By connecting computers together to create a network, you can share files and folders, printers, and an Internet connection. When you consider setting up a home or small office network, you need to consider how you are going to keep your computers protected from intrusions through the Internet.
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It is recommended you use a residential gateway (also called an Internet gateway device, a router, a base station, or an access point) to share an Internet connection, as shown in this illustration. A residential gateway is a hardware device that connects a home or small office network to the Internet. With a gateway, you can share a DSL or cable modem Internet connection among all of the computers on your home or small office network. The residential gateway sits between your DSL (digital subscriber line) or cable modem and your home or small office network. Windows Firewall is turned on by default on this Internet connection to help protect your network from intrusions.
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You can also use Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) to share an Internet connection among all of the computers on your network, as shown in this illustration of an Ethernet network. ICS gives your network a single entry point to the Internet, instead of entry points from each computer. The computer connected to the Internet (called the ICS host computer) shares its Internet connection with your other computers.
In this network configuration, Internet communications to and from the computers on your network go through the ICS host computer. You can turn on Windows Firewall on the ICS host computer to help protect your network from intrusions.
