Go into the Windows Control Panel and choose "Network". You'll see 3 tabs - Configuration, Identification and Access Control. This may be slightly different in different versions of Windows (I'm using Win98), but should be essentially the same.

Well do the Identification tab first. For computer name, enter anything you want (eg "Phil" if the owner of the computer is Phil). If you're using Optus@Home, the name must be the name given to you by Optus (ie coXXXXXXX-a). For workgroup, put whatever you like, but each computer should be the same. I use "WORKGROUP"! For computer description, put whatever you like.

Under "Access Control", make sure you've selected "Share-level access control".

Now for the configuration tab. The first thing to do is add Microsoft Family Logon. This isn't required for internet connection sharing, but if you don't install it, every time Windows starts you'll get asked to enter your networking password even if you haven't got one! Therefore I highly recommend it. Installation of Microsoft Family Logon is achieved by clicking "Add", choosing "Client" then clicking "Add", choosing "Microsoft" on the left and "Microsoft Family Logon" on the right and clicking "OK". After this is completed (you'll need your Windows CD here) you'll be back to the basic network control panel screen. Now change your Primary Network Logon to "Microsoft Family Logon".

Next you'll want to enable file and printer sharing. This also isn't required for internet connection sharing, but is really useful and it'd be a strange home network that didn't have this set up. To do this, click on "File and Print Sharing", check the boxes to enable these services, then click "OK".

Now you need to add the TCP/IP network protocol - "the" internet protocol. It's probably already there since you already have the cable modem connected to this computer, but you'll need to add it again so that it works with the second network card in the server. Click "Add", choose "Protocol" then click "Add", then choose "Microsoft" on the left and "TCP/IP" on the right and click "OK".

At this point you'll have lots of stuff in the little box that says "The following network components are installed:" The box will be a little cluttered and should look like this: Client for Microsoft Networks; Microsoft Family Login; [name of network card that you installed]; [name of network card from cable modem provider, probably something like "SMC EZ Card 10/100 (SMC1211TX"]; TCP/IP -> [name of network card]; TCP/IP -> [name of other network card]; File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks.

If there are any other network components present, they can and generally should be removed by clicking on each component and then clicking "Remove"; however if you have any dial-up adapters installed (they'll say "Dial-Up Adaptor") then you may want to keep "Dial-Up Adapter" and "TCP/IP -> Dial-Up Adapter" so that you can still use your modem to dial in to the internet. If you just want to send faxes you only need "Dial-Up Adapter".

Now you should configure TCP/IP for your 2 network cards. For "TCP/IP -> [name of netword card from cable modem provider]" you should leave most of it as is, since Optus/Telstra have already set it up for you. If you've accidentally removed this entry, just add TCP/IP again (as described above) - that's nearly all you have to do! (easy for their technicians, eh?) But there is one thing you MUST do - click on "TCP/IP -> [name of netword card from cable modem provider]", click on "Properties", go to the "Bindings" tab and make sure that "File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks" is NOT checked. If you don't do this, everyone on the internet can access your files!!! There's no need for "Client for Microsoft Networks" or "Microsoft Family Logon" to be bound either, so you chould uncheck these boxes. When Windows asks if you would like to select a protocol to bind, say "No".

You should also set this to be the "default protocol", that is, the default method for the server to connect to the internet. This is done by clicking on the "Advanced" tab and making sure the "Set this protocol to be the default protocol" box is checked.

You're done configuring "TCP/IP -> [name of netword card from cable modem provider]", so click "OK".

Now configure "TCP/IP -> [name of network card you bought]" for the server. Click on it and then click "Properties". In the "IP Address" tab, select "Specify an IP address" and enter 192.168.0.1 as the IP address and 255.255.255.0 for the subnet mask. In "WINS Configuration" click "Disable WINS Resolution". Make sure "Gateway" is all blank. In "DNS Configuration", click "Disable DNS". In "Bindings", make sure "Client for Microsoft Networks", "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" and "Microsoft Family Login" are all checked. Don't change anything in "NetBIOS" unless you know what you're doing.

You've now finished configuring the server computer! Click "OK" to exit the TCP/IP section, "OK" again to exit the Network Control Panel, and restart your computer when Windows asks you to.

Before you move on to configuring the client computers, you should take note of which Optus or Telstra "intranet domain" your server is connected to. To do this, select "Run" from the Start Menu and type "winipcfg" (without the quotes) and press "OK". Select the network card that's connected to the cable modem (the SMC network card may show up as "NDIS 4.0 driver" or something similar). Click on "More Info >>". You should see something like this:

The very first item, "Host Name", is what you're interested in. The beginning and end will probably be cut off, but it should be easy to guess the rest.

The "Host Name" displayed consists of two components: your server's computer name (that you specified at the beginning of this section) and your intranet domain. In the example above, my intranet domain is "randw1.nsw.optushome.com.au". Optus domains always look something like this. Telstra domains are typically something like "nsw.bigpond.net.au". Remember this intranet domain, because you'll need it when configuring your client computer/s.