Disconnect/Connect the Internet and Keep your LAN and File Sharing a Live

EZLAN.NET

Hardware and Software Specifications, Examples, Links, and other info. are valid at the publishing time. In case it become invalid use the Internet Search.

1st Published, Dec. 2004

Over 6,500,000 Hits Site Wide in 2006

An easy way to Disconnect/Connect the Internet and Keep your LAN and File Sharing a Live.

While many of us like the idea of having constant connection to the Internet, there might be times that for variety of reason (security might be the major one) it is advisable to disconnect the connection to the Internet.

The most common way to disconnect the Internet is to release the TCP/IP stack using the ipconfig command (ipconfig /release_all).*

If you have only one computer you do not need to do any thing else, using the above command will release the Internet connection. When you would like to connect back use the command (ipconfig /renew_all).**

However if you have a Network you might have a problem since in most cases TCP/IP is used as the protocol to Share File and Printers and once you release it you disconnect your LAN as well.

In such a case you can install NetBEUI on all Network computers and bind it as an additional protocol for File/Printer Sharing. NetBEUI works only locally and can not go to the Internet.

Releasing the TCP/IP stack would disconnect the Internet, but the LAN will keep working using the NetBEUI protocol.

Instruction to install and bind NetBEUI here: Set NetBEUI as Sharing Protocol in WinXP.

Once NetBEUI is installed create on all Networked computers two small Batch files.***

This one IpRel.bat will instantly disconnect the computer from the Internet.

The BAT file should contain one line: ipconfig /release_all

This one IpRenew.bat will instantly connect back the Internet.

The BAT file that would contain the line: ipconfig /renew_all

Drag two short cuts from the files to a place of your choice.

Now you can disengage and engage the Internet by simple Double clicking.

The release Batch file will disengage the TCP/IP and thus block the Internet, double clicking on the renew will get the Internet ON.

While TCP/IP is released your Local File Sharing will be Done through NetBEUI.

Note* and **. If you are Not familiar with the ipconfig command log to WinXP native Help ant type ipconfig into the search bar (similar commend is available on other flavors of Windows OS' as well).

Note***. To create a BAT file, use Windows Notepad (or any other pure text editor).

Type the line ipconfig /release_all and save the file as text file named IpRel.bat

Open a new file, type the line ipconfig /renew_all and save the file as text file named IpRenew.bat

Make links from the bat file your Desktop or any other desirable location.