Router vs. sharing for networking

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833127060

I know I could just buy the above, but want to save the $90 just for now if I can.

Simply put, I have one machine now, single NIC, Vista. I am building a pure gaming machine though that has two NICs, Windows 7.

So, I will only be running two machines.

Now, I've done this long ago in Windows 98, but I remember it was a PITA to get working.

Here's what I want to do:

Plug the two-NIC 7 computer into my cable modem, then the Vista machine into the other NIC of my 7 machine, and have Vista share its folders with 7, and also have Vista get its internet from 7.

I'm sure it's possible. But I remember it was a headache with Windows 98.

It is a breeze between Vista/7 like this, or should I just go ahead and buy the router from the very start? I just don't see the need to spend $90 if I don't have to.

(Once I also starting running a file server, I'll just get a router by that point...)

Thanks!

I sure other will chime in here. You might want to check out the router recommendation thread sticked at the top of this forum. I Know their cheaper router than 90 bucks out there.


Also a router should last you a long time. I had one for almost 6 years now. Still running great!!! I would say avoid trying internet connection sharing and just buy the router. When you decide to setup your file server, or more computers beyond your two now get added the router route will be easiest method.

I had a router that lasted over eight years. But it died.

I will eventually just buy the router listed anyway. I just want to see if I can save the $90 for now.

I'll go ahead and check out the router thread. But I still plan to just buy the $90 router anyway.

It would work for you easily, just need to enable "Share This Connection" option in the one NIC's properties and you're pretty well good to go (perhaps bridge them as well, don't recall).

The issue you have with doing that is your W7 computer is now connected directly to the internet, with nothing but a software firewall in the way.

Oneos said:

It would work for you easily, just need to enable "Share This Connection" option in the one NIC's properties and you're pretty well good to go (perhaps bridge them as well, don't recall).

The issue you have with doing that is your W7 computer is now connected directly to the internet, with nothing but a software firewall in the way.

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Same with my Vista machine currently though.

I'm just glad to know it might work with minimal effort. I know starting with XP things were pretty much automatic, so I assume it's probably more of the (almost) same with Vista/7.

I can afford the router no problem, I'd just rather not buy it quite yet. Not 'til I need more than two machines connected to one another.

Thanks!

With ICS, the PC connected to the modem is acting as a router. Like Oneos said, its first NIC is connected directly to the internet (it will have a public IP) and your PC is exposed for anyone to try anything they want against it. With a separate NAT router, incoming connections get to the router and are inherently stopped unless you have specific forwarding set up for it (since the router has no idea which PC the incoming connection should be sent to).

I've never had any trouble setting up any version of ICS, other than it basically being not configurable (IP range, etc.).

If you're planning to buy the router anyway, getting it now will provide for easier setup and more security. If you're not planning to transfer a lot of stuff between the two PCs and just want to share the internet connection, another option is to just get the cheapest 100Mb wired router you can find for now. $15 might get you all the security and simplicity of the $90 router.

I just really don't like putting a Windows PC directly on the net. The first step in every security guide used to be "put the PC behind a NAT router". Since everyone now has multiple PCs and wireless devices, this generally seems to be taken for granted now.

InvisiBill said:

I just really don't like putting a Windows PC directly on the net.

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I understand your point, but I've had my Vista machine on the 'net directly for about a year now. Otherwise, I've always had a router.

I just know my 'net connection quickly increased in speed when I chucked the router. Maybe the WAN port was (or just being limited to for whatever reason) only 10Mbps. I couldn't seem to even download at 1MB/s, but was instantly getting the full ~1.55MB/s when I chucked the router.

I was just about to upgrade my 'net (to 25 or 50 Mbps), but not if the router's going to instantly gimp it.

I'll go ahead and just snag a cheap router in the meantime. I'll demote it to my mom's computer (she could use one too anyway) when I replace it.


(can you get Real VNC to work through a router though? I don't have it auto-load on her machine, she only loads the VNC server as needed, and I use a damn good password, but I don't think it would work at all behind a router...)

Tolyngee said:

(can you get Real VNC to work through a router though? I don't have it auto-load on her machine, she only loads the VNC server as needed, and I use a damn good password, but I don't think it would work at all behind a router...)

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Yes you can get anything to work behind a router almost these days

For the ports and how to do it check this site out

http://portforward.com/

Just find your router and what program/ports you need and it walk you through configuring it

Tolyngee said:

I understand your point, but I've had my Vista machine on the 'net directly for about a year now. Otherwise, I've always had a router.

I just know my 'net connection quickly increased in speed when I chucked the router. Maybe the WAN port was (or just being limited to for whatever reason) only 10Mbps. I couldn't seem to even download at 1MB/s, but was instantly getting the full ~1.55MB/s when I chucked the router.

I was just about to upgrade my 'net (to 25 or 50 Mbps), but not if the router's going to instantly gimp it.

I'll go ahead and just snag a cheap router in the meantime. I'll demote it to my mom's computer (she could use one too anyway) when I replace it.


(can you get Real VNC to work through a router though? I don't have it auto-load on her machine, she only loads the VNC server as needed, and I use a damn good password, but I don't think it would work at all behind a router...)

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Windows ICS blows.
Windows PC on a public IP address without hardware NAT..yuck. Yeah yeah you've had a Vista rig on it for a year, but how do you know...really know, there's no issues in there.
You complain that a router slowed your connection...but then you turn and say you'll pickup another cheap router? Going to complain about that one? Why not get a somewhat decent router, and enjoy security AND speed? Most of todays current generation decent routers will pump out well over 200 megs of throughput....quite a few over 400 and 500 megs.
Why bother with ancient VNC and port forwarding and having to know their public IP address...catch up with the times, plenty of much easier remote support software like TeamViewer.

A standard SOHO router will suck down a lot less power than a Win7 PC more than likely. Would be important for something that you're likely going to be running for many hours at a time if not 24/7

YeOldeStonecat said:

Why not get a somewhat decent router

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Thanks for not even bothering to read the thread. The first thing in the thread is a link to a decent router I plan to get.

YeOldeStonecat said:

easier remote support software like TeamViewer.

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Had never even heard of it. Will consider it. RealVNC is just a product I know from years of experience with it and it saves me a trip to her house to see her screen. It's rare that we even use it. Didn't need anything fancy.

Hallis said:

A standard SOHO router will suck down a lot less power than a Win7 PC more than likely. Would be important for something that you're likely going to be running for many hours at a time if not 24/7

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Planning to run both machines 24/7, like I always do.

I've just been running a single machine for over a year now, and didn't want to bother to purchase a router yet if I could just plug both machines into each other and have everything work.

The problem with running ICS is that it sucks up your connection for your Win7 computer. If you start downloading on your Vista computer, it will start sucking up your virtual connections, then memory/processor limits, not to mention your bandwidth for your Win7 computer.

If you use ICS, then your Win7 will be doing translation for itself sending/recieving as well as sending/recieving to and from the Vista machine AND sending/receiving to and from the Vista machine to the Internet.

Having a separate router (or router/switch combo) to handle that, removes the dependency of the Win7 machine to processes all that information, lets you have a single independent source to handle traffic without having traffic itself to send/receive.

i.e. Its like having a secretary processing your paperwork. You have paperwork that needs processing, but your secretary also has paperwork to processes. Sometimes your secretary can process them fast enough, sometimes not, but if you process your own paperwork, it'd be faster, and no dependencies.

Why don't you just purchase a cheap switch if you don't want and haven't been using a router anyways? You can get 4x port 10/100/1000 Trendnet Green switch for like $20.... And can have 4 devices hooked up with very low power consumption...

Since you haven't been using a router, what have you been using for a firewall? How do you define port rules and exception for all the services you use? I am assuming a software based firewall.