Hey Scott,
That's a pretty strong statement to make based on "well that's what I heard". I've had no personal experience with Sygate and they may very well offer a good product but to suggest one avoids Microsoft Networking whenever possible is in my opinion misleading if not ridiculous. Firewall technologies, VPN solutions, NAT solutions and IPSec tunnels are not a replacement for Microsoft Networking per se. There are third party solutions for these and other areas of Networking that may or may not have advantages over solutions included with Microsoft products. They may certainly be worth exploring. In many cases, however, these third party products do nothing different than that which is already available with the Microsoft product one has presently installed. The interface may look different and the product may be found to be more easily configured which may be worth the additional expense...I emphasize "may be"!
As a case in point lets use this original post's question on ICS. Sygate uses NAT to create the ability to share an Internet connection...Microsoft's ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) uses NAT to facilitate the sharing of an Internet connection. In my opinion the configuration of ICS using W2K is quite simple and the results are appropriately effective. As Sterling said, the W2K help instructions should be all that is required to guide one through the process. To purchase a third party product to accomplish the same result seems a waste of dollars.
The downside in W2K ICS or other PC ran NAT solutions is that the PC holding the shared Internet connection must be powered on for the other PCs to gain access. When one is using a cable modem, for example, this may not be the ideal solution. Something better may very well be to purchase a router that offers the NAT protocol and DHCP as part of its operational capabilities. (This won't help with a dialup connection using a modem.)With a router and cable modem one can have Internet access from multiple PCs without being dependant on any particular PC's operational or power on status.
I think often times advice is given based more on what one doesn't know how to do than what is necessarily the best all-a-round solution. There is great third party software that one can integrate with a Microsoft OS...there is also some very effective solutions built in to many Microsoft products...especially W2K and XP. In my opinion, try what you already have in front of you, if you find it unsatisfactory, then search for a different solution.
This is my opinion and I do not consider myself a "networking" expert by any means. I have used W2K ICS and RRAS NAT with no problems...I know others who have had similar good results. I do not bow to any Microsoft God. I will, however, say that Microsoft has provided an excellent OS in W2K, XP...WIN98 SE was also an excellent home use OS...in addition they have provided as part of those operating systems some very workable and effective networking tools.
-MW
