ICS vs. Network Bridging

[keegat]

I don't really have a problem, this is just something I'm curious about and can't find the answer to. I am temporarily getting an internet connection to my desktop by connecting it to my laptop with an ethernet cable and bridging the laptop's wireless and wired connections. But I understand another way to do it is to set up internet connection sharing on the laptop. I'm curious to know if they're different, how they're different, and if one is better to use than the other.

[mbossman2]

technically bridging is the connection of 2 geographically separate segments of the same network.

What ICS does is create a router out of the device central to the ICS topology by allowing a single IP address to be shared by multiple devices.

Then why use a router? a router is a heck of a lot cheaper for one thing and for another a router is purpose bult to route traffic, while a PC running ICS is capable of doing that, its like using a steam shovel to put sugar in your coffee.