DWay is open 24/7 ..just call 1-866-347-3292 and follow the voice prompts. (They will refuse to provide you with any help related to Home Networking anyway, which is exactly what you'll be doing.
Actually, they will provide you with "limited" support if you get the right tech when you call.
In answer to your question, you DO NOT have to upgrade to anything ...all you need to do is enable ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) on what will be called your "Host" computer ....and you can then add as many other computers to it that you wish so that everyone can access the Internet. This can be done using CAT5-cable (Ethernet Cable) or via a Wireless Connection (such as what you can do if using a D-Link 614+ Router ...which are very inexpensive and (IMHO) easy to work with. You'll need a Router, or a "Hub", or a "Smart Switch" (which the D-link or any Router can "pretend" to be with no problem). Of course, each computer, including yours, is also going to need an Ethernet (NIC) Card that is 10/100 'capable' (no worry, they all are unless you specify differently).
What happens is that when you configure your HOST computer for ICS (Internet Connection Sharing), it will hand out DHCP numbers to all of the other computers hooked into your system, which are called "Clients." I have attached a .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) file provided by DirecWay, but they make it sound 100 times more complicated so here's what I would do (and was doing) when I was using a DW4000 setup with four other machines attached to me via ICS.
In a nutshell, you'll have The Internet, running to the Host (which is running ICS), which then runs to a HUB (ie: Router, Hub, Smartswitch), and then (finally) your Client (non-Host) computers. That was the long way of describing a LAN (Local Area Network) ...which is what you'll have using ICS ...and it's 'easy as pie' to set up!
Using DirecWay, there are five steps needed to configure ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) in order to have a working LAN ...plus a few "must haves" for the sake of security (ie; Firewall, Antivirus, etc).
1. Install DirecWay on the computer that will be the Host (hell ...you've already done that much)!
2. Verify network communications are viable (working) between the Host and Client Computer(s).
3. Configure ICS on the Host computer
4. Configure the Client Computer(s) to access the Internet via the Host computer using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) ...brought to you by Micro$soft!
5. Configure Microsoft Outlook Express and Internet Explorer on the Client computer(s)
You'll need to determine what your IP Address is. (I have NO idea what OS you are using so I will assume you are using XP ...the attached pdf manual has the instructions for Win95, 98, 98SE, 2000 and XP (Home or Pro) within it ....they are all pretty much alike.
On the Host computer, Click on START, then RUN, type in < command > (without the < or the >) and hit the Enter key. Now you are looking at the DOS Command Window. Type < ipconfig > then hit Enter. A list of Ethernet Adapters and their IP addresses will be displayed. (Yours will start with 169.254.?.? (like 169.254.44.101 OR it might look more like 192.168.?.? ...it all depends upon your OS) ...so just jot it down someplace cuz you'll need it from time to time while setting up, and for troubleshooting later (God forbid). Now just type < Exit > and hit the Enter key or click on the X 'box' to close the DOS window.
Now you need to hook up everything in order to configure it to be an operating LAN. You'll need an Ethernet (NIC) Card in each computer (unless the motherboard already has CAT5 connecters built into it ...if so that will save you having to buy a NIC card plus the installation of it! Otherwise, ya gotta have a NIC for each computer (the installation instructions come with the NIC cards and it's a "no-brainer." lol...
The following link is pretty good since it covers most all of the OS's ...and we don't know which one you are using! heheh ....At the very least it'll make a good reference 'tool': (No doubt somebody, or several somebodies, will add to my reply with far better reference sites than I can remember at this hour of the day)!
http://www.newenglandantenna.com/DirecWay4000/ics.htm is one site that Google found.
What will drive ya nuts is that very few sites will actually tell you WHICH WIRE TO PLUG IN WHERE ...so let's get that much done and over with to save you one or two Darvocets, Hydrocodones, or your preferred weapon against migraines. (Beer doesn't hurt either).
I think everyone has a slightly different 'array' of wiring, and they all will work, but this is how I rigged up my DW4000 modems so that I could use ICS to supply four other computers (aside from my own), with Internet access. I bought a D-Link 614+ Router, but didn't use it as a "router" ...it was just a "smart switch" or what is more commonly called a "Hub." All a Hub does is give you a place to plug the Ethernet wires into coming from each Client Computer. (From the NIC Card output/input to one of the Ports in the back of the Hub (ie; or Router or whatever ya wanna call it). My D-Link had four Ports so everybody was plugged into their own Port, 1 through 4. I was the Host computer, so I plugged my NIC wire (Ethernet cable), into Port #1 of the D-Link PLUS I ran another USB wire from one of my USB Ports on the Host Computer to the USB Port found in the back of the TOP DW4000 modem. (You have to run a USB Cable from the Host to the DW4000 USB Port so that you will have access to the Internet ...otherwise you won't have anything to "share" when using ICS. (In this case, an Internet connection). Your Host computer will be wired DIRECTLY into the DW4000 modems thus the HOST will have Internet access that will be shared using ICS to the other computer(s). (If anyone is wondering, the "extra" computer used a wireless connection)!
Voila! Your LAN (Local Area Network) is now wired. Now let's get everything configured. This sounds hard due to the amount of wording. In 'real life', it takes about 15 - 30 minutes "tops" from start to finish and you shouldn't run into any bumps along the way. If you do, it only means that something is not configured correctly and finding the problem isn't hard at all ...so no worries!
In your instance, you should have a wire running from the Host computer's USB Port to the back of the DW4000 modem, an Ethernet (CAT-5) NIC wire running from your NIC card 'plug' to one of the Ports (usually #1) on your Router or Hub, and an Ethernet Cable (wire) running from your Client (other computer) to Port #2 of the Router or Hub. Now we are going to set things up so that both machines will 'talk' to each other and thereby "share" your access to the Internet by using ICS ...which is already built right into your OS thanks to Mr. Bill @ Micro$oft!
Grab that IP number that you wrote down earlier (the one starting with 169.254 (or perhaps it starts with 192.168). Have a seat behind the keyboard of your Client Computer. Click on START, RUN, type in < command > then hit OK (Enter). To see if you can 'talk' to yur Host computer, type < ping > (followed by a space) then type in that number you jotted down. So, it will look like
c:\>ping 192.168.3.101 (or ping (space - the # you jotted down). The ping command is a standard utility that sends and receives communications between computers. If you were successful, you just got four "reply" lines so that the entire window will look something like this:
c:\>ping 169.254.23.193Pinging 169.254.23.193 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 169.254.23.193: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=128
Reply from 169.254.23.193: bytes=32 time=<10ms TTL-128
Reply from 169.254.23.193: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=128
Reply from 169.254.23.193: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=128
Ping statistics for 169.254.23.193:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 1ms, Average = 0ms------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If it has different numbers that's fine ...it means the computers can 'talk' to each other. If you didn't get a successful ping, everything will look about the same except you'll have FOUR lines that will say <
Request timed out.> ....which means that something isn't quite right, but not a problem to fix I'm sure.
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Whether the "ping" worked or not, you'll have to configure your Client(s) computer to use ICS. Assuming you are using XP, here's how to do it. If you are using a different OS, just refer to the 'attached' pdf manual and it will tell you how to go about it.
Configuring ICS for a Windows XP HostOpen the Control Panel (Start ---->Control Panel)
Double-click the Network Connections Icon
A list of Network Connections (and dialup if you have it) will be displayed. There must be at least 2 (two) LAN Connections listed here. One connection will be the DirecWay Satellite USB Device and the other will be the network interface that connects the Host wih the other computer(s) on the network (LAN). These two connections MUST be present for the network to be installed correctly.
Right-click on the LOCAL AREA CONNECTION icon that corresponds with the Satellite USB Device and then select PROPERTIES. (You can determine which one is the Satellite USB device by reading the DETAILS box in the lower left part of the window (or 'hover' your mouse over it and a 'balloon help' will pop up and tell you).
A list of installed components will appear on the GENERAL tab. Ensure that the CLIENT FOR MICROSOFT NETWORKS and INTERNET PROTOCOL (TCP/IP) are "checked" as installed. (In fact ...all four items there should be "checked").
Click the ADVANCED Tab and place a 'check' in the ALLOW OTHER NETWORK USERS TO CONNECT THROUGH THIS COMPUTERS INTERNET CONNECTION. (If your Client ever loses the ability to get on the web ...this is the very first place to look, because sometimes it will 'uncheck' itself)! lol.... Danged Microsoft! The top line about your Internet Connection Firewall should only be checked if it is the only Firewall that you have, otherwise don't check it or you'll end up having conflicts and strange behavior. DO NOT check the ALLOW OTHER NETWORK USERS TO CONTROL OR DISABLE THE SHARED INTERNET CONNECTION because it's an invitation for hackers to take over your computer if you DO check it ...so you "get my drift" I'm sure! There, now that you've done all that, your Local Area Connection will now say that it is "Shared" (on the left side of the window under DETAILS). It will also list your IP Address, Subnet Mask, and it will state "Manually Configured."
*Even though your computer may not prompt you to do so, please reboot now to ensure that your Host will be able to communicate with your Client(s) computer(s). (After you reboot, the first thing you want to do is make sure that you can get on the Internet ...if not, go back and see what you may have overlooked ...or what I forgot to mention)! ...lol Anyway, now it's time to setup (configure) your Client(s).... again, this is how you'd do it with an XP OS:
Configuring Windows XP CLIENT to access the HOST ComputerFirst, save yourself a headache and make sure that the network is installed correctly so far. At a Client computer, open the Control Panel (Start ---->Control Panel) and double-click the Network Connections icon. A list of NETWORK ADAPTERS will be displayed. The LOCAL AREA CONNECTION adapter MUST be listed. If not, the network isn't yet installed properly. (Let's assume that it is though, and continue)...
Right-click on the LOCAL AREA CONNECTION (LAN) icon that corresponds with the Network adapter that connects the computer to the network and then select PROPERTIES. On the GENERAL TAB, ensure that CLIENT FOR MICROSOFT NETWORK and INTERNET PROTOCOL (TCP/IP) are installed and checked. (FILE AND PRINTER SHARING AND QoS PACKET SCHEDULER will also be listed and should be 'checked' as well).
Highlight INTERNET PROTOCOL (TCP/IP) and then select PROPERTIES. Select OBTAIN AN IP ADDRESS AUTOMATICALLY and OBTAIN DNS SERVER ADDRESS AUTOMATICALLY. Now click the ADVANCED button. Ensure that only the DHCP setting is Enabled. Click OK to continue. Click OK to close the TCP/IP Properties window. Now click OK THREE MORE TIMES to finish. Please reboot/restart your computer even if it doesn't ask you to do so.
Now, about the only thing left is to configure your Browser and E-mail settings. I don't know which version of IE or OE you are using, so this is a 'generic' instruction, but good enough to make it work (I pray). lol.... Probably the easiest way to do this is to launch your Internet Connection Wizard (now, this is assuming that you don't yet have a connection) ...so don't TRASH your connection by running this next sequence of events unless you can see that you are not yet setup in the way this describes ....it's only for if you are starting "cold", and setting up things "from scratch" you see.
*You may need to "borrow" some of the following info for use with your new LAN!
Click on START, then RUN and type in <
inetwiz >. Select CONNECT USING MY LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN) ...then click NEXT.
Place a check in the checkbox labeled MANUAL PROXY SERVER. Ensure that the checkboxes for AUTOMATIC DISCOVERY OF PROXY SERVER (RECOMMENDED) and USE AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATION SCRIPT are unchecked, then click NEXT. In the HTTP ROW enter 192.168.0.1 in the PROXY TO USE FIELD and 85 (or 83 or 87 or whatever you are presently using!!!!) in the PORT field. (mine used to be 83 until I moved into a DW6000, then it changed to 87). I have found that alot of folks who are using Port 85 can go a bit faster and smoother if they use Port 83. (Also, just because the HOST computer is using Port 85 or 83 doesn't mean that the CLIENT computer must also use the same)! They can be different and not cause any issues that I am aware of. Ensure that USE THE SAME PROXY FOR ALL PROTOCOLS is unchecked, then click NEXT. If there are IP Addresess for which you do not want to use a proxy, enter them in the window provided, then click NEXT.
Select YES to set up an Internet e-mail account and click NEXT. Type your NAME (or handle) in the space provided and then click NEXT. Enter your e-mail address in the space provided and click NEXT. (If you would like to see what email addresses are asociated with your DirecWay account just rerun WebSetup: START --->Programs ----->DirecWay ------>WebSetup). Enter the mail server names in the space provided. The incoming DirecWay mail server name is pop3.DirecWay.com and the outgoing DirecWay mail server name is smtp.DirecWay.com. Click NEXT... Enter your Username and Password in the fields provided. Ensure that the checkbox for LOG ON USING SECURE PASSWORD AUTHENTICATION (SPA) is NOT checked, then click NEXT. Hey! Click FINISH to complete the configuration!
Now, if you sit down at your Client computer and bring up the DOS window, you should be able to ping your Host computer. (ie; ping 192.168.0.1). You should also be able to access the web and email using the Client computer. If you can, well done! If you can't, I've either made an error in my descriptions (which you'll find the fix for in the attached PDF Manual), or perhaps you missed a step along the way here. Troubleshooting your system is just a matter of rechecking all of your settings ...and it's that simple.
Of course, in order for the Client computer to be able to access the Internet and e-mail, the Host computer must be ON! (Mine stayed on 24/7/365 for two years except for reboots every week or so)!
Hey, I hope this helps you out a bit better than some of the articles I've read on the web. (At least you know where the wires are supposed to go ...and that's the part that nearly drove me insane when I had NO CLUE how to set up a LAN).
Good luck and Cheers TBrown!
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