ZoneAlarm and ICS problem!

[GokuFurinji]

Having connected 2 PC's via the Internet Connection Sharing wizard under WinME, ZoneAlarm seems to be denying access to the net when connecting via the 2nd PC?

This happens ONLY if the 1st PC (with the Cable Modem that's being shared) connects to the net first? If the 2nd PC connects first, everything is fine? IP addressing has been set to 'Automatically Assigned'

ZoneAlarm is running only on the 1st PC (Host) with the ICS option "This computer is an ICS gateway" enabled, but the problem still occurs?

Both PC's are sharing files/folders correctly via their 2 Realtek NIC's, no matter who connected to the net first! So there is something in ZoneAlarm that's set to block the 2nd PC, but I'm stumped as to what it can be and how to allow BOTH PC's to connect to the net independantly!

Any ideas/suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Zoron]

Easiest way (not necessarily the cheapest) would be to get a gateway router. Linksys has a 4-port model out... allows all computers on the network to access the internet independently from the others. There's also the possibilty of asking your ISP if they will provide you with another IP so that the second computer can access the net without any additional hardware/software. I know this can be done with DSL, as my ISP offers this service for an additional $4.95 a month per IP.

Just some food for thought.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

 

[GokuFurinji]

Hmmm... As you say, not the cheapest!! But not exactly the solution I was looking for either. Although it's a perfectly good solution, it just seems a bit extreme for the problem I have!

I'm sure it's just the way ZoneAlarm is configured and I've not enabled/disabled something, but what that is I'm at a loss!

As I said, it's just the internet access that's the problem not the connection between the two PC's, that's working fine, so buying extra hardware just to solve a software problem seems overkill!