Setting a PC as a DHCP-enabled router

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From the wireless router downstairs. That's the only wireless access point in the house, and only this PC has wireless abilities. That internet connection needs to be shared from this PC to the switch connected to it - the wireless connection and LAN connection bridged. Then, any computer that connects to the switch needs to be able to connect to the shared internet connection instantly. Before, I would have to configure the IP manually - I'm looking for this to be automated.

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Ok so um where does this wireless router thing come into place then? Anyways if you are trying to assign ip addresses from your computer you can try running the internet connection sharing wizard in XP. That should assign ip's the the rest of the computers through the switch and route them through your usb modem or whatever it is you are using for internet.

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If all you're looking to do is provide internet-access to the other computers connected to the 24-port switch, you can enable the use of Windows Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). Featureset is kind of limited though, in all honesty.

Getting a DD-WRT-compatible router and reconfiguring it as a wireless bridge might be a better way to go.

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Why go through downloading new software. ICS will do exactly what he is looking to do. ICS will turn your main computer into a DHCP Host, and assign IP addresses to anything connected to the switch. As ComGards said, you have no control over the IP assignment, but you're talking about wired devices.

I wouldn't recommend using ICS for wireless connections due to security issues, and the lack of control that a wireless router/AP provides.

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Your thinking is somewhat correct, but the OP has two NIC's. His Wireless connection will be assigned an IP address that will be used for the internet connection, by the wireless router downstairs. ICS will request 192.168.0.1 from the router. You can also reserve this address in the router as a static IP address using the MAC address of the wireless card.

ICS will assign the DHCP Host the address of 192.168.0.1 automatically when ICS is enabled. This is what the client computers connected to the switch will see as their DHCP server. His computer will in turn assign the client computers an address in the 192.168.0.xxx range.

ICS is an easy way to get other devices networked when you are dealing with small home networks. With large networks, the problem comes from redundant IP addresses that can be caused by static IP adresses on the LAN. Also make sure the Wireless Router does not have this address. Many do, but it can be changed in the router setup.

In this limited setup, the wireless router will only see the Main computer, and any requests or traffic from clients connected to the switch will appear to have come from the main computer. The computer will then in turn route the traffic appropriately.

OP, remember with a potential of 24 connections, that if you connect too many clients to the switch that attempt to access the internet... Your internet connection may/and probably will come to a screeching halt.

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Pretty much what I'm going for - I don't have the time to try things out today but tomorrow I'll try to get it all set up and ready. Sorry for all the vagueness. And I'm only using 3 clients at most - this switch was just something I grabbed from my old workplace. I WISH I had 24 clients to use with it, rofl.