Accelerate Windows by Tweaking Virtual Memory

If you poke around tip sites, you'll find a lot of myths and harebrained theories about optimizing virtual memory (the hard-disk space Windows uses to supplement your RAM)--a few of them even perpetuated by me. This time I went to the horse's mouth for the Microsoft-approved ways to set Windows' memory management to full steam ahead.

If you have only one hard drive, just leave well enough alone. But if you have two or more internal or external hard drives (not just disk partitions), your PC will be peppier if you keep the default paging file (what Microsoft calls the virtual memory disk space) on your boot drive (the one that holds Windows) and add a paging file to the second drive.

Robert Cardin

To do so, log in to Windows as an administrator and verify that you have more than one hard drive in your computer: Click Start, Run (just Start in Vista), type diskmgmt.msc, and press to open the Disk Management utility (click Continue in the User Account Control, if necessary). The bottom pane shows each disk on your system and the drive letter that corresponds with each partition. To have only one new paging file, choose the fastest drive you have. Remember that an internal drive will be faster than an external drive in most cases. Note the drive letter(s) you'll use.

Now right-click My Computer (Windows 2000 and XP) or Computer (Vista) and choose Properties. In Windows 2000 and XP, select the Advanced tab; in Vista, pick Advanced system settings in the task pane on the left.

Bonus tip: In Vista, you can open the System Properties dialog box directly to the Advanced tab by clicking Start, typing systempropertiesadvanced, and pressing . As with the preceding method, you may have to click Continue in the User Account Control dialog box.

In the Performance section, click Settings (Performance Options in Windows 2000) and then the Advanced tab (in XP and Vista). Under Virtual Memory, click Change. In Vista, uncheck Automatically manage paging file size for all drives. You'll see a paging file size already listed on your Windows drive; leave it alone, or Windows won't be able to create a memory dump file with debugging info in the event of a particular type of system error.

Robert Cardin

Next, in the drive list select a partition on a different drive where you want to add another paging file. Select Custom size if you want to set the size yourself and type in the initial and maximum size (Microsoft says making them the same amount is most efficient); Microsoft's rule of thumb is to make the file 1.5 times the amount of RAM in your system. Or select System managed size to let Windows determine the size (XP and Vista only). Click Set, then OK.

If the partition you selected contains another installation of Windows, you'll receive an error message warning that the file pagefile.sys already exists there. As long as the two operating systems are not running at the same time using virtualization software, it's safe for you to overwrite or delete pagefile.sys, since Windows will re-create the file automatically the next time you boot that partition's Windows installation.

You'll see a reminder that the changes will take effect the next time you restart your system. Windows will most often use the paging file on the least-busy drive, which means your new paging file will do most of the work.

Migrating to a Mac from Windows

http://tech.yahoo.com/gd/migrating-to-a-mac-from-windows/200390

If you own one of the newer Intel-based Macs, you can run OS X and Windows XP on one machine. In the spring of 2006, Apple's Boot Camp beta software shook up the computing public upon its arrival. Apple announced that Boot Camp will be featured in the next major release of OS X (dubbed Leopard), which is expected early in 2007. In the meantime, you can download a version of the software at Apple.com. It includes Boot Camp Assistant software, stored in the Utilities folder under Applications.

Boot Camp itself is free, but you have to supply your own single-disc, full-install version of the Windows XP CD with Service Pack 2. An XP upgrade disc won't cut it.

Other requirements are as follows:

• An Intel Mac with OS X version 10.4.6 or later. If necessary, run Software Update.

• At least 10GB of free space on the startup disk.

• A blank recordable CD or DVD.

If you don't run into snags, the entire installation (including Windows) should take about an hour.

Because snags are possible, back up all your important information on the Mac's startup disk. Remember too that when you transform your Mac, it becomes as vulnerable to viruses and spyware as any other Windows PC.

Getting basic training

Follow these steps to get through Boot Camp:

1. Run Boot Camp Assistant (in the Utilities folder under Applications) to make sure that you have the latest firmware on your computer.

You can find updates at Apple.com. Follow any on-screen instructions if you are updating the firmware.

2. Click Burn a Macintosh CD, and insert a blank recordable CD or DVD.

Boot Camp Assistant guides you through burning a Macintosh Drivers CD. You need these software drivers later on to instruct Windows.

3. Create a partition for Windows XP.

You are essentially carving out an area of your hard drive for the XP operating system. This partition must be at least 5GB and can swell as large as the total free disk space on hand minus 5GB. Drag the divider to set the partitions for both OS X and XP.

4. Insert the Windows XP CD, and click Start Installation.

5. When asked to select a Windows partition, select only partition C.

Failure to do so could wipe out your entire Mac OS X startup disk.

6. Format the partition in either NTFS or FAT.

FAT provides better compatibility between the two operating systems; NTFS is more reliable and secure.

7. After Windows is installed, use the Mac Drivers CD you created in Step 2 so that AirPort, Bluetooth, the Eject key on the Mac keyboard, networking, audio, and graphics are recognized by the XP operating system.

A Startup Disk control panel for Windows is also added. You have to eject the Windows XP CD to install the Mac Drivers CD. To eject the CD, go to My Computer, select drive D, and click Eject This Disk in the System Tasks list.

8. When you see the message indicating that the software "has not passed Windows Logo testing," click Continue Anyway.

Don't cancel any driver installers. The computer will restart.

9. Follow any Found New Hardware instructions.

As with any new Windows computer, Microsoft requires that you activate your XP software with 30 days.

Not everything in Windows may run smoothly (or at all) off the bat. For instance, many PC manufacturers include DVD decoders that help your machine recognize and play discs. But a DVD decoder is not included with a retail copy of XP. You'll have to separately add a DVD decoder for XP or merely watch those movies in Tiger.

Switching operating systems

You can go back and forth between Tiger and XP, but you can't run both simultaneously under Boot Camp. Instead, you have to boot one operating system or the other; thus the name Boot Camp.

Here's how: Restart your machine and hold down the Option key until icons for each operating system appear on the screen. Highlight Windows or Macintosh HD and click the arrow to launch the operating system you want for this particular session.

If you want OS X or Windows to boot every time, choose Mac menu --> System Preferences and click Startup Disk. Choose the OS you want to launch by default.

You can perform the same function in XP by choosing Start --> Control Panel and then choosing (under Category View) Performance and Maintenance. Next, click the Startup Disk control panel and click either the Macintosh HD or Windows icon, depending on your startup preference.

Backup and Restore Your PC: Enable and Disable System Restore

System Restore automatically stores a new backup of critical Windows files every 24 hours and keeps it as long as there is free disk space. When there's no free disk space, the oldest backup is erased. The more free disk space you give to System Restore, the more restore points you have to fall back on. To set the amount of disk space that Windows XP allots for backups:

To access the System Restore settings, you must be logged on to Windows XP with Administrator privileges. If you can't find the System Restore settings, check your logon status.

1. Go to Start | All Programs | Accessories | System Tools | System Restore to bring up the screen in Figure 1. Click the System Restore Settings link on the left side of the screen.

   

   Figure 1: Start the backup process by configuring the System Restore settings.

2. Next, the System Properties screen will appear. Select the hard drive on which you would like to store the backup file, and then click the Settings button. This brings up the Settings screen shown in Figure 2. Set the desired amount of disk space with the slider. (The maximum is 12 percent of available space.)

   

   Figure 2: Set the amount of free hard disk space to be used by System Restore.

3. If you have more than one hard drive, you can disable System Restore on a particular disk—and give a small boost to your computer's performance—by checking the Turn Off System Restore On This Drive box. (The option isn't available for the hard drive that holds Windows XP.)

   

   You need a minimum of 200MB of free hard disk space for System Restore to start. If the amount of free disk space on any single disk partition falls below 50MB, System Restore will stop running and delete all its backups. It will resume running when the available free disk space exceeds 200MB.

   

   Checking the Turn Off System Restore box on your primary hard drive—the one with Windows

PC Wireless Networking: Secure Your Wireless Network

1. Turn off file sharing. Turning off file sharing in Windows XP is one of the most effective ways to keep hackers out of your computer.

2. Change your router's password. Leaving the router's default password unchanged is an invitation for trouble (see Figure 1).

   

   Figure 1: Change your router's password.

3. Hide the SSID. Many routers broadcast the SSID identifier assigned to your network (see Figure 2). Most router setup programs have an option that allows you to disable this feature.

   

   Figure 2: Disable SSID broadcasting in the setup program.

   

   If your router won't let you disable SSID broadcasting, change the name of the SSID; the manufacturer's default name just gives hackers one more piece of useful information.

4. Enable the MAC filter. Keep hackers out of your network by telling the router which computers can access your network. Go to the security section of the router setup program and enable MAC filtering (see Figure 3). Enter the MAC address for each computer that has access to your network. To find a particular computer's MAC address, go to Start | Run, type cmd in the text box, and click OK. Type ipconfig/all at the prompt. The computer's MAC address is the string of numbers labeled Physical Address.

   

   Figure 3: Enable MAC filtering to restrict access to your network.

5. Enable WPA or WEP encryption. WPA and WEP are encryption technologies that scramble data broadcast over the network so that it's unintelligible to digital eavesdroppers. WPA is the most secure; WEP is older and can be easily broken by a determined hacker. The router and each computer must be set up with a key phrase that's used to scramble data. Before setting up WEP or WPA, carefully read the instructions that came with your router.
6. Enable the firewall. Most wireless routers have a built-in firewall that keeps hackers from invading your network and your computers. Make sure the firewall is enabled in the router's setup program.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Headaches: I don't want the Security Center in my Notification Area

Cause By default, the Security Center shows up in your Notification Area. If that gets on your nerves, you have to make sure it disappears. This doesn't change anything concerning the Security Center; it just removes it from the Notification Area.

The Pain Killer Follow these steps:

1. Right-click the Taskbar and click Properties.
2. On the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box, click the Taskbar tab and click the Customize button under the Notification Area heading.

3. In Current Items, select Windows Security Alerts and click the drop-down menu shown here. You can choose the Always hide or Hide When Inactive options.

   

4. Make a selection and click OK and OK again.

PC Wireless Networking: Connect and Configure a Wireless Router

Setting up a router no longer requires a degree in Information Technology and several hours of time. Most of the routers designed for the home or small office user come with a reasonably simple setup process, good documentation, and telephone support technicians who can walk you through the process, if you need them.

Connect a Wireless Router

1. Take the router out of the box and carefully read the installation instructions. The installation should be very straightforward, but the procedure can vary from router to router.

   

   It's important to use the right kind of cable to connect to the broadband modem. There are two types of cables that look the same: a standard cable, and what is known as a crossover cable. If your router didn't come with a cable, check its documentation and make sure you have the right kind of cable.

2. Connect the router to your cable or DSL modem. If your router came with a network cable, use it to connect to the broadband modem. Make sure you insert the cable in the right port on the router; typically it's labeled WAN (see Figure 1).

   

   Figure 1: Insert the cable from your broadband modem into the port labeled WAN.

3. If you're going to connect a nearby computer with a cable instead of a wireless connection, connect the cable from the computer's Ethernet port to one of the standard Ethernet ports on the router. Typically, this connection uses a standard Ethernet cable.
4. Connect the power adapter to your router and turn the router on.

Configure a Wireless Router

Most wireless routers are configured through a setup program in the router. You access the program through your web browser. The look and feel of the setup program will vary by manufacturer, but the settings listed here are common to most routers. The illustrations used here are from the Wireless-G Broadband Router from Linksys.

Some routers come with a software program on a CD that accesses the router's setup program and walks you through the configuration process.

1. Open the setup program. Your router is preconfigured with an IP address that can be used to access the router's setup program. Check your router's documentation for the IP address. Open your web browser, type the router's IP address in the browser's Address bar, and you should see a logon screen for your router's setup program (see Figure 2).

   

   Figure 2: Type your router's IP address in your browser's Address bar.

2. Log on to the router setup program using the default password listed in the router's setup instructions. For this Linksys router, the password is admin (see Figure 3).

   

   Figure 3: Logon by typing the router's default password.

3. Set up your Internet connection. Contact your ISP to find out what type of connection is required. For example, many DSL accounts use a PPPoE connection that requires a username and password so the router can log on (see Figure 4).

   

   Figure 4: Select the type of connection your ISP requires.

4. If necessary, type your username and password.

5. Select a channel. Routers can operate on any one of 11 channels. Many routers are preset to use channel 6, which can lead to routers stepping on each other's signals. If a neighbor's network is interfering with yours, try setting your router to a different channel (see Figure 5).

   

   Figure 5: Select the channel.

6. Enable the DHCP server. The DHCP server that automatically assigns IP addresses to each computer on the network is usually enabled by default. Confirm that it is enabled in the setup program (see Figure 6).

   

   Figure 6: Confirm that the DHCP server is enabled.

7. Some ISPs only want you to connect one computer—and hence, one MAC address—per account. (Check with your ISP.) To circumvent this restriction, routers allow you to “clone” the registered MAC address onto your router, so all the computers connected to your router appear to the ISP to be using a single MAC address (see Figure 7).

Figure 7: If necessary, enable MAC address cloning.

HOWTO: Block websites using the HOSTS file

Blocking ad servers and malicious websites is a tough task these days. There are so many tools out there to keep ads blocked, remove spyware, and scan for viruses. Most of this unwanted content comes from known ad servers and known malicious websites. You can harness the power of the Windows’ HOSTS file to actually block some of this stuff. I’ve been doing this for years, and I’m still surprised how well it works.

In a nutshell
For your version of Windows, the HOSTS file is located in

Windows XP:C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\

Windows 2000:C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\

Windows 98/ME:C:\WINDOWS\

It does not have an extension — it is just called hosts. The purpose of the HOSTS file is to allow you to manually enter IP addresses associated with websites, so the DNS server can quickly resolve an address. Say you know that google.com is the IP address 64.233.187.99 — you could enter that into the HOSTS file so when your machine requests google.com, it will immediatly know to go to http://64.233.187.99/. Instead, we can take known ad servers, and tell them their IP addresses are 127.0.0.1. For those of you that don’t know, 127.0.0.1 is your local machine, if you were running a server on it. So say, some ad server hosts a banner ad at http://www.adsite.com/ads/23bh3.jpg. If you redirect this server to your lcoal machine in the HOSTS file, when a website calls that hosted image from the ad server, it will try to load http://127.0.0.1/ads/23bh3.jpg. Since that folder and that image don’t exist on your computer, the image won’t show, and you’ve blocked the ad from showing on that website.

Putting it together

This first line of the HOSTS file should list the local IP address:

127.0.0.1 localhost

That tells the rest of the file, 127.0.0.1 is your local machine, like I explained above. You could also use 0.0.0.0 instead of 127.0.0.1 — either will work, but whatever you use for localhost, use below. After that, enter known ad servers and use your local IP (whichever you chose at the top). You can find maintained HOSTS files online or start to build your own. Here’s a little snippit of what my HOSTS file looks like:

127.0.0.1 localhost
127.0.0.1 92.132.206.rev.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 a-con1.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 a-lbs.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 a-pwr.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 a-sw1.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 aa1-1.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 aa1.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 aa2-1.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 aa2.adknowledge.com
127.0.0.1 aa3-1.adknowledge.com

Extra step: Windows XP/2000 only

In XP and 2000, the DNS Client (a system service), will make your machine come to a grinding hault if your HOSTS file is too large. This service is unnecessary and can be stopped and disabled. Go to Start > Run > enter “services.msc” then hit [Enter]

Navigate to DNS Client, right-click it, select Properties, under Start-up Type, select Manual. Click Apply. Then below that, click the Stop button. You should do this before you save a large list of servers to your HOSTS file.

Disabling/Enabling the HOSTS blocking

If you ever need to disable the blocking, just rename the hosts file to anything. I usually rename it to hosts.disable. After you do that, you need to restart your browser to see the changes. To enable it again, just rename it back to hosts.

You could also write a script to do this for you. An example called disable.bat:

cd C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc && ren hosts hosts.disable

And another example called enable.bat:

cd C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc && ren hosts.disable hosts

More info about HOSTS

To get a HOSTS file already full of servers, you may go to MVPs.org. To learn more about the HOSTS file, check this site out; it’s where I learned about it. Also, I posted this tip a while back, at Of Zen and Computing.

HOWTO: Get Instant Access to the HOSTS file

http://www.allthingsmarked.com/2007/05/01/howto-get-instant-access-to-the-hosts-file/

The HOSTS file is a file used to map IP addresses to domains. There are many uses for it — my favorite it to block ad servers. The HOSTS file has no extension, so you can’t associate a program with it automatically to open it all the time. Instead, you can create a shortcut that calls a text editor of your choice to open it.

Create a desktop shortcut with the following program path to open the HOSTS file in Notepad:

notepad "c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"

Create a desktop shortcut with the following program path to open the HOSTS file in WordPad:

"c:\program files\windows nt\accessories\wordpad.exe" "c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"

If you want to auto-open it in any other editor, just change the first path to the program editor’s main executable.

Once you have your shorcut, rename it to hosts and drop it in C:\windows\ so you can run it from the Run box by entering in hosts and hitting enter

Block access to Web sites with the Route command in Windows XP!

http://www.internetfixes.com/weekly_news_letters/windowsXP/windows_xp_17.htm

If there are specific Web sites you want to prevent users from accessing, you could use Internet Explorer's Content Advisor or invest in a third-party solution to block access. But you can also block access to specific Web sites using the Route command to modify the route table.

When you type an Internet address into the browser, Windows XP uses the local route table as a network map to determine where to send the packet. In most cases, the route table directs the packet to the gateway, which then sends it out to the Internet.

However, you can configure the route table to send packets addressed to a certain Web site to a dead end. The result makes it appear as if the site doesn't exist.

To begin, you need the IP address of the Web site to which you want to block access. You also need an unassigned IP address within your local subnet that isn't in use by any computer or device.

For example, let's say that the IP address you want to block is 100.100.100.100, and an IP address on your local subnet that isn't in use is 192.168.100.51. Modify the route table with the following command:

Route -p add 100.100.100.100 mask 255.255.255.255 192.168.100.51

How to Troubleshoot Internet Connection Sharing Problems

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

When you use ICS, you can share one Internet connection between two or more computers. Before you install or use ICS, you should contact your Internet service provider (ISP) or read your ISP's Terms and Conditions of use policy to determine if you are permitted to share your connection.

For additional information about ICS, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

234815 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/234815/EN-US/) Description of Internet Connection Sharing

To install ICS:

1.	Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2.	Click Internet Tools on the Windows Setup tab, and then click Details.
3.	Click to select the Internet Connection Sharing check box, click OK, and then click OK again.
4.	Follow the instructions to run the ICS wizard.

NOTE: You should only install ICS on the computer that you use to connect to the Internet. This computer is called the "host" computer. The other computers on the local area network (LAN) that use the host to connect to the Internet are called "client" computers.

For additional information about ICS requirements, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

230140 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/230140/EN-US/) Only One Internet Connection Sharing Host Is Required on a LAN

NOTE: The term "dial-up adapter" is used in this article to refer to your modem. This term may also refer to an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) device.

Back to the top

Host Configuration

To troubleshoot ICS, verify that the correct components are installed on the host after you install ICS. Check for the following two components in Network properties, where adapter is your dial-up adapter or your network adapter:

•	TCP/IP(Shared)->adapter
•	TCP/IP(Home)->adapter

To check the components in Network properties:

1.	Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network.
2.	On the Configuration tab, view the The following network components are installed box to verify that both the TCP/IP(Shared) and TCP/IP(Home) components are listed.

If either of the components appear in Network properties but do not have the (Home) and (Shared) reference, ICS is not installed correctly and does not work correctly. You may need to remove and then reinstall ICS to resolve this issue.

For additional information about the ICS entries in Network properties, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

236465 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/236465/EN-US/) Description of How ICS Appears in Network Properties

The TCP/IP(Shared) component should be the adapter that you use to connect to the Internet and the TCP/IP(Home) component should be the adapter that you use to connect to your LAN. If the TCP/IP(Shared) component is not in the The following network components are installed box, the host and client computers cannot connect to the Internet. If the TCP/IP(Home) component is not in the The following network components are installed box, the host and client computers may not be able to connect to each other on the LAN.

NOTE: If you know the adapter that you use to connect to the Internet and the adapter that you use to connect to the LAN, you can skip the following Determining the TCP/IP(Shared) and the TCP/IP(Home) adapter section.

How to Determine the TCP/IP(Shared) and TCP/IP(Home) Adapters

•	Standard Dial-Up Networking Connections For a standard Dial-Up Networking connection, the Microsoft dial-up adapter should be listed in Network properties. To determine if Dial-Up Networking is used to connect to the Internet, check for an icon for your ISP in the Dial-Up Networking folder. To view the Dial-Up Networking folder, double-click My Computer, and then double-click the Dial-Up Networking folder. For a standard Dial-Up Networking connection, the following components should be listed in Network properties for the host computer: • TCP/IP(Shared)->Dial-Up Adapter • TCP/IP(Home)->Network Adapter • Third-Party Internet Dialer Connections To determine if you are using a third-party dialer to connect to the Internet, check Network properties to view the third-party dialer's dial-up adapter. For ICS to work correctly with a third-party dialer, the dialer software must use a 32-bit dial-up adapter. Some ISPs use their own dialer to connect to the Internet, for example, America Online (AOL). For a third-party dialer connection, the following components should be listed in Network properties for the host computer, where Third-Party Dialer Adapter is the name of the third-party dialer adapter, and is the name of the network adapter: • TCP/IP(Shared)->Third-Party Dialer Adapter • TCP/IP(Home)->Network Adapter For additional information about how to use third-party dialers with ICS, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 230233 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/230233/EN-US/) How to Use AOL with Internet Connection Sharing 229978 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/229978/EN-US/) ICS Cannot Autodial 3rd-Party Internet Dial-Up Connections NOTE: For devices that use a network adapter, some ISP's record the adapter address, which is often referred to as the "MAC address" of the network adapter. Your ISP may only allow you to connect to the internet with that specific network adapter. If you want to use a different network adapter, you may need to contact your ISP for additional assistance.
•	Unidirectional devices For unidirectional devices, such as one-way cable modems, you must have a connection to a source to send data and a connection to a source to receive data. ICS does not work correctly with this type of configuration.For additional information about one-way adapters, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 231648 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231648/EN-US/) ICS Does Not Function with Unidirectional Adapters
•	Two-way cable modems For a two-way cable modem, the cable modem requires a network adapter for the host computer. This configuration requires that you have two network adapters installed in your computer, one for the cable modem and one for the LAN. For a cable modem connection, the following components should be listed in Network properties for the host computer, here the TCP/IP(Shared) is the network adapter connected to the cable modem, and TCP/IP(Home) is the network adapter connected to the LAN: • TCP/IP (Shared)->Network Adapter1 • TCP/IP (Home)->Network Adapter2
•	ADSL devices For an external asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) device, the ADSL device requires that there is a network adapter installed in the host computer. This configuration requires two network adapters to be installed in the computer, one for the cable modem and one for the LAN. For a external ADSL device connection, the following components should be listed in Network properties for the host computer, where TCP/IP(Shared) is the network adapter that is connected to the ADSL device, and TCP/IP(Home) is the network adapter that is connected to the LAN: • TCP/IP(Shared)->Network Adapter1 • TCP/IP(Home)->Network Adapter2 NOTE: For an internal ADSL device, the ADSL device uses the standard dial-up adapter to connect to the Internet. Internal ADSL devices should function the same as standard dial-up networking connections. This can also be true for external ADSL devices, such a those that connect through USB ports. You will normally see a reference to a PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) or PPPoA (Point-to-Point Protocol over ATM). You should also see TCP/IP (Shared), Dial-up Adapter (as listed above), or Modem Connections. For more information, see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 273587 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/273587/EN-US/) How to Configure ICS for Use with DSL Connections That Use PPPoE 265728 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/265728/EN-US/) Internet Connection Sharing Requires Two Network Adapters
•	ISDN devices For an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) device, both internal and external ISDN devices use the dial-up adapter to connect to the Internet. ISDN devices should function the same as standard dial-up networking connections.

Using the Icssetup.log File

To determine which adapters the Internet Connection Sharing wizard identified as potential Shared and Home Adapters, check the Icssetup.log file in the Windows folder. The Internet Connection Sharing wizard checks for possible adapters from the lists of adapters in Network Properties. If problems exist, verify that each of these adapters are also listed under Network Adapters in Device manager.

NOTE: The Internet Connection Sharing wizard will never identify a dial-up adapter as the Home Adapter.

Sample Icssetup.log file

Internet Connection Sharing Setup Log: Wednesday Mar 17 1999
Build Adapter ListBuild Adapter List - found: Dial-Up Adapter
Build Adapter List - found: Linksys LNEPCI II PCI Ethernet Adapter
Build Adapter List - found: Internet Connection Sharing
Find Internal Adapter Candidates, checking: Dial-Up Adapter NOT a
candidate, known special purpose adapter
Find Internal Adapter Candidates, checking: Linksys LNEPCI II PCI Ethernet Adapter IS a candidate
Find Internal Adapter Candidates, checking: Internet Connection Sharing NOT a candidate, known special purpose adapter
Find External Adapter Candidates, checking: Dial-Up Adapter IS a candidate
Find External Adapter Candidates, checking: Linksys LNEPCI II PCI Ethernet Adapter NOT a candidate, only valid Internal adapter
Find External Adapter Candidates, checking: Internet Connection Sharing NOT a candidate, known special purpose adapter
Find Internal Adapter Candidates, checking: Dial-Up Adapter NOT a candidate, known special purpose adapter
Find Internal Adapter Candidates, checking: Linksys LNEPCI II PCI Ethernet Adapter IS a candidate
Find Internal Adapter Candidates, checking: Internet Connection Sharing NOT a candidate, known special purpose adapter
Loaded external adapter: Dial-Up Adapter
Loaded internal adapter: Linksys LNEPCI II PCI Ethernet Adapter

TCP/IP(Home) and TCP/IP(Shared) Appear on the Wrong Adapters

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Internet Options.
2.	On the Connections tab, click Sharing.
3.	Under Connect to the Internet using, select the adapter for your Internet connection from the list.
4.	Under Connect to my home network using, select the adapter for your LAN from the list.
5.	Click OK, click OK again, and then restart your computer when you are prompted.

If the Sharing button is not present, this can be caused by the wrong versions of the Inetcpl.cpl and Inetcplc.dll files. For additional information on this issue, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

236152 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/236152/EN-US/) No Sharing Button After Installing Internet Connection Sharing

NOTE: If you remove or reinstall any components that are displayed in Network Properties on the Host, you must also remove and reinstall ICS.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

Only One of the TCP/IP Components is Listed in Network Properties

This issue can occur if one or more registry key is damaged. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1.	In Network Properties, write down the description of each of the adapters listed.
2.	In Registry Editor, open the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\Net\ Where is an incremental 4-digit number starting at 0000.
3.	Delete each key where the DeviceDesc entry does not match the description of one of the adapters in Network Properties. If there are multiple keys for the same adapter listed in Network Properties, delete each of the keys and then remove and reinstall the adapter in Device Manager. To remove the adapter in Device Manager, click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, double-click System, click the Device Manager tab, double-click Network adapters, click the adapter, and then click Remove.NOTE: You may need the original driver disk or software to reinstall the adapter after you remove it from Device Manager.

TCP/IP(Shared) and TCP/IP(Home) Components Missing

This issue can occur if the Iphlpapi.dll file is the incorrect version or damaged.

To resolve this issue, extract a new version of the file from the Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM and then remove and reinstall ICS. To extract the Iphlpapi.dll file, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, click Run, type sfc.exe in the Open box, and then click OK.
2.	Click Extract one file from Installation disk.
3.	Type iphlpapi.dll in the Specify the system file you would like to restore box, and then click Start.
4.	In the Restore From box, type the drive letter and path to the Windows 98 Second Edition Source CD-ROM folder.
5.	In the Save File In box, type the full path to the \Windows\System folder (for example, C:\Windows\System), and the click OK.
6.	Click OK to use the default backup folder when you are prompted.
7.	Click OK and the quit System File Checker.
8.	Remove and reinstall ICS

Enable DHCP Services on Host

Without a proper IP address, the client will be unable to communicate with the Host computer. If the client computer does not obtain an IP address from the Host, the DHCP service may be disabled. To enable the DHCP services on the Host computer, follow these steps:

1.	On the Windows 98 Second Edition CD-ROM, open the Tools\MTSutil\ICS folder.
2.	Right-click the Dhcp_on.inf file, and then click Install.
3.	Restart Windows.

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Client Configuration

Configure Client for DHCP

To configure the client computer to obtain an IP address from the Host computer, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double click Network.
2.	Click the TCP/IP component installed for the Network Adapter on you LAN.
3.	Click Properties.
4.	On the IP Address tab, click Obtain IP address automatically.
5.	On the WINS Configuration tab, click Use DHCP for WINS Resolution.
6.	On the Gateway tab, remove any gateways that may be installed.
7.	On the DNS Configuration tab, click Disable DNS.
8.	Click OK, click OK again, and then click Yes if you are prompted to restart the computer.

If you prefer to assign the client IP information manually, or feel that the DHCP is not functioning properly, refer to the section entitled How to Assign a Static IP Address later in this article.

How to Assign a Static IP Address

Before you can assign a static IP address, you will need the DNS configuration information from your ISP. Or, on the Host computer, click Start, click Run, type winipcfg, and then click OK. Click ICShare Adapter, click More Info, note the DNS server address, and then click OK. After you obtain the DNS setting, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network.
2.	Click the TCP/IP component installed for the Network Adapter on you LAN.
3.	Click Properties.
4.	On the IP Address tab, click Specify an IP Address.
5.	In the IP Address box, type 192.168.0.x (where x is a number between 2 and 254). NOTE: The IP address should be one that is not currently in use by another computer on your LAN.
6.	In the Subnet Mask box, type 255.255.255.0.
7.	On the WINS Configuration tab, click Disable WINS Resolution.
8.	On the Gateway tab, type 192.168.0.1 in the New gateway box, and then click Add.
9.	On the DNS Configuration tab, click Enable DNS, type the host computer name in the Host box. NOTE: The Domain box can be left blank, and note that the computer name is case-sensitive.
10.	In the DNS Server Search Order box, type the IP address for your HOST computer (usually 192.168.0.1),, and then click Add.NOTE: If the HOST IP address does not work properly, try using your ISP's DNS server IP address.
11.	Click OK, click OK again, and then click Yes if you are prompted to restart the computer.

For additional information about how to assign a static IP address, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

230150 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/230150/EN-US/) How to Configure a Permanent IP Address for Network Devices

The Host Connects to the Internet But the Client Does Not

With the Host connected to the Internet, test the LAN and Internet connections by performing the following procedures:

•	Use Winipcfg Tool To use the Winipcfg tool to verify the IP address, follow these steps: 1. Click Start, click Run, type winipcfg, and then click OK. 2. In the Ethernet Adapter Information box, select the network adapter. 3. Click Release, click Renew, and then click OK. If the IP address for the network adapter is 192.168.0.x (where x is a number between 2 and 254), the client successfully obtained an IP address from the host. If the client does not obtain an IP address from the Host, you may need to enable the DHCP service on the Host or manually assign a static IP address to the client.
•	Ping IP Address of Host To use the Ping command to verify the functionality of Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), follow these steps: 1. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt. 2. At the command prompt, type ping 192.168.0.1, and then press ENTER. 3. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER to return to Windows. If you receive a reply, the client computer is able to communicate with the Host computer over the LAN with TCP/IP. If you do not receive a reply, troubleshoot the issue as a general network connection problem in Windows. For information about troubleshooting network connection problems in Windows, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 192534 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192534/EN-US/) Troubleshooting Windows 95/98 Network Connection Problems
•	Ping IP address on Internet To ping the IP address of a Web site on the Internet, you first need to obtain the IP address of a Web site on the Internet from the Host. To obtain the IP address for a Web site, follow these steps: 1. On the Host computer, click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt. 2. At the command prompt, type ping (where is the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a Web site), and then press ENTER.NOTE: Some Web sites (such as www.microsoft.com) may not return a reply, if this occurs, try a different Web site. 3. If the Web site returns a reply, you should receive the following message: pinging [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx]... Where is the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the Web site and xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of the Web site. 4. Write down this IP address to use later. After you have obtained the IP address for a Internet Web site, to test the TCP/IP connection on the client, following these steps: 1. On the client computer, click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt. 2. At the command prompt, type ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address for the Internet Web site), and then press ENTER. 3. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER to return to Windows. If you receive a reply, the client computer is able to communicate with the Internet over the LAN with TCP/IP. If you do not receive a reply, refer the the Host Configuration section mentioned previously in this article for steps to configure and troubleshoot problems with the Host computer.
•	Ping Internet Name If the client can successfully ping the IP address of a website, use the Internet name to test the DNS configuration with ping. To do this, follow these steps: 1. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt. 2. At the command prompt, type ping (where is the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of a Web site), and then press ENTER. NOTE: Some Web sites (such as www.microsoft.com) may not return a reply, if this occurs, try a different Web site. If you receive a reply, the Host and client computer are configured and working correctly. NOTE: If your browser is still unable to open a Web Site by name, check the browser's connection settings and make sure it is configured to use the LAN to connect and that no proxy servers are configured.
•	Open IP Address in Browser To test the browser by attempting to open a Web site by the IP address, follow these steps: 1. Click Start, click Run, type http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of the Web site), and then click OK. If the Web site is displayed, the browser is functioning properly and there may be a problem with Domain Name Server (DNS) resolution. For additional information about configuring DNS, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 229974 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/229974/EN-US/) Connection Error Messages When You Use ICS with an FQDN If the Web site is not displayed, there may be a problem with Winsock on the computer. For information about possible Winsock issues, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 188952 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/188952/EN-US/) "Internal Error Occurred" Error Message Using Internet Explorer

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Damaged Registry Keys

This issue can occur if one or more registry key is damaged. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1.	In Network properties, write down the description of each of the protocols listed.
2.	In Registry Editor, open the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Class\NetTrans\nnnn Where nnnn is an incremental four-digit number starting at 0000.
3.	Check the number of subkeys under the NetTrans folder with the number of instances of protocols installed in the network configuration. There should be one subkey for each instance of a protocol installed. If there are more keys than protocols listed in Network properties, uninstall ICS, export a copy of the NetTrans key, and then delete the NetTrans key from the registry. This can remove all components from the network configuration except the adapters installed.
4.	To rebuild the NetTrans key, double-click Network in Control Panel, and then click the Add button on the Network Configuration tab. Click Client, click Add, click Client for Microsoft Networks, and then click OK. When the Network Configuration screen returns, it will have added the default protocol and rebuilt the NetTrans key in the registry so that there is only one subkey for each protocol installed.
5.	Check the registry again to make sure that only one NetTrans subkey exists per protocol installed. If so, reinstall ICS on the host and check to see if the problem is resolved.