Hi guys I'm new around here.
I'm sorry to bring up yet again this topic but I've been trying to figure out the solution for 2 days now and I can't find anything on the net. I searched on this forum too but it seems my problem in particular has no answer

This is it:
I have a wireless NETGEAR router, a winXP laptop and of course an xbox 360.
I would like to connect my xbox to the laptop, and use the laptop to enable wireless xbox live connection to the wireless router.

I have done the following:
from network configuration I bring up Properties and go to Advanced, and switch "on" the internet connection sharing.
However, when I give the ok command, I am given this error:

"An error occured while Internet Connection Sharing was enabled.

Internet Connection Sharing cannot be enabled
A LAN connection is already configured with the IP address
that is required for automatic IP sharing".

MS support pages say it means there is some kind of conflict between IP addresses, but I can't see how this is possible as the error is given both if I have the xbox connected or if I don't (ie: I just switch on ICN even without any cable between xbox and laptop). I tried to manually change IP addresses on the xbox and setting different end numbers (.240, .2, .whatever) but no avail.

Also, when I connect xbox and laptop, it gives me a a LAN error, not sure how to translate it (i'm italian and my win is in italian), but basically it says that connection is limited between xbox and laptop. A friend suggested that the reason is that I am using an ethernet cable, whereas I should be using a crossover cable.

I'm not sure however if the two problems are related, because I said I get the ICS error even if the xbox is not connected, meaning that probably something prevents me from even trying to establish an internet connection sharing.
My laptop IP, gateway and such are fine as they are supopsed to be for ICS, like IP is 192.168.0.1 and so on.

Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated, sorry again for bringing up an already extensively discussed topic.



PS On a sidenote, I also read something about "bridging" lan and wireless connection, I have no idea what it means or how it is done, I also read it can be risky as it may fuck up normal connection, but I might give it a try if anyone could care to explain a little further. Thanks again

You're getting confused as to how ICS works.

I'll try and describe it as best I can in text format!


4 network devices which need to be connected:

X1 - Xbox 360
X2 - Wireless connection on Laptop
X3 - LAN connection on Laptop
X4 - Wireless router

I'm assuming your laptop is connected to your router via wireless at the moment, meaning

X2 <->(192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0)<-> X4 (i.e your router is set to 192.168.0.1)

You want to enable ICS and connect your Xbox 360 to the LAN connection on the laptop (X1 <-> X3). Your Laptop LAN connection gets an IP address assigned by ICS for this to work. Stupidly, MS has ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) reserved as 192.168.0.1 with no easy way to change it. Because you're using it for X2, ICS cannot assign it to X3.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Change your 'X2' IP address to 192.168.10.1. You'll lose access to your router for the time being.
2. Set up ICS again - it should now complete without any problems since no other device has that assignment.

You should now have

(X1)<[192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0]->(X3)<[ICS Bridge]>(X2)<[192.168.10.0/255.255.255.0]>(X4)

"But I have no internet connection now!" I hear you scream. We're not done yet.

3. Go into the TCP/IP Properties of X3 and change the address from [192.168.0.1] to [192.168.1.1].
4. Finally, go back into the TCP/IP Properties of X2 and change the IP Address from [192.168.10.1] back to [192.168.0.1].

So it should now be like this:

(X1)<[192.168.1.0/255.255.255.0]->(X3)<[ICS Bridge]>(X2)<[192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0]>(X4)

Your Internet should now work on your laptop again.

What I would do to get your Xbox Live working is go to the network settings on your 360 and set it like this:

IP Address: 192.168.1.2
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.1.1

It should hopefully connect to Xbox Live, as long as everything else has been done. Let me know how you get on.

I solved the ICS error but this last part doesn't seem to work: when I change the IP address of X2 and switch it back from .10.1 to .0.1 Windows gives me an IP conflict error, and internet doesnt work

Sorry, my bad - that should have read:



You can't set X2 to 192.168.0.1 as your router has this address. Choose another address, or set it back to DHCP.

thanks man I'll try it this evening when I'm home, it all sounds a bit confusing to me cause I hardly ever do this kind of stuff, but your instructions are very clear.

Dude it totally works, thank you very much

Cool - glad it all works and you're more than welcome

Thanks for my free bump too - mucho gracias

Go to

http://www.xboxfreewireless.com/