Internet Connection Sharing: Problems

[Artix]

Hey guys,

Recently I have a problem. I'm running Win7 x64 on my desktop, my motherboard has 2 LAN ports, one connected to my school intranet (and internet subsequently), and the other connected to my brother's laptop (Win7 32-bit).

I enabled internet connection sharing @ my school LAN, to share it to my brother's computer. Recently two problems have surfaced:

1. My brother's computer would not be able to surf the internet after a while of internet usage (happens anytime between 15 minutes to 1 hour after first using the net). Current connections still continue (i.e. Youtube continues loading), but new connections (loading a webpage etc) can't be established. In this case I have to disable and reenable the internet connection sharing for the internet to work. I tried googling a lot but to no avail.

2. My computer is starting to get very slow DNS lookups; google.com takes 3 seconds to load (takes 0.1 second on my brother's computer). This happens in IE, Firefox and Chrome. I tried flushing the DNS, even changing to OpenDNS, but it still doesn't work. (This might not be related to ICS)

Anyone knows of solutions to such problems? Really appreciate it. Thank you!

 

[Artix]

Anyone? I'll try to provide as much information as possible! The Slow DNS lookups is the problem.

 

[WindowsStar]

Why not just take the cable connected to your brother’s laptop out of the 2 LAN port on your machine and directly connect it to the network? Seems weird that you would make another machine go through your laptop if you have a connection to the internet??? Maybe I am missing something??

 

[Artix]

I'm living in a hostel, and each room is only allocated one LAN port. We're staying in a single room to save money. Hence the need to set up connection sharing.. ><

 

[WindowsStar]

I'm living in a hostel, and each room is only allocated one LAN port. We're staying in a single room to save money. Hence the need to set up connection sharing.. ><

Instead of going through the headache of trying to get this to work, I would just buy a $10 hub from a computer store. It may only have 4 ports on it but you will be able to connect both machines. Heck the computer store my have an old one they can’t sell and give it to you….I know I have several.

 

[chev65]

Anyone? I'll try to provide as much information as possible! The Slow DNS lookups is the problem.

Does this information include which A/V software is being used? :sarc:

 

[Artix]

Instead of going through the headache of trying to get this to work, I would just buy a $10 hub from a computer store. It may only have 4 ports on it but you will be able to connect both machines. Heck the computer store my have an old one they can’t sell and give it to you….I know I have several.

That sounds cool, but I'm not sure whether my school network would allow hubs. Do I need to configure it?

Does this information include which A/V software is being used? :sarc:

MSE. No other Firewall/AV installed. Windows Firewall is turned on. And I can confirm that the slow DNS lookups happens when connection sharing is enabled.

Some googling I did a while back pointed me to this service that connection sharing requires; disabling it seems to solve the problem (according to other people), but I can't since I need to share the connection anyway..

 

[WindowsStar]

Instead of going through the headache of trying to get this to work, I would just buy a $10 hub from a computer store. It may only have 4 ports on it but you will be able to connect both machines. Heck the computer store my have an old one they can’t sell and give it to you….I know I have several.

That sounds cool, but I'm not sure whether my school network would allow hubs. Do I need to configure it?

No configuration needed and no one will ever know about the hub unless you tell someone. If you get a real cheap one it will just basically share the connection.

Since it is just for internet you can get one like this, expensive from Amazon (this is only an example):

Amazon.com: Dynex DX-EHB4 - Hub - 4 ports - Ethernet - 10Base-T…

 

[WindowsStar]

Here is an eBay search:
5 port hub -usb -usb2 -480Mbps items - Get great deals on Computers Networking, Electronics items on eBay.com!

 

[Artix]

Ok, I will go and buy one when I have the time.

But isn't it weird that ICS is causing this problem? Another one of the annoying problems in Windows that isn't fixed.

 

[redrifle]

For the poor souls who've stumbled upon this thread via google.
You need to set the DNS server for both the machine sharing it's connection and all of the machines with whom it is connected to the same address.
OpenDNS IP Addresses
Windows usually points the machines to the router for a DNS server, the machines then are assigned a DNS specified by your ISP, but when ICS is enabled there may be DNS conflict between the connected machines and voila, there's your problem.

 

[WindowsStar]

For the poor souls who've stumbled upon this thread via google.
You need to set the DNS server for both the machine sharing it's connection and all of the machines with whom it is connected to the same address.
OpenDNS IP Addresses
Windows usually points the machines to the router for a DNS server, the machines then are assigned a DNS specified by your ISP, but when ICS is enabled there may be DNS conflict between the connected machines and voila, there's your problem.

@redrifle, sorry to say this is not the issue here. I work with many clients that have internal DNS servers, all machines are pointed to the same DNS servers at the same IP address and shared printing still does not work. Windows DNS, *IX DNS, or external DNS does not matter. Just does not work. Thanks for the idea. -WS