Home and small office networking uses the following features to simplify the implementation and administration of small networks.
Home and small office networking offers computers that are directly connected to the Internet the added security of firewall protection. The firewall checks all communications that cross the connection between your network and the Internet and is selective about which responses from the Internet it allows. ICF protects only the computer on which it is enabled. However, if ICF is enabled on the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) host computer, ICS clients that use the shared Internet connection for Internet connectivity are protected because they cannot be seen from outside your network. For this reason, you should always enable ICF on the ICS host computer. In addition, if there are clients on your network with direct Internet connections, or if you have a stand-alone computer that is connected to the Internet, then it is recommended that you enable the ICF on those Internet connections as well.
When ICF has been enabled on a network connection, the following network connection icon appears in Network Connections: 
.
For more information about ICF, see Internet Connection Firewall.
Network Bridge removes the need for routing and bridging hardware in a home or small office network that consists of multiple LAN segments. With Network Bridge, multiple LAN segments become a single IP subnet, even if the LAN segments are of mixed network media types. Network Bridge automates the configuration and management of the address allocation, routing, and name resolution that is typically required in a network that consists of multiple LAN segments.
When Network Bridge has been enabled on a network connection, the following network connection icon appears in Network Connections: 
.
For more information see Network Bridge.
ICS allows you to provide Internet access for a home or small office network by using one common connection as the Internet gateway. The ICS host is the only computer that is directly attached to the Internet. Multiple ICS clients simultaneously use the common Internet connection and benefit from Internet services as if the clients were directly connected to the Internet service provider (ISP) (for more information, see Dial-up credentials). Security is enhanced when ICS is enabled because only the ICS host computer is visible to the Internet. The addresses of ICS clients are hidden from the Internet rendering ICS clients invisible to the Internet. In addition, ICS simplifies the configuration of small networks by providing local private network services, such as name resolution and addressing.
When ICS has been enabled on a network connection, the following network connection icon appears in Network Connections: 
.
For more information about ICS, see Connecting to the Internet in a home or small office network.
Note