You should have now on your desktop the icon
for the "Network Neighborhood":
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Right-click on
"Network Neighborhood" and select
from the context/pop-up menu "Properties" to
display
the Network Configuration
or via the applet
"Network" in the "Control-Panel:
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Depending on your Windows version, different
items will be shown in the Network Configuration:
Windows95:
(to get all entries listed, I copy/pasted all entries
into one
graphic, you would have to scroll to see all of them)
On Windows95, the installation of a
Network
card would also install:
- "Client for Netware Networks"
- IPX/SPX compatible Protocol
- NetBEUI protocol |
Windows98 or ME:
Starting with Windows98, only the
"Client for Microsoft Networks"
and the
TCP/IP protocol will be installed. |
This requires now some clean-up.
If you like to know a little more about the "Why", have
a look at Network
Basics, explaining
the flow of information and the logical connection between the
components.
Note:
There is no need to be concerned about
making mistakes in the Network Configuration: |
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if you made a mistake and
deleted too much
(or you think you make a mistake), just
exit the Network Configuration by selecting
"Cancel": then
none for your changes
made since calling up the Network
Configuration will be stored !
This allows to start again to make
modifications. |
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If you like, you can
start all-over again:
- select the PCI-network card and click
on the button "Remove"
to delete it.
Then exit the Network Configuration
by selecting "OK".
You will be
prompted to reboot, and when you
reboot, Windows will detect again
the network card allowing you
to
start again the configuration.
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A word on the network protocols and its usage on Network
adapters:
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Have
a look at the lines for Protocol:
Sometime protocols are listed multiple times,
with the "arrow ->"
to different adapters:
It shows you, which protocol will be used
with the different network adapters.
(this is called a "Binding")
In the example on the left, I am communicating
both on the dial-up adapter (my modem to
connect to the Internet) and on the local
network with TCP/IP.
In case I decide to communicate only to
the Internet with TCP/IP, but with NetBEUI
on the local network, I simply "Add"
the "Protocol" "NetBEUI" provided by
the
manufacturer "Microsoft"
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When adding a protocol,
Windows assumes
that you like to use it to communicate on
all defined network adapters.
Select now the un-wanted combinations
(in my example: NetBEUI on the
Dialup- adapter
and TCP/IP on the LAN) and
"Remove" them |
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This system is now
configured to communicate
on the Dial-Up Adapter (to the Internet) using
TCP/IP-protocol and on the local network
(using the PCI Ethernet card) using NetBEUI protocol. |
Lets adjust the Network configuration to our
needs:
1) Delete everything, which is NOT
required
2) Configure the
protocols
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There is usually no need to configure
TCP/IP for a Dial-Up Adapter, the default
values work for most connections (unless
otherwise requested by your Internet Provider)
Select the TCP/IP for your PCI-Ethernet card,
and ask for the "Properties":
On the tab: "IP-address"
, by default your
system is configured to "obtain an
IP-address
automatically" (via
a DHCP-server or
Windows98
Auto-IP configuration).
Select to "Specify an IP-address"
and
enter your IP-address (usually:
192.168.1.1 or
192.168.1.2 or 192.168.1.3 or....),
then define as "Subnet Mask" : 255.255.255.0.
For a simple home-network, that is all what is
required (Windows98SE/ME Internet
Connection
Sharing ICS will
require later more work).
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tap: IP-address : "Obtain an IP address
automatically"
 |
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3) Activate File
and Print Sharing
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By default, Windows only
install the network
components to allow your system to connect
to a network to access data/files and printers
on other computers.
But since you purchase a network to
exchange data between multiple systems,
you need now to configure this system to
allow other systems to get to the data on
your disk and to print on your printer:
click on "File and Print Sharing",
select
to give access to your files and to your
printer.
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Note:
even if "File and Print Sharing"
is installed,
no permission has yet been given to access
anything on your system !
You will need in a later step to give permissions
for other systems to access your system
(you will need to "Share"
) |
4) Select your "Primary Network
Logon"
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You will need later to
Logon to the network:
to identify yourself.
Please, select as "Primary Network Logon"
to use the "Client for Microsoft
Networks" |
5) Define
the names for the computer and workgroup
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You have decided already
on the
name
for your computer and for your workgroup.
(you may have been prompted
already
after the first reboot to define these names).
Select in the Network configuration the tab: "Identification"
and enter your
"Computer name"
(MUST be UNIQUE on the network)
and your "Workgroup"
name
(MUST the IDENTICAL on all
systems)
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just to cover the Network applet completely:
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tab : "Access
Control"
Windows 95/98/ME is only offers limited security,
one of the limitations is that you can only use
"Share-level access control"
when later
sharing a disk, folder or printer
("User-level access
control" is only
available , if there is either an NT-system
or Novell Netware server on the network,
from which Windows can borrow a
real User-Database).
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6) Default Protocol
I strongly advise to use on the local network only 1 protocol.
However if you have to use 2 (or even 3) protocols, you need to
tell the system, which
is the default protocol, which needs to be defined on ALL systems
as the Default protocol.
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Select the main protocol
communicating
via the network card, and display the
"Properties".
Select on the "Property"
page of the protocol
the tab: "Advanced"
and then place the
checkmark on
"Set this protocol to be the default
protocol".
You do that ONLY on ONE protocol, and it
must be the same on all systems. |
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Once everything is configured, select "OK" to close the
Network applet.
Any change to the network will require a restart :
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