When you've installed your network hardware according to the manufacturer's instructions, and everything's working properly, you're ready to run the Network Setup Wizard on every computer on the network. Windows 98/Me/2000/NT PCs can coexist peacefully with XP on the same network. If you're using Internet Connection Sharing, run the wizard on the host computer first.Even if your network seems to be operating properly, play by the rules: Run the wizard to set workgroup names and IP addresses, configure file-sharing permissions, turn on or off Windows Firewall, and modify the registry. After the wizard finishes, you can tweak network settings manually.
Setting up a Wireless Network
If you've installed Service Pack 2, you can use the Wireless Network Setup Wizard to set up a wireless network. Install the appropriate hardware on each computer, and run the wizard: Choose Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Wireless Network Setup Wizard; then follow the onscreen instructions.The wizard can save your network settings to a USB flash drive. You simply insert the drive first into the access point and then into each computer or device that you want to add to the network. You still can use the wizard even if you don't have a USB flash drive, but it's more of a hassle.After running the Wireless Network Setup Wizard, you can turn on File and Printer Sharing on your new wireless network by running the Network Setup Wizard on each computer.To run the Network Setup Wizard: 1. Choose Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet Connections > Network Connections; then click Set up a Home or Small Office Network in the task pane at left.or Choose Start > All Programs >Accessories > Communications >Network Setup Wizard.or Choose Start > My Network Places >Network Setup Wizard.The wizard appears.2. Click Next to skip the Welcome page.3. On the Before You Continue page, click Checklist for Creating a Network for a list of the preparatory setup steps (many of which are described earlier in this chapter); then close the checklist window and click Next.4. On the Select a Connection Method page, specify how this computer connects to the internet; then click Next.Choose one of the five following options. (To select one of the latter three options, select Other; then click Next; Figure 17.2 ).
Figure 17.2. Select the option that best describes this computer's internet connection. Click View an Example for a pop-up illustration of a particular configuration.
If you're using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), and this computer is the host PC, select This Computer Connects Directly to the Internet; The Other Computers on My Network Connect to the Internet Through This Computer.or If you have a router (residential gateway), and you're not using ICS, select This Computer Connects to the Internet Through a Residential Gateway or Through Another Computer on My Network.(If you're using ICS, and this computer is a client PC, you shouldn't see this page; you should see Figure 17.6, described later.)or If each PC connects to the internet directly and independently, with no connection sharing, select This Computer Connects to The Internet Directly or Through a Network Hub; Other Computers on My Network Also Connect to the Internet Directly or Through a Hub.or If you have only one computer , select This Computer Connects Directly to the Internet; I Do Not Have a Network Yet.or If you have no internet connection , select This Computer Belongs to a Network That Does Not Have an Internet Connection.5. On the Select Your Internet Connection page, if this computer has more than one internet connection, select the one that you want to use, and click Next (Figure 17.3, top ); otherwise, skip to the next step.
Figure 17.3. Top: Chapter 12 describes how these connections appeared on this list. Middle: Windows remembers the name given this computer during Windows Setup. Bottom: If you change the default workgroup name on one PC, you must change it on
all network PCs. Don't just click Next to blow through this page when you run the wizard on the other PCs.
6. On the Give This Computer a Description and Name page, edit this computer's description and name, if necessary; then click Next (Figure 17.3, middle ).The name must be unique on the network, can be up to 15 characters long with no spaces or punctuation (except hyphens and apostrophes), and can't be the same as any user-account name.7. On the Name Your Network page, if you don't want to use the default workgroup (network) name, MSHOME, change it here; then click Next (Figure 17.3, bottom ).Every PC on the network must have the same workgroup name.8. On the File and Printer Sharing page, choose whether your Shared Documents folder and shared printer (if any) will be available to everyone on the network.9. On the Ready to Apply Network Settings page, review your settings; then click Next (Figure 17.4 ).
Figure 17.4. If you're unsatisfied with your settings, click Back to change them.
The wizard displays an animation while it configures this computer.10. On the You're Almost Done page (Figure 17.5 ), choose one of the following options, depending on the OS of the next network PC that you're going to run the wizard on.
Figure 17.5. Your choice here depends on the Windows version that other network PCs are running.
If the next PC is running XP, select Just Finish the Wizard; I Don't Need to Run the Wizard on Other Computers. After that, click Next; then click Finish.or If the next PC is running an earlier Windows version, select Create a Network Setup Disk; click Next; and follow the onscreen instructions.You'll need a blank, formatted floppy disk for the wizard to transfer a copy of itself to.11. After running the wizard on the first PC, repeat the process on the other network PCs.If a PC is running XP, start with step 1.or If a PC has an earlier Windows version, insert the network setup disk that you created in the preceding step into the floppy drive; choose Start > My Computer; double-click 3 1/2 Floppy (A:); then double-click netsetup.exe to start the wizard.In either case, the preceding steps are the same, except that Figure 17.6 appears instead of Figure 17.2 if you're using Internet Connection Sharing. (Also, don't create another network setup disk in step 10.)After you restart the computer as instructed, the PC becomes part of the network.
Figure 17.6. ICS users see this page when connecting to a network as a
client PC. Select the first option for a simplified trip through the wizard.
Figure 17.7. There's not much to see at first. The top icon shows this network's router. The other icons show the shared folders on this network's two computers. (This window starts out in Details view; Tiles view appears here.)
If you're unable to see icons for other computers in My Network Places (or in Network Neighborhood), make sure that your hub or router is plugged in and turned on; also make sure that all network adapters are firmly seated and cables are firmly connected to their jacks and ports. Also, use Device Manager to make sure that each network adapter is working properly; see "Managing Device Drivers" in Chapter 8.To change the computer name or description quickly, choose Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System > Computer Name tab (Figure 17.8 ). Don't rename your computer (or workgroup) when you're disconnected from the network; if you do, duplicate names might appear.
Figure 17.8. Click Change to change the computer name without slogging through the Network Setup Wizard.
If one of the network PCs has Windows Me, don't run that OS's Home Networking Wizard. Use the XP network setup disk to join the network.If you search Help and Support Center for net services commands, you'll find some useful network commands to use at the Command Prompt. Type net view at a command prompt for a list of computers on your network, for example. ping, tracert, ipconfig, and netstat also are handy.
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