ICS Won't Start/Can't Share Internet

[Jomox]

Hi,

I've got some problems with sharing internet between two 7 systems. I'll let you know how things worked before the new installs.

I use crossed ethernet cable with an ethernet network card. Before I had XP running as the host with a bridged connection and then a Vista system using the internet from the XP system. All that was needed then is to make sure the internet connection is shared on the XP host system and the internet would be shared without any problems.

I now have both systems running 7 and have tried to bridge the connections the same way I did before to share the internet but it won't work as ICS won't start and I can't find any box to tick to share the internet on the host in any of the network adapter properties or configirations. I can share folders but no internet.

I've tried troubleshooting, shutting down both PC's and unplugging the modem for 10 minutes and rebooting to no avail.

I've also tried to start ICS in task manager and in services but it won't run, it says when trying to start it in services:

The ICS on local computer started and stopped. Some services stop automaticly if they are not in use by another service or program.

I have all network discovery and sharing all turned on both computers.

 

[chev65]

So you havn't found this setting yet on the host computer?
I can't imagine why this setting would be missing.

 

[Jomox]

Nope, that setting is not anywhere.

 

[chev65]

That window should be there on the host machine. If you don't see it then the host machine probably doesn't have a connection.

 

[Jomox]

It has a connection, am connected to the internet right now on the host machine and the other computer is connected to this as am sharing files, it just won't share the net. No option to share it and ICS won't start.

 

[Jomox]

Attached a picture. It worked fine this way on XP and it would work fine if I could enable ICS or there was a sharing option in the network. Any Idea's? It does say ivpv6 and 4 not connected, dunno why.

 

[chev65]

Have you tried to shut down the bridge to see if that is working against ICS? I havn't used ICS in a long time but I didn't need to use a bridge or a crossover cable when I did. I just used a pci NIC card. It worked good that way but you had to have the host machine on to use the secondary connection.

It will probably not work the same as it did in XP.
The network window on the host machine should show IPv4 as connected. That is probably why you don't see the option to enable ICS.

 

[Jomox]

I've tried to remove the bridge ye and it's just the same

How can we get IPv4 connected? shall I try IP settings on the secondary machine?

Thanks

 

[chev65]

Here is a page that shows how to release your ipconfig and obtain a new one. Just basic command prompt internet connection commands that you can use to renew your connection.

It could also be a driver problem on one of those machines. Make sure all the NIC drivers are up do date.

ipconfig - Windows Command Line Utility

 

[Jomox]

I tried entering the ipv4 details manually but to no avail.

I will try the ipconfig now.

The Ethernet network card is old though, but I've got the latest driver's but they are quite old and it's a discontinued product so if we can't fix it with your help I have a new network card on the way which i hope will solve it otherwise.

 

[Jacee]

Looking at your first picture.... have you clicked on 'properties' and enabled IPv-4?

 

[chev65]

I tried entering the ipv4 details manually but to no avail.

I will try the ipconfig now.

The Ethernet network card is old though, but I've got the latest driver's but they are quite old and it's a discontinued product so if we can't fix it with your help I have a new network card on the way which i hope will solve it otherwise.

It sounds like the network card isn't working quite right because it should obtain the lease automatically. They are cheap these days so maybe a new one will work who knows.

 

[Jomox]

Nah still not working. You think it's this network card then?

It's 32bit 7 btw on the host machine, windows update found driver's for the card and they are the latest and most up to date ones but driver is from 2003! @ Jacee ye it's enabled.

Is there not any way we can force ICS to start?

 

[chev65]

The ICS enable option isn't showing up because it's not obtaining the IP lease at all, so unless it connects using the standard IPv4 connection it's not going to give you the ICS enable window. If those IP commands don't work then either your NIC card or your drivers aren't compatible with Windows 7.

Have you tried the Gigabyte site for some Windows 7 drivers? There are some very recent driver updates for your board.
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/Driver_Model.aspx?ProductID=2729

 

[Jomox]

Ye I got driver's from their site for the onboard.

The driver's I was talking about are for the 3Com PCI Ethernet NetWork card, it's 10 years old now and the last driver's where from 2003.

In windows update it has found some newer driver's then those on the gigabyte site for the onboard network. I will try installing them see if that helps.

 

[chev65]

That old NIC card might be the problem from what I'm seeing. 03 drivers typically don't work with Win 7.

Looks like the Gigabyte drivers are about the only option left besides changing out the old NIC card.

 

[Jomox]

Ye the update did not change anything.

I have a newer network card on the way, should be here in the next couple of days. Will let you know when I get it, hopefully it will work ok.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[chev65]

Sure no problem, try and report back in if the new card fixes it or not. I'm curious to know what the problem might be.