If you’re setting up the network for the first time or just need to repair the network you have, use the Network Setup Wizard. After your network is set up physically, you can use the Network Setup Wizard to configure it virtually. There are alternate ways to set up the network, but this is by far the fastest and easiest. For the best network performance possible, you should follow the setup directions to the letter.
If you already have a network set up but are having problems with it, running the wizard again may also solve these problems. The Network Setup Wizard locates your shared Internet connection, enables the Internet Connection Firewall, enables and configures a network bridge if the Windows XP computer has more than one NIC, and gives you the opportunity to name (or resolve naming problems for) each computer on the network. (A network will fail if more than one computer has the same name.) Once the network is set up (or connected), you can then share files and folders, share media, play games on the network, and surf the Web simultaneously on all computers in the house.
The Network Setup Wizard can be run on computers installed with Windows 98, Windows 98SE, Windows Me, and Windows XP Home or Professional. It cannot be run on Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 Server editions. There is information in the help files to add the latter.
Before starting the Network Setup Wizard, verify that you’ve chosen a computer to act as the host and supply the shared Internet connection. The host should be the one connected to the Internet and thus should be a single computer, as detailed in the previous section. Then, do the following:
- Verify that all hardware is installed on each computer and that it is working properly.
- Turn on all computers, printers, scanners, etc.
- At the host computer, connect to the Internet.
With that done, work your way through the wizard. At the host computer:
- Choose Start | All Programs | Accessories | Communications | Network Setup Wizard. Click Next to begin.
- Read the Before You Continue page, and click Next.
- Since you’re configuring the host computer, on the Select A Connection Method page, select This Computer Connects Directly To The Internet. The Other Computers On My Network Connect To The Internet Through This Computer. Click Next.
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On the Select Your Internet Connection page, choose the connection that you use to access the Internet. It may be chosen already. In this figure, there are three: an Internet connection that uses a modem, a 1394 FireWire connection for a digital video (DV) camera, and a local area connection using a NIC. Click Next.
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If your host computer has multiple connections, you can either let the wizard decide what’s best for you, or configure the settings yourself. It’s wisest to choose Let Me Choose The Connections To My Network. If you’re wary of doing it yourself, though, choose Determine The Appropriate Connections For Me (Recommended) and skip to Step 7.
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On the Select The Connections To Bridge page, select the local area connection that connects your host computer to the others on your network. Uncheck the others, the FireWire connection s unchecked because it is not the connection for the LAN; the NIC s. Click Next.
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On the next wizard page, type a computer description if desired, and a omputer name. The computer’s name must be distinct on the network. Click Next.
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On the Name Your Network page, select a workgroup name. By default, that name is MSHOME. If you’re repairing a network and don’t know the current workgroup name, click Start, right-click My Computer, choose Properties, and then click the Computer Name tab. The workgroup name will be there. Click Next.
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Click Next to begin the process of applying your network settings.
Once that’s complete, the next step is to get the appropriate network setup files on the other computers in your network. In my opinion, the easiest and most reliable choice is to create a floppy disk and carry it from computer to computer. You can also use the Windows XP CD, but sometimes that’s not available, especially with computers purchased from retail computer chains, where computers come with “restore disks” instead of the actual Windows XP CD. So, when prompted with the screen, select Create A Network Setup Disk. (If your newer computers don’t have floppy drives, you’ll have to use the Windows XP CD, or choose Create A Network Setup Disk, save the files to your hard drive, burn them onto a CD-R, and use that for the setup disk.)
Depending on the choice you make on the page, the wizard continues in one of various directions. If you’ve chosen to create a floppy disk, you’ll need to choose the drive, format the disk, and make the copy. If you’ve chosen to use the Windows XP CD, there isn’t much left to do but prepare the other computers.
For the other computers on the network:
- Insert the network setup disk into the floppy drive.
- Click Start | My Computer, and select the disk.
- Double-click netsetup.
- If you’re using a CD, input the CD, select Perform Additional Tasks and then Set Up A Home Or Small Office Network.
- You’ll work your way through the wizard the exact same way as before, except in the dialog box that asks you to define your connection, choose This Computer Connects To The Internet Through Another Computer On My Network Or Through A Residential Gateway.
After all computers have been configured, at each computer, open My Network Places. In the Network Tasks pane, select View Workgroup Computers. Each computer should appear within 15 minutes. If a specific computer does not appear, verify that the connections are secure, and run the Network Setup Wizard again on it. Figure 8-8 shows a successful and functional network setup.