Windows XP for Home Users, Service Pack 2 Edition

After you've physically connected your computers, Windows XP's Network Setup Wizard guides you through setting up your home network. After the wizard is run, you can share resources such as files, printers, and an Internet connection with all the computers on your network.

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Many wireless routers come with their own instal lation software. You should run this software before or, in some cases, instead of running Windows' Network Setup Wizard.

The Network Setup Wizard must be run on each computer on your network. You start by running the wizard on your host computer.

Follow these steps:

1.

Open the Control Panel and click Network Connections.

2.

Click Set Up a Home or Small Office Network.

3.

When the Network Setup Wizard opens, click the Next button to move through the introductory screens.

4.

When you come to the Select a Connection Method screen (shown in Figure 20.1), select This Computer Connects to the Internet Through a Residential Gateway or Through Another Computer on My Network, then click Next.

Figure 20.1. Selecting an Internet connection method for your network.

5.

When the next screen appears (shown in Figure 20.2), enter a description for this PC (make and model is good), along with a unique name (such as "Main Computer"), then click Next.

Figure 20.2. Describing your computer for the network.

6.

When the next screen appears, enter a name for your network, then click Next.

7.

On the next screen, check Turn On File and Printer Sharing, then click Next.

8.

Continue clicking Next to finish the wizard.

After you've run the Network Setup Wizard on your host PC, you have to run it on all the other PCs on your network. If a computer is running Windows XP, you can run the wizard as previously described. If a computer is running Windows 98, Windows Me, or Windows 2000, you need to run the wizard from the Windows XP installation CD. (Insert the CD and then, after the main screen appears, select Use Windows Support Tools, and then select Tools, Network Setup Wizard.)

After all your computers are configured, your network is now fully functional. You can now share files between PCs, play multiple-player games (on two PCs), send documents to your printer, and connect to the Internet from any PC on your network.

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