Internet connection sharing -- is this possible?

[CR34M3]

Hi, I'm trying to set up a weird network thing here but I'm failing. If someone could give me some pointers or even just tell me if this is at all possible it will be greatly appreciated.

Ok, here goes; I have an internect connection via a log-in page from my WISP. I can't log in from different PCs (even with different passwords) at the same time. I suspect it's due to the way the login is handled with the single antenna. Ok, here's what I'm trying to set up:

WISP---\\---WiFi antenna---Router--(log in)--PC1
                               |              |
                               |              | linkB
                          linkA '------------PC2

Both PCs have two network addapters. The idea is to disable linkA (on PC2), log in with PC1 and share the internet connection via linkB. LinkA will now only exist as a backup for when PC1 is off, so that PC2 can connect directly. The only constraint is that DHCP server needs to be disabled on the WiFi antenna, router and PC1.

Should I be trying proxys or something? Or is there another way around this?

 

[dj_jyno]

I think the easiest would be to set PC 1 up as ICS server, enable DHCP on PC 2 and enter the router IP as the alternate default gateway. When PC 1 is on, all traffic from PC2 will pass through it. As soon as PC 1 is off and you do a ipconfig /renew, the traffic will pass directly through the router.

 

[CR34M3]

I think the easiest would be to set PC 1 up as ICS server, enable DHCP on PC 2 and enter the router IP as the alternate default gateway. When PC 1 is on, all traffic from PC2 will pass through it. As soon as PC 1 is off and you do a ipconfig /renew, the traffic will pass directly through the router.

This is what I had in mind (albeit not as elegantly as you put it). Only problem is that when I enable ICS in Windows then it changes the IP on the PC1-Router connection to a static IP. This creates issues with the login server of the WISP. Or am I misunderstanding your suggestion?

 

[deepdiver]

OK might be off by quite a bit here from what you are asking but am going to ramble anyway..
ICS from windows generally sux have tried it many times in many different situations and it is not reliable.
I would recommend either 2 ways of doing this.
1. Buy a hardware device specifically for WISP access ie TP-Link WR743ND ( or Dlink client AP)
You can then log into WISP and rebroadcast Signal on own wireless using wpa2 or out Ethernet ports.
2. Buy a AP connect to WISP using AP then plug AP ethernet port into WAN port of Router and again BOB's your uncle
you can then use DHCP of router etc.

Trying to use ICS will be a fail

 

[Tim the Techxpert]

Hi There,
Just came across this one. Deepdiver suggestion 1 seems a good one. Let us know which one you decideed to try or if you found another way to resolve the problem

Regards

Tim

 

[CR34M3]

OK might be off by quite a bit here from what you are asking but am going to ramble anyway..
ICS from windows generally sux have tried it many times in many different situations and it is not reliable.
I would recommend either 2 ways of doing this.
1. Buy a hardware device specifically for WISP access ie TP-Link WR743ND ( or Dlink client AP)
You can then log into WISP and rebroadcast Signal on own wireless using wpa2 or out Ethernet ports.
2. Buy a AP connect to WISP using AP then plug AP ethernet port into WAN port of Router and again BOB's your uncle
you can then use DHCP of router etc.

Trying to use ICS will be a fail

A bit of an update; I'm getting the WR743ND in the next few days. Let's hope the setup is easy enough or I'll be back here picking the brains of the forum members.

 

[CR34M3]

Ok, so I'm getting my WR743ND later today. I've checked the manual and there's something I'm not too sure about: the difference between AP Client Router and AP Router mode. Now seeing as there'll be a wired connection between my mikrotik board (in the antenna outside) and the new router; does the new router now only act as an access point or another client?

...this is the part where my networking knowledge falls apart... would anyone be so kind as to enlighten me about the difference between the modes? I'm not really getting the "client" idea...