SECTION 2 - Configuring Network Components

A. Identification

From the Network dialog box select the "Identification" tab.

The computer name will be used to identify the computer on the network. This name will be important later when it is time to map drives and/or share resources on the network.

The workgroup must be the same on all computers within this peer network. If not the computers on this network will not be able to see each other.

Computer description can be anything you wish.

 Fig.1

B. Properties - Client for Microsoft Networks

From the Network dialog box highlight "Client for Microsoft Networks" (at the top of the list), then click the Properties button.

Under "Network logon options", make sure only the "Logon and restore network connection" radio button is selected. The boxes that refer to Windows NT Domains are for networks running NT servers and do not enter into the scope of this example.

 Fig.2

C. Properties - Network Adapter

From the Network dialog box highlight your Ethernet card (second in the list), and then click the Properties button.

Under the "Driver Type" tab choose NDIS or ODI

ODI drivers are for Novel.
NDIS drivers are for Microsoft.

Under the "Bindings" tab make sure that only "NetBEUI" has a checkmark next to it. Uncheck any other boxes that might be listed there.

The next tab of consequence is the "Recourses" tab. Do not rely on Win 9x to detect the IRQ. These settings are important for non Plug and Play network cards that must be configured manually. The setting must match the hardware setting of your network card. Manufacturers provide software utilities that help a user configure the card. Make sure the IO, IRQ and DMA numbers reported by the manufactures setup program match those being reported by the operating system. When changing these settings you must make sure that there are no conflicts with other hardware devices. (Using an IRQ that is being used by another device yields unpredictable results.)

 Fig.3

D. Properties - Network Protocol

From the Network dialog box highlight "NetBEUI" (third in the list), and then click the Properties button.

Under the "Bindings" tab make sure that "Client for Microsoft Networks" and "File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Networks" are checked.

 Fig.4

E. Properties - File Sharing

From the Network dialog box highlight "File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks". (Last in the list), then click the Properties button.

In a peer network using NetBEUI, one machine must be chosen as the "Browse Master" and the others as "LM Announce".

The computer that is selected as the Browse Master acts as a repository for the network addresses of the other computers. The user need not configure the network addresses, as they are derived from the hardware addresses found on the network card.

Computers set as LM Announce, broadcast their presence to the Browse Masters.

 Fig.5

F. Enabling File Sharing

From the Network dialog box click on the 'File and print sharing...' button

Choose whether or not you want to grant access to this computers files and printers

 Fig.6

G. Conclusion

We're done as far as installing and configuring the network components. Make sure the Windows 9x CD is in the drive, in the Network dialog box click OK. After Windows installs the new drivers, reboot the computer. Double click on the Network Neighborhood icon and you should see at least one icon representing the current machine as well as the Entire Network icon. If there are no icons visible it could due to there being no shared recourses configured on the computer. Installing Ethernet cards, protocols and services is not enough. The computers must be told what they are allowed to share with the other computers on the network. Consult the next section, Mapping and Sharing.