Wme as host?

New to networking. Have one Wme and one Wxp pro PC.
Would like to use Wme as host PC for two reasons.
1. Seem to have a lot less spam on Wme PC than on Wxp pro
PC (even with firewall, spybot,etc.).
2. Family PC (Wme) is already internet, but all important
files are on Wxp machine and would like to minimize
exposure of this PC to internet and only tranfer "clean
files" that have been downloaded thru network to Wxp
machine. Is this recommended? Also should I run each
networking wizard on its own PC or should I run the Wxp
network wizard on the Wme PC as well?
Thanks for the help!

In article <061601c4962f$84666970$(E-Mail Removed)>, Mark says...

> New to networking. Have one Wme and one Wxp pro PC.
> Would like to use Wme as host PC for two reasons.
> 1. Seem to have a lot less spam on Wme PC than on Wxp pro
> PC (even with firewall, spybot,etc.).

Spam is not OS dependent. It is the email addresses, not the systems, which
get spam.

> 2. Family PC (Wme) is already internet, but all important
> files are on Wxp machine and would like to minimize
> exposure of this PC to internet and only tranfer "clean
> files" that have been downloaded thru network to Wxp
> machine.

If you don't want the Windows XP computer exposed to the Internet, do not
set it up on a LAN with an Internet connected computer. Period. There is no
other way to reliably maintain a separation of the systems.

> Is this recommended? Also should I run each
> networking wizard on its own PC or should I run the Wxp
> network wizard on the Wme PC as well?
> Thanks for the help!

What you are describing is an ICS connection. It is feasible, and many do
it. I started with ICS, but quickly decided on a router. Even if you only
have a dial-up connection, you can still use a router. Netgear, SMC, and D-
Link all have models with a an RS-232 (serial) interface which can connect
to an external dial-up modem.

I believe you run the Network Wizard on the 'host' computer ('gateway' is a
better term, but 'host' seems to the common holdover from another time), and
it should create a configuration disk to be run on the other computer. It
has been a long time since I have used the Wizard, though...

--
Norman
~Win dain a lotica, En vai tu ri, Si lo ta
~Fin dein a loluca, En dragu a sei lain
~Vi fa-ru les shutai am, En riga-lint

In article <061601c4962f$84666970$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Mark"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>New to networking. Have one Wme and one Wxp pro PC.
>Would like to use Wme as host PC for two reasons.
>1. Seem to have a lot less spam on Wme PC than on Wxp pro
>PC (even with firewall, spybot,etc.).
>2. Family PC (Wme) is already internet, but all important
>files are on Wxp machine and would like to minimize
>exposure of this PC to internet and only tranfer "clean
>files" that have been downloaded thru network to Wxp
>machine. Is this recommended? Also should I run each
>networking wizard on its own PC or should I run the Wxp
>network wizard on the Wme PC as well?
>Thanks for the help!

Yes, you can do what you want. Enable Internet Connection Sharing on
Wme, as shown here:

ICS Installation [WinMe]
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...smeinstall.htm

Configure Wxp pro as an Internet Connection Sharing client as shown
here:

XP ICS - Client Setup Using the Network Setup Wizard
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/.../clientwiz.htm

Don't run the Wme wizard on Wxp, and don't run the Wxp wizard on Wme,
even if it tells you to.

I don't understand your statement 1 above, because the amount of spam
that a computer gets isn't related to what operating system the
computer runs.

You're wise to be concerned about protecting Wxp's files from being
exposed to the Internet. However, it's easy to protect them, even if
the Internet connection is on Wxp: enable the Internet Connection
Firewall on Wxp's Internet connection, and disable the Internet
Connection Firewall on Wxp's local area network connection. I've
written a web page with details:

Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...c_firewall.htm

If the Wxp computer has been updated to Service Pack 2, it's even
easier, because the new Windows Firewall automatically makes the right
settings.

If you're going to use ICS, recommend modifying your plan and using
Wxp as the host computer. Its version of ICS is more reliable and
easier to set up than the version in Wme.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional - Windows Networking
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

Steve Winograd's Networking FAQ
http://www.bcmaven.com/networking/faq.htm