Windows Vista: The Complete Reference (Complete Reference Series)

Installing and Configuring Network Components

Running the Network Setup Wizard is usually all you need to do to set up a TCP/IP-based peer-to-peer network or attach your PC to an existing LAN. However, if you are connecting to a NetBEUI- or IPX/SPX-based network, or if your network connection isn't working properly, you may need to install, configure, or uninstall network components yourself.

For each networking connection listed in the Network Connections window, you can see its properties by right-clicking the connection and choosing Properties from the menu that appears.

The Local Area Connection Properties dialog box lists the NIC that connects your computer to the LAN. It also lists the clients, protocols, and services used for this network connection. The NIC appears at the top, in the Connect Using box. The clients , protocols, and services are listed in the This Connection Uses The Following Items box, with icons that identify the different types of components.

For a standard TCP/IP LAN, these four components should be installed (they should appear in your Local Area Connection Properties dialog box) and enabled (each check box contains a check mark):

• Client For Microsoft Networks Client that enables the computer to communicate with other Windows computers.

• File And Printer Sharing For Microsoft Networks Service that shares files and printers. This service should be enabled only on a LAN connection, not on an Internet connection. The Internet Connection Firewall blocks this service.

• QoS Packet Scheduler Service that determines the precedence of information packets on the LAN based on quality of service (QoS) standards.

• Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Protocol used on the Internet and many LANs.

If your LAN connection has these four components and your LAN uses TCP/IP, you probably don't need to install any other network components. Skip ahead to the section "Checking Your Network Connection" later in this chapter.

Installing a Client

The next step is to install the client component, which identifies the type of network on which your computer will be located. When you configure your network connection (or when Windows finds your Plug and Play NIC), Windows also installs the Client for Microsoft Networks. If a client is installed, it appears in the This Connection Uses The Following Items dialog box in the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box.

Because you are installing a peer-to-peer Windows network, the Client for Microsoft Networks is the one you need. If you mistakenly deleted your Client for Microsoft Networks, follow these steps:

1. Display the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box (by clicking Start, right-clicking My Network Places, choosing Properties, right-clicking Local Area Connection, and choosing Properties). Click the General tab (if it's not already selected).

2. Click the Install button. You see the Select Network Component Type dialog box.

3. Select Client as the type of network component you want to install and click the Add button. You see the Select Network Client dialog box.

4. Choose the network client. If you have a floppy disk or CD with software for another type of client, insert it now and click Have Disk.

5. Click OK. You return to the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, with the client you just defined listed. You may be prompted to insert the Windows Vista DVD.

6. Click OK to save your changes.

Installing a Protocol

When you install Windows, it automatically installs the TCP/IP protocol, in case you want to use TCP/IP for Internet communication. We recommend that you use TCP/IP if you are setting up a new network, since it's the standard. Windows Vista also comes with support for NetBEUI (Microsoft's older protocol) and NetWare's IPX/SPX protocol.

Copying NetBEUI Files

Before you can install the NetBEUI protocol, you need to follow these steps to copy the files from the Windows Vista DVD:

1. Put the Windows Vista DVD in the drive. Choose Perform Additional Tasks from the menu that appears, and then Browse This DVD.

2. In the Explorer window that appears, locate the Valueadd\msft\net\netbeui folder on the DVD.

3. Copy the Nbf.sys file into the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers folder ( assuming that Windows is installed in C:\Windows).

4. Copy Netnbf.inf into the C:\Windows\Inf folder.

After copying the files, you can install NetBEUI, as described in the next section.

Installing NetBEUI or IPX/SPX

Installing a protocol is similar to installing other network components. Follow these steps to install NetBEUI or IPX/SPX:

1. Display the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box (by clicking Start, right-clicking My Network Places, choosing Properties, right-clicking Local Area Connection, and choosing Properties). Click the General tab (if it's not already selected).

2. Click the Install button to display the Select Network Component Type dialog box.

3. Select Protocol and click the Add button. You see the Select Network Protocol dialog box.

4. Select the protocol and click OK. (For IPX/SPX, select NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Compatible Transport Protocol.)

5. You return to the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, with the protocol you just defined listed and enabled for this local area connection. You may be prompted to insert the Windows Vista DVD.

6. Click Close to save your changes.

Setting the Order of Your Protocols

When you install a protocol, Windows "binds" the new protocol to all the clients and services you have available-usually File And Printer Sharing For Microsoft Networks and Client For Microsoft Networks. A binding tells Windows to use a specific protocol with a specific client or service.

You might not want to use all of your installed protocols to work with all your installed clients and services. You can control which protocols work with which clients and services, and which protocol Windows should try first, by opening the Network Connections window (choose Start Network, click Manage Network Connections, and choose a Network Connection) and choosing Advanced Advanced Settings from the menu bar. Click the Local Area Connection in the Connections box (if it's not already selected). The lower part of the Adapters And Bindings tab shows your client and services for that connection, with your installed protocols listed under each client or service.

You can switch the order of the protocols, so that the one you plan to use most often appears first. Click the protocol and click the up- or down-pointing arrow button to move it. If you don't plan to use a protocol with a particular service, deselect the check box by the protocol.

Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol

On a TCP/IP-based LAN, you need to assign an IP address to your computer's NIC, using static addressing or DHCP (see "IP Addressing" earlier in this chapter). For a laptop, you can also use an alternate configuration, for when the computer isn't connected to its regular network. Follow these steps:

1. Display the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box (by clicking Start, right-clicking My Network Places, choosing Properties, right-clicking Local Area Connection, and choosing Properties). Click the General tab (if it's not already selected).

2. On the list of network components that the connection uses, select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

3. Click Properties. You see the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box.

4. To assign a static IP address, click Use The Following IP Address. In the IP Address box, type the IP address you've chosen . Windows supplies the dots that separate the four parts of the address.

5. In the Subnet Mask box, type 255.255.255.0 .

6. To use DHCP or APIPA (systems that assign an IP address to your computer when Windows starts up), select Obtain An IP Address Automatically. If your LAN has a DHCP server, Windows will get IP addresses from the server each time you start Windows. If not, Windows will assign itself an address.

7. If you have a laptop that connects to a LAN in a different way when you are not at your desk, click the Alternate Configuration tab. Your IP addressing choices are Automatic Private IP Address (APIPA) or User Configured (a static address).

8. Click OK in each dialog box.

On rare occasions, the TCP/IP protocol installation may get damaged. You can reset TCP/IP by following these steps:

1. Open a Command Prompt window by choosing Start All Programs Accessories Command Prompt (or Start Run, type cmd , and press ENTER).

2. Type the following command and then press ENTER:

   netsh int ip reset ipreset.log

3. If you want to read the contents of the log file created by the command, you can type the command type ipreset.log and press ENTER.

4. Type exit and press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.

Installing a Service

A service is the last network component you install. It also is the only optional component. Your network can work fine without a service, but no one on the network will be able to share resources, such as hard disks, DVD drives , files, or printers. If you don't want to share resources, don't install any services.

On a peer-to-peer network of Windows computers, you need the File And Printer Sharing For Microsoft Networks service. The Network Setup Wizard installs this service automatically. If you need to install it (or another service) yourself, follow these steps:

1. Display the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box (by choosing Start Network Manage Network Connections). Choose Properties.

2. Click the Install button to display the Select Network Component Type dialog box.

3. Select Service and click the Add button. You see the Select Network Service dialog box.

4. Select the service you want and click OK.

5. You return to the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, with the protocol you just defined listed. You may be prompted to insert the Windows Vista DVD.

6. Click Close to save your changes.

Changing the Computer Name , Workgroup, or Domain

To see or change your computer's name and which workgroup or domain it is in, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and choose Properties from the menu that appears. You see the System Properties dialog box.

2. Click the Computer Name tab.

3. Type a description of the computer in the Computer Description box. This description appears in the My Network Places window.

4. To change the computer name or workgroup, click the Change button to display the Computer Name Changes dialog box.

5. In the Computer Name box, type a unique name for the computer.

6. In the Workgroup box, type the workgroup name. Use the same workgroup name used for the other computers in the LAN.

7. Click OK. You may see a message telling you to restart Windows for your changes to take effect.