Browse the Internet thru a Win2k machine from linux box
 

Is this Possible?

I am new to linux, and am playing with ssh.

I was wondering if it was possible to connect a linux box to the internet on a wired lan which has a single computer with internet access (provided by an adsl router) running win2k

(the win2k machine also has cygwin installed)


Any thoughts would be apppreciated

It sounds like all you need to do is setup ICS on the Windows 2000 machine, which will let you share out an Internet connection to a connected computer.

Here is the setup guide from Microsoft.

Hi

Thanks for the response, Is it possible without using Internet connection sharing , It is not possible for me to add another network card to the win2k machine . Is it possible to access the win2k using ssh and access the internet that way?

Thanks for your time

Windows does not really support any advanced networking like that (routing with only one interface, only basic support for multiple IPs per interface, etc). No SSH support either, client or server.

The only thing I can think of off the top of my head would be to install a proxy server on the Windows 2000 machine. If both machines are on the same LAN, that should allow you to at least get a browser functioning on the Linux side.

Of course, I suppose you could even install a VNC server and actually browse on the Windows 2000 machine from the Linux client. Certainly not the most elegant solution, but it is an option.

Though I have to say, I am a bit confused by the situation as you have described it. If the Windows 2000 machine only has one Ethernet card, then what kind of network setup is this? The Windows machine can't be getting it's Internet access from the LAN, since if that was the case the Linux machine would be able to get online too. It can't be directly plugged into to a broadband Internet connection, since then it couldn't be networked with the Linux machine at the same time.

What exactly is the source of the Internet connection on the Windows 2000 machine, and how are they networked? There may be a better solution available, but without more details on how things are configured, it is difficult to give specific answers.

Basically yes it is 'ICS' or Internet connection sharing, if what you want is to browse the internet on the Linux machine, using a dialup-internet-connected-Windows-machine as the internet connection.
Just run the Home-Network Config Wizard on Windows, and set up the static IP/DNS on the Linux machine.
If this is indeed what you want, ask for more details, or explain further, because I use this setup at home and can maybe help you out.

He has already said that he can't use ICS...

Yes, I see that, and at first read I interpreted (or misinterpreted) ADSL as not occupying the LAN port on the main machine. Now, at second read, I must refer the original poster to your (MS3FGX's) post #4--- I'm a little confused about the connections here too.
If there's a router there of >1 LAN ports, ICS isn't needed anyways for internet, but if the OP just wants to learn/experiment, it shouldn't be a big deal to communicate between two machines on the same LAN behind the same router, save for the points you (MS3FGX) made about Windows' lack of SSH & advanced networking support, etc.. :)

Hi

Thanks for everyones input,the configuration is as follows:

The win2k machine (which has internet access) connect directly into the back of the router (over ethernet) and the router is connected to the rest of the network (this includes the linux machine) via a hub/switch.

I dont have access to router configuration and I cannot change the hardware in the win2k machine, and only the win2k machine has access to the internet

Is it still possible for the linux machine to connect to the internet thru the win2k machine?

Best Regards

Yes, you could use a proxy server on the Windows 2000 machine to route Internet traffic through it; but again, if the Linux machine is connected to the same router as the Windows machine, why can't the Linux machine just directly access the Internet? Is there a reason you want it to go through the Windows machine first?

Well, that's more a windows question...

You are probably using a computer with pppoe so only one computer can have direct broadband access.
"route print" on windows will tell you if you have pppoe or pppoa.

Technically it should be possible with standard routing. A proxy is also good. Actually if you only plan to do web or ftp, a proxy would be even more secure and very easy to setup.

Hi

As I mentioned in my earlier post the win2k machine (internet machine) is directly connected to the adsl router, I think MAC address filtering is used on the router to allow only this machine access to the internet. This machine is also part of a LAN containing the linux machine. The LInux machine can access network shares on the win2k machine. Because of this I thought it might be possible with a bit of jiggery pokery to allow my linux machine access to the internet.

Best Regards

OOps I missed the word "router"
Then its not a bridge modem then its not pppoe.

Well, configure the router to let the linux out? Add his mac adress in the allowed one?

Hi

Thanks everyone, I forgot to mention that I dont have access to the routers configuration.

Well, then the question is how to activate ICS with one network card on Windows 2000.
Before trying any "jiggery pokery".
(Un)Fortunatly, I am not using windows so you probably have to ask on a windows forum.

Windows cannot run ICS with less than two interfaces, as I already said previously. Support for virtual interfaces under Windows is primitive, at best.

Ignoring ICS, you might be able to do it with static routes, but there is simply no "clean" method of routing with a single interface in Windows. Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) won't even start unless there are two physical NICs in the machine.