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Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) is a Windows feature that lets a PC pass network access from one connection to devices connected through another. In full sharing mode, Windows uses an upstream public connection and a private connection for client devices, providing network address translation (NAT) and address-assignment services. ICS is a Windows networking function, not a separate router product.
What Internet Connection Sharing does
ICS is associated with the Windows SharedAccess service. It can share Internet access, but the upstream network does not have to be the Internet. Microsoft describes the feature as a way to configure a Windows system as a gateway for a small network, supplying local network services such as addressing and name resolution.
In full mode, the PC has two roles: its public interface connects to the network being shared, and its private interface connects to client devices. ICS receives traffic from the private side, translates it through NAT, and routes it over the public connection. Clients can then use the upstream connection through the Windows host.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe older Microsoft Shared Connections technical reference describes one public connection being shared at a time and allows multiple private connections in that documented API model. That describes the cited technical model, not a guarantee about every current Windows configuration.
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Full ICS and standalone hosted-network mode
ICS can also be associated with Windows Wireless Hosted Network, which creates a software access point. Its standalone mode is different from full Internet sharing: it can provide DHCPv4 address assignment to devices on the local wireless network without routing their traffic to an upstream connection. Microsoft says traffic in this mode is limited to communication among connected devices and the computer hosting the network.
| Mode | Upstream public connection | What connected devices can reach | Network functions described by Microsoft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full ICS | Configured | The shared upstream network, routed through the Windows host | NAT and address-assignment functions |
| Standalone hosted-network ICS | Not configured for sharing | The host and other devices on the local hosted wireless network | DHCPv4 address assignment; no upstream Internet sharing |
The two modes should not be confused: standalone mode is local address assignment, while full mode shares an upstream connection. Microsoft notes that full ICS takes precedence when both modes apply.
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Where ICS is used—and what can limit it
ICS is intended for small networks, including home and small-office situations. It can also work with a Windows software-hosted wireless network. In Microsoft’s hosted-network documentation, the shared connection may be Ethernet, wireless LAN, or wireless WAN.
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- Network administration: Microsoft provides an administrative policy to control whether ICS can be enabled and whether the service can run. Its service guidance also identifies ICS as needed for clients acting as Wi-Fi hotspots and for both ends of Miracast projection.
- Mobile broadband: Microsoft says mobile broadband tethering support was introduced in Windows 8.1. Some mobile operators may not support Internet sharing or may require an entitlement check, so availability depends on the Windows device, its configuration, the operator, and the plan.
- Existing network services: Legacy Windows Server 2003 setup guidance warns against enabling ICS on a network already relying on static IP addresses or other DHCP, DNS, or gateway servers, because ICS supplies network-configuration services of its own. This is historical, version-specific guidance—not a complete compatibility rule for current Windows releases.
What ICS is not
ICS is not a standalone router or an independent Internet service. A Windows computer shares a connection it already has; clients connect through the computer’s private side. Also, seeing ICS or the SharedAccess service does not by itself mean that an upstream Internet connection is being shared: the service can operate in the limited hosted-network mode that only assigns local IPv4 addresses.
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Windows settings and policy controls differ by release, and the available documentation does not establish one current click-by-click setup path for every supported edition. The definition and mode distinction are consistent: determine whether the PC is sharing an upstream public connection or only hosting a local network.
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