Ethernet and Dialup-adapter: Sharing Internet Connection

When installing today an Ethernet network in a PC, there is a high chance, that there is also a modem, configured as 'Dialup-Adapter' for Internet-connection.
The usual setup would then be: have the PCs talk to each other via the Ethernet using NetBEUI, which you use TCP/IP for the Dialup-adapter.
So, your network diagram gets a little larger :

When installing the Ethernet card, Windows95 will install:

All protocols have a 'Binding' to both the Network-adapter and the Dialup-Adapter. To avoid unnecessary memory usage and also to get a slightly better performance, you should delete all not-required protocol-adapter bindings, just click on it to select it, then choose the "Remove"-button.
This is my suggestion for a 'cleaned-up' Network-configuration:

You can also check the 'Bindings' by calling up for the Adapters and protocols the Properties and selecting the tab: Bindings:

For proper working of the network, it is required to have a connection from the Client-module to the Server-module via Protocol and adapter with valid bindings.

Sharing one modem on a Network for Internet access ?

This question shows up very often in the newsgroups, and there is an answer:
No and Yes !

NO: Windows95 or 98 itself is NOT able to share a modem across a network, and the PC with the installed modem cannot be configured as a Gateway (since most Internet-connections use a DHCP (Dynamic IP-address assignment).

Yes: using Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) and Windows ME Internet Connection Sharing
Yes: using Windows 2000 Internet Connection Sharing

Yes: There are non-Microsoft products available, which enhance Windows95 to be able to use one modem for Internet access from multiple networked systems.
Such a program is often called: Proxy (make sure, that you understand the basics of a Proxy before attempting to install one ! ).

TinySoftware ( www.tinysoftware.com ) offers
several packages, starting with:
WinRoute Lite (there is a 30 day evaluation
copy on their Website)

Example: Using WinRouteLite to share Internet Connection on Windows9x and NT4

Artisoft (www.artisoft.com) offers its
ModemShare program, there is a 30 day
evaluation copy on their website.

Have a look at http://www.wingate.net
(yes, it is a 'net' domain, 'wingate.com' is a different company !).

They offer an evaluation download of their 'Wingate' product. For networks with more than 2 systems, you need to request an activation-code, which expires after the evaluation period, unless you purchase the product.
But for a 2 system network with 1 modem, it seems to work without any limitation, even without activation-code and without expiring, so some people think about such a 2 PC-version as 'freeware'.
I myself have no need for it, but I looked at their website, it includes a very detailed section with documentation on installation and configuration (so, please do NOT ask me for any help , post them in the win95-networking related newsgroups or search 'dejanews'!).

Have another look at Sygate: www.sygate.com:

According to the comments in the NewsGroups, SyGate is much easier to setup/configure than Wingate, but it is NOT free: a 3 user license is 50 US$.
They offer a trail-version for download, which transfers up to 50 MByte, then a key-code has to be purchased.

Another product to look at: www.pscs.co.uk/software.vsockslight.html

PSCS offers for free a light version of their VSOCKS Windows95/NT4 Proxy Server, allowing to share a modem for Internet access.

And another product from :

	http://www.winProxy.com
	They offer a 30-day Trail-version. Then, a 3-user license is offered for 59.95 US$.

And another product from:
http://www.technocratix.com/webetc

They offer a 30-day Trail-version, after that, it requires a key
(4-user license for 79 US$, 20-user license for 149 US$).

And another product (developed in India):

http://www.pppindia.com/intl/pppshar

They offer a Trial-download, which is lmited to HTTP-transfer
( a full license is offered for 49 US$)

A much more complete list of Proxy-servers with download links can be found at the
Shareware website www.windows95.com, now called www.winfiles.com in the
section : Proxy-Servers.