Sharing), is included as part of Windows, again, at no extra cost.
Bundled with every version of Windows since the days of Windows 98 and dial-up modems, ICS effectively turns a PC with a modem attached into an Internet gateway. Add in basic network hardware and other computers can then connect to the Internet via this machine, although that does mean leaving the gateway PC turned on all the time to allow access.
Bear in mind, too, the cost of the LAN adapters required in each PC, if they’re not built in already. You’ll need LAN adapters no matter what approach you take, although if just two systems are involved – a notebook and a desktop, for example – then one of the advantages of ICS is that it lets you get away with a crossover Ethernet cable to connect the PCs together. Otherwise a network switch will be needed to link everything together, and yet more hardware if you want wireless.
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