If you have problems with ICS, you should open Event Viewer and check out the System log for any errors related to ICS. In addition, you can view the NSW.LOG file to look for errors. The following are several additional
suggestions in case users are unable to access the Internet from the client computers:
• Check the configuration of the client Internet browser. We mentioned client configuration earlier in this section.
• Ensure that the client can connect to the host computer. Check the
connection by typing ping 192.168.0.1. If this ping is unsuccessful, check the physical network connections.
• Use ipconfig to check the client computer’s IP configuration. Ensure that the client has an IP address on the proper subnet and that the default gateway is set to 192.168.0.1.
Note
For more information on ICS, including its use with IPv6, refer to "Using Wireless Hosted Network and Internet Connection Sharing" at
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/windows/desktop/dd815252(v=vs.85).aspx. The article discusses Windows 7 and Windows 8, but the functionality is the same for Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016.
Configuring Network Settings
In the previous section, you learned about TCP/IP network connections, working with network adapters, configuring protocols and connection-level settings for Windows networks. In this section, you move on to learning about connecting to wireless networks, configuring your wireless network preferences, and about group policies for managing network configuration settings.
You should also know some techniques for troubleshooting network
connections and dealing with network issues, and you will learn about some tools and techniques for doing that in this section.
Connecting to Wireless Networks
The recent advances in wireless networking technology have enabled
individuals to connect to networks from virtually any place a wireless access point is available. Many offices are taking advantages of the ease of setup of wireless local area networks (WLANs), which allow for mobility and
portability of computers and other devices located within the office. Public access points in locations such as restaurants and airports permit users to send and receive data from many places that would have been unthought of not too many years ago. Along with this convenience comes an increased chance of unauthorized access to the networks and the data they contain.
Wireless networks are easy to install and use, and they have gained
tremendous popularity for small home and office networks. Security is still not perfected for wireless networks, so large corporations have been slower to implement large wireless networks. Windows 10 supports the 802.11 protocols for wireless LANs and is capable of transparently moving between multiple wireless access points (WAPs), changing to a new IP subnet, and remaining connected to the network. Each time the IP subnet changes, the user is reauthenticated. In Windows 10, you can configure wireless
networking in the Network and Sharing Center. This enables you to connect to wireless networks, configure an ad hoc connection or the use of a WAP, and manage your wireless networks.
Windows 10 provides similar wireless technologies to those of Windows 7 and 8.1, improving upon wireless support for Windows so that wireless networking is as well integrated with the operating system as normal
networking. Consequently, wireless network reliability, stability, and security are considerably enhanced over older version of the Windows operating
system. The following are some of the more important security improvements in wireless networking available in recent Windows versions:
• Windows 10 minimizes the amount of private information, such as the service set identifier (SSID) that is broadcast before connecting to a wireless network.
• When users connect to an unencrypted public network (such as an airport or
restaurant Wi-Fi hotspot), users are warned of the risks so that they can limit their activities accordingly.
• Windows 10 supports a complete range of wireless security protocols, from Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) to Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA and WPA2), Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP), and its combination with Microsoft Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol version 2 (MS-CHAPv2) and Extensible Authentication Protocol Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS).
• Windows 10 uses WPA2-Personal for maximum security when communicating by means of an ad hoc wireless network (direct
communication with another wireless computer without use of an access point). This helps to protect against common vulnerabilities associated with such unprotected networks.
• On an Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) network, administrators can use Group Policy settings to configure Single Sign On (SSO) profiles that facilitate wireless domain logon. The 802.1x authentication precedes the domain logon, and users are prompted for wireless credentials only if
absolutely necessary. The wireless connection is therefore in place before the domain logon proceeds.
Wireless Networking Protocols
Table 6-6 describes four wireless networking protocols available to Windows 10.
Table 6-6. Characteristics of Wireless Networking Protocols
Protocol Transmission speed
Frequency
Used Comments
802.11b 11 Mbps 2.4 GHz
The 2.4 GHz frequency is the same as that which is used by many appliances such as cordless phones and microwave ovens; this can cause interference. This technology also is limited in that it supports fewer simultaneous users than the other protocols.
802.11a 54 Mbps 5 GHz
While reducing interference from other appliances, this technology has a shorter signal range and is not compatible with network adapters, routers, and WAPs using the 802.11b protocol. However, some devices are equipped to support either 802.11a or 802.11b.
802.11g 54 Mbps 2.4 GHz
You can have 802.11b and 802.11g devices operating together on the same network. This standard was created specifically for backward compatibility with the 802.11b standard. The signal range is better than that of 802.11a, but this technology suffers from the same interference problems as 802.11a.
802.11n
Up to 150–
600 Mbps depending on the number of data streams.
2.4 or 5 GHz
This technology is compatible with devices using the older protocols at the same frequency. It also has the best signal range and is most resistant to interference, though it can have the same problems as 802.11b if using the 2.4 GHz frequency.
802.11acUp to 1.3
Gbps 5 GHz
New technology that improves upon 802.11n by offering faster speeds and improved scalability. Computer and device manufacturers are beginning to produce compatible units, with devices expected to be available by 2015.
Note
For more information on 802.11ac and the improvements it offers, refer to
"802.11ac: The Fifth Generation of Wi-Fi Technical White Paper" at
www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/wireless/ps5678/ps11983/white_paper_c11- 713103.html.
Setting Up a Wireless Network Connection
Windows 10 provides a wizard that simplifies the process of setting up various types of network connections and connecting to wireless and other networks. Use the following procedure to set up a wireless network
connection:
Step 1. Use one of the methods outlined earlier in this chapter to access the Network and Sharing Center.
Step 2. Click Set Up a New Connection or Network (refer to Figure 6-5) to start the wizard.
Step 3. Click Set Up a New Network and then click Next. You are informed that it might take up to 90 seconds for unconfigured network devices to be detected.
Step 4. When the wizard detects the required wireless router or WAP, select
it and click Next.
Step 5. On the Give Your Network a Name page, type the network name and security key used by the required router or WAP. Choose the required
security level and encryption type (more about these later in this chapter) and then click Next.
Step 6. The wizard configures your network. When done, click Finish.
You can connect to a network that you have not previously set up by following these steps: