DHCP and ICS question

[surfmaster2000]

Ok, maybe you guys can help me with this question also.

I want to set up one PC to act as a gateway to the WWW using Internet connection sharing. Then with the same PC and a second NIC I want to connect my LAN and all work stations to DHCP from this one PC. Easy setup so far, just run of the mill stuff. Now, this is where I am unclear... Using the "HOSTS" file on the gateway PC with an entry of lets say:

1.1.1.1 www.whateverwebsiteiwant.com

Will the gateway PC route traffic from any of the workstations on the LAN to an entry in the hosts file of the gateway PC?

I hope I have explained this so it is understandable.
P.S. the gateway PC will be using a T1, static IP.

[glc]

You don't need a hosts file to do this - all you have to do is run the ICS wizard, sharing the NIC that the T1 is on. It will set your LAN NIC to 192.168.0.1 and then all you have to do is set the other machines to use DHCP, the ICS becomes a DHCP server.

[surfmaster2000]

thanks for the reply,
yes I realize that, but I need to do a some redirection on my side, and would prefer to make these redirections in one host file rather than ALL workstation host files. Do you know if the gateway PC providing the DHCP would use it's hosts file for all traffic from workstations it is serving IP addresses to? Hopefully this will clarify my original post. As always, thank you all for the speedy replies, and the great help.

[surfmaster2000]

If anyone is currently using ICS, and willing to edit the hosts file on the ICS PC, I would greatly appreciate it and forever be in debt to you. We have a shortage of workstations as it is, and do not want to kill WWW on our LAN to try this unless I know it works.

P.s if any one is willing to try this for me, and you have never edited the "hosts" file, it's very easy to change, then change back to original.

Thanks again.

[glc]

Why don't you just use a router or some software that's designed to do this? ICS is too basic to do much with.

[surfmaster2000]

well with all due respect glc, I have thought this out long and hard. And considered every option possible. I am on a tight budget for this particular project, and with what I need to do, ICS will work well I feel. The major reason for using ICS and the hosts file of the host computer is to do domain redirection on our side, and to block certain sites all together from any of the workstations. I would like to be able to administer those "rules" on the host PC to keep it away from the operators of the workstations, and for easy administration. Im just not sure if this is possible. I have heard from different sources that what I want to do will work, and from other sources that it won't. I would prefer not to implement this until I know for sure. I was hoping someone would be able to give me definative answer. I hope you can understand my reasoning, and if a router was an option I would certainly go that route, but being as im on such a tight budget, it just is not feesable. as always, thanks for your suggestions!

jj

[glc]

I understand, believe me.......why don't you give this a try - go to www.tinysoftware.com and download the 30 day trial of Winroute Pro and see if this will help you. If it does what you need, then try to get the funding to buy a license. I know that this is a very versatile piece of software which makes the other proxies (Wingate, Winproxy, etc.) look like crap. It's also possible that the free AnalogX proxy might work, but I have no personal experience with it - it's free so maybe give that a shot too. I can relate to not wanting to kill the LAN - you might have to make this an "after hours" project.

[surfmaster2000]

I'll give it shot glc. Thanks for the info, and the help!

JJ

[courto]

surfmaster, if you have no money to spend Analogx proxy may well do the job. It is certainly worth a look. www.analogx.com