Networking Basics

Using the Network Setup Wizard in Windows XP

In this section you will learn how to establish a network at home or work, using Microsoft Windows XP.

Note: Please refer to websites such as http://www.homenethelp.com

and http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000 for information about networking computers using Windows 2000, ME or 98.

Go to Start>Control Panel>Network Connections

Select Set up a home or small office network

When this screen appears, Click Next.

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Networking Basics

Please follow all the instructions in this window:

Click Next

In the following window, select the best description of your computer. If your computer connects to the internet through a gateway/router, select the second option as shown.

Click Next

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Networking Basics

Enter a Computer description and a Computer name (optional.)

Click Next

Enter a Workgroup name. All computers on your network should have the same Workgroup name.

Click Next

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Networking Basics

Please wait while the Network Setup Wizard applies the changes.

When the changes are complete, click Next .

Please wait while the Network Setup Wizard configures the computer.

This may take a few minutes.

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Networking Basics

In the window below, select the option that fits your needs. In this example,

Create a Network Setup Disk has been selected. You will run this disk on each of the computers on your network. Click Next .

Insert a disk into the Floppy Disk Drive, in this case drive A.

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Networking Basics

Please read the information under Here’s how in the screen below. After you complete the Network Setup Wizard you will use the Network Setup Disk to run the Network Setup Wizard once on each of the computers on your network. To continue click Next.

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Networking Basics

Please read the information on this screen, then click Finish to complete the

Network Setup Wizard .

The new settings will take effect when you restart the computer. Click Yes to restart the computer.

You have completed configuring this computer. Next, you will need to run the

Network Setup Disk on all the other computers on your network. After running the Network Setup Disk on all your computers, your new wireless network will be ready to use.

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Networking Basics

Naming your Computer

To name your computer, please follow these directions:In Windows XP :

Click Start (in the lower left corner of the screen)

Right-click on My Computer

Select Properties and click

Select the Computer

Name Tab in the System Properties window.

You may enter a

Computer Description if you wish; this field is optional.

To rename the computer and join a domain, Click

Change .

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Networking Basics

Naming your Computer

I n this window, enter the

Computer name

Select Workgroup and enter the name of the Workgroup

All computers on your network must have the same

Workgroup name.

Click OK

Checking the IP Address in Windows XP

The wireless adapter-equipped computers in your network must be in the same

IP Address range (see Getting Started in this manual for a definition of IP Address Range.) To check on the IP Address of the adapter, please do the following:

Right-click on the

Local Area

Connection icon in the task bar

Click on Status

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Networking Basics

Checking the IP Address in Windows XP

This window will appear.

Click the

Support tab

Click Close

Assigning a Static IP Address in Windows XP/2000

Note: Residential Gateways/Broadband Routers will automatically assign IP

Addresses to the computers on the network, using DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) technology. If you are using a DHCP-capable Gateway/

Router you will not need to assign Static IP Addresses.

If you are not using a DHCP capable Gateway/Router, or you need to assign a

Static IP Address, please follow these instructions:

Go to Start

Double-click on Control

Panel

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Networking Basics

Assigning a Static IP Address in Windows XP/2000

Double-click on Network

Connections

Right-click on Local Area

Connections

Double-click on

Properties

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Networking Basics

Assigning a Static IP Address in Windows XP/2000

Click on Internet

Protocol (TCP/IP)

Click Properties

Input your IP address and subnet mask. (The

IP Addresses on your network must be within the same range. For example, if one computer has an IP Address of

192.168.0.2, the other computers should have IP

Addresses that are sequential, like

192.168.0.3 and

192.168.0.4. The subnet mask must be the same for all the computers on the network.)

Input your DNS server addresses. (Note: If you are entering a DNS server, you must enter the IP Address of the

Default Gateway.)

The DNS server information will be supplied by your ISP (Internet Service Provider.)

Click OK

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Networking Basics

Assigning a Static IP Address with Macintosh OSX

Go to the Apple Menu and select System Preferences c Click on Network

Select Built-in Ethernet in the Show pull-down menu

Select Manually in the

Configure pull-down menu

Input the Static IP Address , the Subnet Mask and the Router IP Address in the appropriate fields

Click Apply Now

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Networking Basics

Selecting a Dynamic IP Address with Macintosh OSX

Go to the Apple Menu and select System Preferences

Click on Network

Select Built-in Ethernet in the Show pull-down menu

Select Using DHCP in the

Configure pull-down menu

Click Apply Now

The IP Address, Subnet mask , and the Router’s IP

Address will appear in a few seconds

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Networking Basics

Checking the Wireless Connection by Pinging in Windows XP and

2000

Go to Start > Run

> type cmd . A window similar to this one will appear. Type ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

, where xxx is the

IP Address of the

Wireless Router or

Access Point. A good wireless connection will show four replies from the Wireless

Router or Acess

Point, as shown.

Checking the Wireless Connection by Pinging in Windows Me and 98

Go to Start >

Run > type command . A window similar to this will appear.

Type ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

where xxx is the

IP Address of the

Wireless Router or Access Point.

A good wireless connection will show four replies from the wireless router or access point, as shown.

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Networking Basics

Adding and Sharing Printers in Windows XP

After you have run the Network Setup Wizard on all the computers in your network (please see the Network Setup Wizard section at the beginning of

Networking Basics ,) you can use the Add Printer Wizard to add or share a printer on your network.

Whether you want to add a local printer (a printer connected directly to one computer,) share an LPR printer (a printer connected to a print server) or share a network printer (a printer connected to your network through a

Gateway/Router,) use the Add Printer Wizard . Please follow the directions below:

First, make sure that you have run the Network Setup Wizard on all of the computers on your network.

On the following pages, we will show you these 3 ways to use the Add Printer

Wizard:

1. Adding a local printer

2. Sharing an network printer

3. Sharing an LPR printer

(Other Networking Tasks)

For help with other tasks, that we have not covered here, in home or small office networking, see Using the Shared Documents folder and Sharing files and folders in the Help and Support Center in Microsoft Windows XP .

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Networking Basics

Adding a local printer (a printer connected directly to a computer)

A printer that is not shared on the network and is connected directly to one computer is called a local printer . If you do not need to share your printer on a network, follow these directions to add the printer to one computer.

Go to

Start>

Printers and

Faxes

Click on Add a printer

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Networking Basics

Adding a local printer

Click Next

Select Local printer attached to this computer

(Deselect Automatically detect and install my Plug and

Play printer if it has been selected.)

Click Next

Select Use the following port:

From the pull-down menu select the correct port for your printer

(Most computers use the LPT1: port, as shown in the illustration.)

Click Next

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Adding a local printer

Select and highlight the correct driver for your printer.

Click Next

(If the correct driver is not displayed, insert the

CD or floppy disk that came with your printer and click Have Disk .)

At this screen, you can change the name of the printer

(optional.)

Click Next

Select Yes , to print a test page. A successful printing will confirm that you have chosen the correct driver.

Click Next

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Adding a local printer

This screen gives you information about your printer.

Click Finish

When the test page has printed,

Click OK

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