• Microsoft Vista Home Networking Setup and Options
The most daunting part of upgrading to Windows Vista may be trying to figure out where in the layers of menus the networking and file-sharing options are hidden.
• Tips for Securing Your Home Router
Seemingly minor and easily overlooked settings can still have profound security implications. Here are some steps you can take to make sure your wired or wireless home router — and by extension, your network — is as secure as possible.
Most Popular Reviews
• Microsoft Windows Home Server
If you have a home network, you'll welcome the easy file sharing, remote access and the image-based backup features of Windows Home Server.
• Iomega StorCenter Network Hard Drive
Iomega's fourth generation StorCenter Network Hard Drive brings many of the features found in higher-end storage devices down to an attractive price.
• MikroTik's The Dude
This free tool delivers many of the same capabilities that you'd find in pricey network monitoring tools. As long as you don't mind tinkering, The Dude is a decent network utility that should be worth the download.
If you ended up on this page, you probably need some help
deciding how to get started in sharing your dial-up connection.
Below you'll find a list of alternatives and a short explanation to help
you understand your choices.
Before you make your final choice, you should look at the Special
Applications section, especially if you are going to use online
games, messaging or multimedia applications on your Client computers.
(If you'd like to see what we recommend, check this
page.)
1) Using a Proxy server
A proxy server is a software application that takes the one IP address
that you get from your ISP and routes the data to and from the other computers
on your LAN though it.
Advantages
No monthly cost.
Can be expanded to handle many computers.
Flexible control over who can access the Internet,
when, and where from (access management).
Disadvantages
Requires that the computer running the proxy program
be running for other computers to access the Internet.
Need to set the internet applications in each Client
computer to point to the Proxy computer.
Can be difficult to set up.
Doesn't support some applications, especially
multi-player web gaming.
No products available for Macintosh OS. See
the NAT section below.
Wingate
is probably the leading proxy server, and if you have only two computers,
it's free!
It runs under Win95, Win98 and WinNT.
If this sounds like it's what you want, go to this
page to get started or go back to the selection
diagram.
2) Using a NAT program
NATs
are another kind of software application that uses your one IP address
to allow multiple computers to access the net. They are available
for Win9X,WinNT, and MacOS. (The selection is limited for MacOS.
See this page for MacOS NAT products.
Advantages
No need to change the Internet applications onthe
Client computers.
Handles multi-player web
gaming well.
Easier to set up than proxies.
No monthly cost.
Can be expanded to handle many computers.
Disadvantages
Requires that the computer running the NAT program
be running for other computers to access the Internet.
Access management may not be as flexible as proxies.
Doesn't support all applications. Can be difficult
to add services for non-supported applications.
Linux
is an (essentially) free version of Unix that is available for both the
Intel and Motorola computing platforms. It can be configured in
various ways to allow you to share your dial-up connection.
Advantages
Free.
Very flexible.
Can run on slow, old (486) machines.
Disadvantages
Usually requires a dedicated computer.
BIG learning curve.
Hard, if not impossible, to set up by non-technical
users.
I would recommend this option only if you are the type of
person who loves to tear down engines or build your own computer.
Go to this page for further info,
or go back to the selection diagram.
4) Using NT
If you are using NT Workstation or Server, and
your ISP can route multiple IP addresses to you, you can use
its built-in routing capabilities. Routing of multiple addresses
(usually all or some of a Class C subnet) is not supported by all ISPs,
and if they will do it, you'll be charged an extra fee.
So you'll probably have to use one of the other sharing options.
Yes, you can actually go buy a dedicated box to handle sharing your
network connection. This solution may be suitable more for business
applications with many users. Prices, however, are coming within home
user range, as "home networking" is recognized as a growing
market.
Advantages
Very high throughput
Doesn't require a dedicated computer.
Only need one NIC per computer.
Reliable and runs without much, if any attention,
once you set it up.
May also provide firewall protection
Disadvantages
Higher cost (>$400 for even the smallest routers)
than using a software solution on an existing computer.
Still requires configuration.
May not support VPN or tunneling at all, or may have
only limited support.
For more information on hardware routers and firewalls, go to this
page, or go back to the selection
diagram.
