internet connection sharing enbabled?

I have a small network, peer to peer. I have a Win2k, winxp, and two win98s. I used a wired router that the broadband cable is connected to and then four wired connections to each computer.
Should I have "internet connection sharing" enabled on each computer? Right now, it's not and it's working ... but I want to have the right settings before I try to add a wireless access point to the system. I'm confused about what that connection means. Does it mean that all computers will try to access the internet through the host computer? (the win2k professional?) One peer to peer set up guide says that I should enable internet connection sharing, but it doesn't say that I should do that if I'm using a router to connect to the internet.

thanks

 

NO. You do not need ICS.

It is working. Leave it be.

ICS is only needed when one PC connects directly to the other.

Say PC2 connects to PC1 and PC1 connects to the Modem. ( this would require ICS ) If PC1 goes down in a heap nobody will get on the net.

The way you have it ( and I do too ) any machine can get on at any time without the others being on.

Also with the Router your LAN and the Internet are separated. I believe with ICS they would not be.

Bottom line. I believe you have the better ( much better ) setup.

I can not say what Wireless would do but I believe that can be used to keep machine separated also.

BillyBob

 

Also with the Router your LAN and the Internet are separated. I believe with ICS they would not be.

BB - ICS does the same sort of seperation (via NAT) that a router does.

Wiry - I completely agree with BB on this. Stick with your router. ICS would just be using software to do the same sort of thing a router does for you but slower and with more problems.

Your router is your "host" in the setup you have. And using hardware to do hardware jobs is always a better idea than using software pretending to be hardware.

 

thanks, guys.