Internet Sharing & Sygate...

[retroborg]

Hello.

I have a LAN with a domain of 11 PCs, based on the TCP/IP protocol.
Each PC has its own static IP & I’m not using a DHCP server.

One of the PCs is the Domain controller server (Win2000-Server) & another PC has a DSL modem with 1Mbit DSL internet connection & plays the role of the internet Gareway & firewall.

The Gateway PC is a P3 500MHZ, 256MB Ram, is running WinXP PRO SP-2 (All updates), Mcafee Enterprize Antivirus 7.1, Zone Alarm PRO v6.0.667, Ad-Aware Pro, Microsoft AntiSpyware v1.0Beta1 & Sygate Office Network 4.5 Build 851 which does the Internet Sharing for the other 10 PCs of the network.
It also has 2 Lan cards. One connected to the DSL modem & the other card is connected to a Hub, where all the other PCs are connected to.

The Internet sharing service (Sygate) was working fine continuously for 2 months, until recently, when Sygate has been shutting down randomly, or just simply stops providing internet access for the other 10 PCs of the network, even without it shutting down.

So far the only way to “fix” this problem is by either having to restart Sygate Office Network service, or Restart the Gateway PC it self.
I’ve also done a full system virus scan, but everything was clean.

I have installed all the latest WinXP updates in case that would fix the problem, but that didn’t seem to do anything & the problem persists randomly.

However, whenever the Internet sharing stops, the gateway PC which runs Sygate, continues to have high speed internet connection.
Only the other 10 PCs lose access to the internet, so I have ruled out the case of a “faulty” DSL modem or a problematic Internet connection from the ISP.

I have come to the conclusion that the problem is related to the fact, that Sygate Office Network 4.5 Build 851 is a very old program (2001) & is not being updated anymore, so it is bound to be “incompatible” up to a certain extent, with WinXP SP-2.

Can anybody suggest me a good & reliable Internet sharing program / tool to use for my network instead of “Sygate Office Network 4.5 Build 851”, or any valid solution to the problem, so that I don’t have to reinstall the OS of the gateway PC?
I cannot use the Windows Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), because it changes the IP to some default IP which I don't want.

A mate has suggested these internet sharing programs:

Winproxy v5.0 35MB
Vicomsoft InterGate v8.6 11MB
Microsoft Proxy Server v3 30MB

But I don’t know if they’ll work in my case…

Any help will be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

[thevoelk]

I'd recommend using ISA Server from Microsoft. I think it only works with Active Directory though.

[TooLFooL]

buy a router

[HillJack]

buy a router

Screw software-NAT... get a hardware router, they're dirt-cheap nowadays.

[retroborg]

Ok.
I installed Linux Mandrake Firewall today & so far the Internet sharing is working perfectly.