Unit 2.9: Networking the operating system

Peer-to-Peer networking

awaiting!!!

Configuring networking information
The Control Panel Network utility is your primary utility for managing networking under Windows 9x.

 
Windows 98 Control Panel & Network Utility

The Identification tab allows you to view or modify the computer's name, workgroup membership and a text description of the computer.

The computer name entered here is a NetBIOS name and can contain up to 15 characters.

The computer name is used when accessing a resource
by its universal naming convention (UNC) name.

The general syntax for a UNC name is:

The Access Control tab determines how security is managed for resources shared by this system. You can select to use Share-level access control or User-level access control.

Adding Network Components

Microsoft Client Properties
Windows 9x can be configured as part of a workgroup or a domain. The default is workgroup peer.

Workgroup and domain membership is managed through the Client for Microsoft Networks page.

The default client configuration is displayed. To configure the system as a Windows NT domain member or part of an Active Directory domain, check "Log on to Windows NT domain" and enter the NT domain or Active Directory domain name. A prompt will display requesting the name and password of an Administrator or other authorized user.

If the Quick logon option is selected, the system will not attempt to connect to network resources until the user attempts to access the resources.

Network Adapter Configuration
Network adapter properties are modified through the properties pages which are more or less network adapter specific.

Multiple network adapters can be installed on a system. In addition, you can configure a system's modem as a dial-up networking adapter.

The binding settings are configured by adapter. For example, you could have NetBEUI and TCP/IP supported on a network adapter board, but support TCP/IP only for dial-up communication.

The Advanced tab lets you configure adapter-specific features. In most cases, you will not need to modify the Advanced properties.

Protocol Properties

NetBEUI, NWLink (IPX/SPX-compatible) and TCP/IP, these are the three protocols that are most likely to be required to manage.

Protocol property settings are protocol- and network adapter-specific. For example, if you have three network adapters configured on a system and install the NetBEUI and TCP/IP protocols, the Network utility's Configuration tab will contain six protocol listings, one protocol instance for each adapter.

NetBEUI properties
The NetBEUI protocol is not installed during a Windows 9x new (clean) installation, but may be added afterward. NetBEUI will be installed when upgrading a system that already supports NetBEUI.
The NetBEUI Bindings properties page determines which network clients the NetBEUI protocol will support.

NWLink (IPX/SPX-compatible) properties
On Windows 9x systems, the NWLink protocol is referred to as the IPX/SPX-compatible protocol.

The IPX/SPX-compatible protocol Bindings and Advanced properties pages are used in the same way as the NetBEUI properties pages, though you will see a different list of Advanced properties available.

the NetBIOS properties page allows you to select whether or not to support NetBIOS applications over NWLink.

TCP/IP properties
The Bindings, Advanced and NetBIOS properties pages are not unique to TCP/IP, however several properties pages are.

The IP Address properties page lets you enter IP address and subnet mask information for the system. Select "Obtain an IP address automatically" if you want the system to receive its IP address and subnet mask from a DHCP server at startup. Windows 98 and Windows 2000 also support automatic private IP address assignment. Automatic address assignment will cause a private IP address (an address that cannot be used on the Internet) if no DHCP server is present.

By default, WINS name resolution (resolving NetBIOS names to IP addresses) is disabled. If WINS support is enabled, you must enter the IP address of at least one WINS server.

The term gateway refers to a router in a TCP/IP network. You must enter gateway information when configuring a system that is part of a routed network made up of multiple subnetworks. This information is entered through the Gateway properties page.

To configure a gateway (router), enter its IP address and click Add. You can specify multiple gateways.

DNS name resolution is also disabled by default
If you enable DNS support, you must enter DNS host and domain name information, which is used to identify the computer to the network. You will also have to identify one or more DNS servers.

DNS properties are set through the DNS Configuration properties page. If you are managing IP addresses through DHCP, you can also have the DHCP server assign the DNS server IP address to DNS clients.

The Windows IP Configuration (Winipcfg) utility displays IP address information, and allows you to release and renew automatically-assigned addresses.

Resource Sharing

File and print sharing is controlled through the Network Utility Control Panel.

File sharing
You can share folders through Windows Explorer.

By default, folders are not shared. You must select "Shared As" to share the folder to the network.

The folder will be shared using the folder name by default,
but you can overwrite the share name.

The Access Types for share-level access are:

• Read-only
• Full
• Depends on Password

Shared resources are listed under Network Neighborhood in Windows Explorer.

You can access shared resources in three ways:

• Directly through Windows Explorer
• Map a Network Drive to a Resource
• Double-click Network Neighborhood on the Desktop

Printer sharing

To share a local printer to the network, open the printers folder, right-click the printer and run Sharing.

By default, the printer is not shared. Select "Shared As" to share the printer to the network. You will then be prompted to provide a share name. You can accept the default name. You have the options to enter a comment to describe the printer and to protect access to the printer with a password.

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