PCA Forums

Comcast has recently decided thay are now going to charge all users an additional $4.95 per IP address assigned to their connection. I wont even get started on how rediculously this is ripping off the consumers....

But anyway. My aunt has a few PC's at here house that were always working with a simple hub after the firewall. Needless to say, this doesnt work anymore. Rather than buy a router for this, since she has a machine that is on 24/7, I'd rather set her up with a software solution. Now the thing is, it has XP home. I know this isnt the most ideal setup, but she really does not want to do any OS upgrade. So my question is, is there any simple (preferably free) NAT/DHCP server software out there that will do the trick for her? Please help me out here. All the ones I've tried have been a complete failure.

If you've been getting free multiple IPs consider yourself lucky. They usually cost extra.

For $30 you're FAR better off buying a router than messing with a software solution:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 009&depa=0

Originally posted by FlyingPenguin
If you've been getting free multiple IPs consider yourself lucky. They usually cost extra.

For $30 you're FAR better off buying a router than messing with a software solution:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDe ... 009&depa=0

The entire area has always gotten as many IPs as they wanted for the past 5 years or so. Now that nazi comcast has taken over, that of course is no more. In fact, I've never heard of anyone having to pay more. Even verizon dsl around here gives you I think 10. But anyways, I'm not gonna argue about how terrible they are. I dont wanna get myself all upset...



But, Id much rather use this machine than buy a needless piece of equipment. Money spent on that is money wasted IMO, Especially when this machine is a server that is being used 24/7 anyway.

WinXP Home has ICS (Internet Connection Sharing). - you can use that. Just add a 2nd NIC.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/usin ... e/ics.mspx

the time you spend on adding another nic and getting ICS working is a bigger waste than a router that would take care of the setup for you.

Originally posted by smb
the time you spend on adding another nic and getting ICS working is a bigger waste than a router that would take care of the setup for you.

I dont see how....


Grabbing a spare nic from the giant pile = $free
Installing it = $free
Setting up the software = $free




I have all the time in the world. I dont have all the money in the world

You said the main machine was a servber right? Then good, your right, put in a spare nic, and then you can set-up ICS on it and allow the rest of the computers in the house i-net access.

If not, then it is much easier to set-up a router, because the router will do nat for you, and keep your connection alive, and logged into comcast. Whereas, if you wanted net access, you would have to boot the ICS machine up, and then the computer you wanted to use, thereby wastine time and engery in the long run.

So whatever fits, hopefully you wre able to get it working.

Yeah, the machine is already a server that is running 24/7 anyway. Thats why I'd rather just use that.




Although, I'm looking for a new router for my house with built in wifi. I may just swap mine out when I get a new one. It looks like ICS will do the trick for now though. Thanks for all your help.