For optimal system security, get a hardware router with a built-in firewall and use the tools and links you will find here. You don't have to be using ICS to enjoy the benefits gained by TreeWalk and the other software explored on this site. You may, however, require a basic understanding of your system's configuration to implement any of the other programs (for TreeWalk you don't need to do anything but install it).
Domain Name System and Internet Connection Sharing. TreeWalk DNS, née BIND-PE, is a complete local DNS server for Microsoft Windows NT, 2000, XP, 2003 and NET® workstations, which caches the fastest domain name paths to RAM for consistently superior browsing of the Web. Are you tired of a slow connection with your ISP? Would you like to cut right through those annoying delays? TreeWalk helps to do this for you, and this site explains how with both a "Text Version" and an illustrated "How To" section.
As well as turbo-charging any browser to perform at lightning quick speeds, TreeWalk can take you to domains that you've never reached before and automatically configures your DNS for you. It also integrates flawlessly with Internet Connection Sharing, and can be used to provide host name resolutions from a single computer on a network, or can be installed on each individual machine. This cool application even fits on a floppy disk!
Block Adservers with TreeWalk! A compressed file (adblocker.zip) that contains examples and instructions on how to block ads and how to update these filters with a list from Yoyo.org, available at the bottom of the TreeWalk DNS Facts page. Or, check out TreeWalk's sister site, ConFetch.com for the "TreeWalk DNS Blacklist Filter Aggregator And Converter" plug-ins.
'With the Internet Connection Sharing feature of Network and Dial-up Connections, you can use Windows 2000 to connect your home network or small office network to the Internet' - quoted from this page of Microsoft's ICS for Windows 2000 pages. For more DNS info:
Visit the ShieldsUp!™ page at the Gibson Research Corporation's site to scan your system. Scroll half-way down the page and you should find "ShieldsUp!" access under "Hot Spots". Be sure to grab a copy of Steve's Domain
Name System Research Utility (DNSRU) from this site while you can.
For 'Sniffing the glue that holds the Internet together' and in-depth packet analysis, you can get an excellent packet sniffer from Ethereal, which also assisted to optimize this site for the Opera, Firefox, Mozilla and Internet Explorer browsers. For more valuable sources of information, visit the List of Lists site and Milly's pages.
If you prefer to run a proxy with TreeWalk, get Pyrenean's DNSKong or see ObiWan's links. For insight into Internet Protocol Security for the Windows 2000 Operating System, visit Windows 2000 Firewalling.
TreeWalk, CHX-I Packet Filter, DNSKong and most software suggested through-out this site are free for personal use. Please register with their authors if you are using them in a commercial environment!
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