connecting two pc's to establish a network and internet broadband connection

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=7][COLOR=DarkRed]hi there problem is i have home networked two windows xp computers using two NIC and direct ethernet crossover cable. I successfully am using the file sharing etc but when it comes to the internet which by the way is aol broadband i am confused in the irght hand corner of the screen there was a small aol box which said enabled then a notice came up u r now connected to the internet would u like to connect to aol (by the way this was on the client computer) the aol broadband was already connected on the host computer. i signed on using another one of my aol screennames and voila i connected straight away but to make sure it was still working i closed out of aol on the client pc and tried to connect again but couldnt. What happened? i havent a clue i didnt touch any settings or anything like that it just wouldnt go back on just kept coming up aol cannot connect or something to that affect can anyone help i am pulling my hair out here!!!

Welcome to windrivers larssonchic71 :)

At a flying guess its because of how its wired up you are gonna need to have the host machine (the one with the modem &/or AOL connection) on & connected to use your client machine (the one that just has a x over wire to it) ... You can 'jiggle' this so you can get connection without first logging on the first one (he says 'hopefully' never having actually tried with AOL ;)) -so as far as AOL was concernced it only had one client computer connected - albeit with two screen names....

BUT the best way is to consider a router (from $30 & an extra 2 'normal' cables required )... that way the router stays on 'always' & each machine can then share your outside world bandwidth independant of any other machines being on & contolling/servicing your otherwise shared connection for you :) & its much better security wise..

M$s ICS is not really the 'best' of things security wise nor usage wise ;)

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Originally Posted by larssonchic71

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=7][COLOR=DarkRed]hi there problem is i have home networked two windows xp computers using two NIC and direct ethernet crossover cable. I successfully am using the file sharing etc but when it comes to the internet which by the way is aol broadband i am confused in the irght hand corner of the screen there was a small aol box which said enabled then a notice came up u r now connected to the internet would u like to connect to aol (by the way this was on the client computer) the aol broadband was already connected on the host computer. i signed on using another one of my aol screennames and voila i connected straight away but to make sure it was still working i closed out of aol on the client pc and tried to connect again but couldnt. What happened? i havent a clue i didnt touch any settings or anything like that it just wouldnt go back on just kept coming up aol cannot connect or something to that affect can anyone help i am pulling my hair out here!!!

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my internet connection was already on on the host computer i have tried changing internet options ip addresses etc but stillnothing please can someone help me

Tell us what version of windows & which aol client you are using - so 6,7,8 have we got to 9 yet ...

In the meantime - read this lot