Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is the name given by Microsoft to a feature in recent versions of its Windows operating system (as of Windows 98 Second Edition) for sharing a single Internet connection on one computer between other computers on the same local area network. It makes use of DHCP and Network address translation (NAT).
ICS routes TCP/IP packets from a small LAN to the Internet. ICS maps individual IP addresses of local computers to unused port numbers in the TCP/IP stack. Due to the nature of the NAT, IP addresses on the local computer are not visible on the Internet. All packets leaving or entering the LAN are sent from or to the IP address of the external adapter on the ICS host computer.
On the host computer the shared connection is made available to other computers by enabling ICS in Network Connections, and other computers that will connect to and use the shared connection.
ICS offers configuration for other standard services and some configuration of NAT.
Contents
1 Criticism
2 See also
3 References
4 External links
