Internet Connection Sharing Disconnects After Five Minutes (263698)

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256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

After you establish a connection to the Internet using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), your connection may be terminated after five minutes.

CAUSE

This issue occurs because of the default value set in the registry for HangUpTimer in the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\ICSharing\Settings\General

This value is set to a 300 Second (five minute) default, after which time, if the ICS host detects no network activity, it terminates the Internet connection.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To resolve this issue, modify the the HangUpTimer key present in the following location

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\ICSharing\Settings\General

to reflect the time in seconds at which point you would like the ICS-initiated connection to be terminated.

MORE INFORMATION

This timer does not affect a dial-up connection that is established directly from the ICS host computer, only connections that are established by client computers that are using ICS as their gateway to the Internet.

The ICS-established connection uses this timer instead of the one present in the Dial-Up Networking settings. This is by design.