How To Share Internet Connection With Another Computer Using Windows Vista

March 18, 2009 · 6 comments

I have already shared a step by step tutorial on how to connect two laptops using WiFi or connecting two desktop computers with WiFi devices. Now having two computers at your home, you may have only one internet connection which you want to share between two computers.
Now consider there are two computers. Computer A has Windows Vista while computer B has Windows XP. Computer A is connected to internet via cable (so this will be connected through LAN card). Now to connect to Computer B, you will need another LAN card (to connect to more than one computer, you will need a wired hub).

First, Let us connect two computers in LAN

Follow these steps to connect two computers in ALN.
Step 1: In Windows Vista, you should enable Sharing and Discovery before doing that. You can do this by going to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Centre. Under the section Sharing and Discovery, enable Network Discovery, file sharing, public folder sharing and others if you want to. (The screen short below gives you idea). Here first network shows connection to internet and second one the local connection with another computer.


Step 2: If your LAN card that is connecting to another computer is installed, it will be shown at Control Panel > Network Connections.
Step 3: Right click the Local Area Connection and click Properties.
Step 4: Under the tab ‘Networking’, click the properties internet protocol version 4(TCP/IPv4).
Step 5: Click the radio button to ‘use the following IP’ and give an IP address (Forexample: IP address: 192.168.0.1 and Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0). Do not give any other information, Click OK and close.
Step 6: In Computer B, make sure you enable the LAN card which is used to connect to computer A. Here you need not give any IP information as Computer A will assign an IP address dynamically. If it is not working, make sure there are no IP assigned and change the properties to ‘obtain an IP address automatically’.
Step 7: Test the connection by pinging (You can do this by typing ping 192.168.0.1 or whichever is Computer ‘A’s IP in the command prompt).

Now let us share the internet connection of Computer A with Computer B

Right click the LAN card which is connected to the internet under Control Panel > Network Connections and click the Sharing tab and click both options to connect internet (Remember: Unless there is another enabled LAN setting you will not be able to see the shared tab under properties). Click OK and close. This option is given by Windows known as ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).
That is it, now you can use internet in both computers A and B.

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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }

Subi March 19, 2009 at 10:09 am

Brilliant.
Thx PakBlogger for this useful tip!

Reply

IRFAN March 21, 2009 at 12:23 pm

Great Sharing Buddy.
Thanks

Reply

Damilik March 24, 2009 at 1:35 am

I have a question. Can you share files between a Vista pc and a XP pc?

Reply

Afridi May 14, 2009 at 6:53 pm

Dear Damilik!

yes You can Share files between a vista PC and a Xp Pc without any prob,………

Reply

izac June 18, 2009 at 8:02 am

i got a question:

i already set up LAN connection between my desktop and laptop and the network work properly. I dial modem using my desktop and share the internet connection but i can’t use the internet connection on my laptop. i’ve check my LAN connection several times and my desktop can online normally but i can’t figure out why my laptop can’t share the internet connection.

thank you very much.

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Free Full PC Games Downloads June 25, 2009 at 7:38 am

thanks thanks many thanks i was searching for this tutorial long time ago now i can install vista and share my internet connection to my son!

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