Using a Router on a LAN

[IceT-Bag]

Hi chaps.

For some reason, my Windows 7 OS seems to have developed DNS/SharedNAT/DHCP problems when using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) on my LAN.

Basically, the internet will be working fine until a 2nd PC uses the internet via the LAN, at which point sometime thereafter the IP lease of my internet adapter is renewed and it all goes tits up (it has worked fine for ages but all of a sudden its gone grumpy without any changes to settings). My Lan setup is as follows:

Main PC LAN IP: 192.168.168.1
2nd PC LAN IP: 191.168.168.2 (gateway/DNS: 192.168.168.1)

Google tells me its an ICS issue on Windows 7 based on the error messages (see below). So, I was thinking of getting a router for the LAN so I dont need ICS enabled. Anyone using a router, would you recommend the make/model?

Sample errors relating to said issues for those looking for a nergasm are here:

The DNS proxy agent was unable to allocate 0 bytes of memory. This may indicate that the system is low on virtual memory, or that the memory manager has encountered an internal error.

The ICS_IPV6 was unable to allocate 0 bytes of memory. This may indicate that the system is low on virtual memory, or that the memory manager has encountered an internal error.

Your computer was not assigned an address from the network (by the DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 0x6CF04956A464. The following error occurred: 0x79. Your computer will continue to try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.

Your computer was not able to renew its address from the network (from the DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 0x001E583B271B. The following error occurred: 0x79. Your computer will continue to try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.

[GrumpyOG]

I've used routers for years various makes with the only problem being with a very cheap conextant one. Netgear or Belkin seem to be pretty good and are a reasonable price though bongo and sky may have other recomendations

[Sky]

please post diagram of network, something doesn't make sense.
ICS was designed to share a dialup modem (either pstn, isdn or adsl) connection on the host with other client pc's, so any network would be through a switch or crossover cable and manually configured with no dhcp and all pc's (host and clients) would need to be configured with your ISP's DNS servers. If you have a cable modem and 2 NICS in the host W7 might get confused as this is beyond ICS's design scope, although in theory it should work and would if you can manually configure the NIC connected to the cable modem (you would need to have a static IP from your ISP).
As this is the 21st century and ICS is 20th century technology you should really have a router. This would then allow the 2nd PC internet independant of the 1st and allow other network devices to be added (like network drives and printers).
AVOID BELKIN!
Wireless seems mandatory these days but can usually be turned off, your ISP may be persuaded to send you one free(ish) although contractual terms may apply. Linksys or Netgear are good, Thomson (the ISP's favourite choice) are cheap, and the Tp-Link I have is reasonable and cheap (and has better adsl correction than my old netgear)

[IceT-Bag]

Cheers Guys.

I am well aware from past experience that Belkin are crap, I couldnt even network 2 PCs with Belkin wireless network cards when they where sat next to each other! (connection kept dropping), I'd probably opt for a netgear one.

Ok, here is my awesomely gay network setup (bear in mind I wagged network class at College):

=======
Main Pc:
=======
OS: Windows 7 64bit
Network Cards: 3 (2 onboard Realteks, 1 additional DLink)

:: Nic 1 (Dlink) is connected to Cable Modem.
----> IP/Gateway/DNS are all auto-assigned from ISP.

:: Nic 2 (Realtek) is connected to a Microlink LAN adapter, the type you plug into the electricity circuit.
----> IP: 192.168.168.1
----> Subnet: 255.255.255.0
----> Gateway: left blank
----> DNS Server: auto

:: Nic 3 (Realtek) is connected to a NAS device, which is only powered on when doing a backup of data.
----> IP: 192.168.168.3
----> Subnet: 255.255.255.0
----> Gateway: left blank
----> DNS Server: auto


=======
2nd Pc:
=======
OS: WindowsXP SP3 32bit
Network Cards: 1 (onboard)

:: Nic is connected to a Microlink LAN adapter, the type you plug into the electricity circuit.
----> IP: 192.168.168.2
----> Subnet: 255.255.255.0
----> Gateway: 192.168.168.1
----> DNS Server: 192.168.168.1

Note:
----> All NICs use IPV4, IPV6 is disabled.
----> ICS set on D-Link Nic (Main PC Nic #1) to allow HTTP/HTTPS only
----> All have the same WORKGROUP

[umbongo(uk)]

stop turning the lights on and off loool
Microlink LAN adapter
ice you want me to make you some lan cables .up to any length as i have loads ..please note only comes in purple with spider n slugs attached and thats if i have any rj45 left if not youll have to buy em off ebay

update
i spent some money .i will now have to sell a kidney as im soooo poor and there prolly the ones that crush in the crimper
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/100-x-RJ45-Networ ... 2a078fab3d

[IceT-Bag]

Cheers for the offer bongs but I can't hard-wire them due to location of the PC's and routing cable around the house....hence via power grid as wireless proved to be shite.

[Sky]

your on Virgin cable?? offer them your soul for another 12 months (or threaten to leave) and they may send you a Netgear WGR614G v9 or a Dlink, unfortunately with custom virgin software (but not for long), they might say no and offer a modem with built in hub, DO NOT GET IT, it's a chocolate teapot. If you had posted 3 weeks ago I had 3 sitting here but have since ebayed them.
After getting a router you'll be able to remove or disable 2 of the 3 NICs thus freeing up some resources on the PCI bus.
The Apple Bonjour Service needed for iTunes makes W7 do some strange things, also comes with QT & adobe CS4 BUT isn't needed for them.

[IceT-Bag]

So I take it my network config looks OK then...as in it should work in theory?

[Sky]

I never said Ok and theories are fine but not as good as something that's been proven
if your main pc was running windows server it would work but would benefit from having a switch added.
What you want is:
modem>router>PC1 NIC1
router>NAS
router>EoP>EoP>PC2 NIC1

all IP = DHCP (reserve addresses for PC1 & NAS)
DNS = Auto
Gw = Auto

[IceT-Bag]

Cheers Sky, mucho appreciato.

Looking like the Netgear DG834G may be the one, however I've read its for ADSL and not Cable Modems, but Im pretty sure thats the model my mate has who is also on Virgin Cable Broadband....waiting for him to confirm.