In our first article on networking and Windows XP we discussed using Microsoft’s Network Setup Wizard to automatically set up your networked LAN within the constraints imposed upon you by Microsoft.
The following tips to manually configure Microsoft Windows XP Professional are not applicable to users of Windows XP Home versions as your options within Winodws XP Home are, by design, restricted to Microsoft’s simplified sharing abilities only.
The easiest and quickest way to install a Windows XP Professional computer onto an existing network is to first ensure that each of the networked computers is booted up and already running before you turn on your Windows XP Professional machine for the first time or when upgrading a Windows 9x machine to Windows XP Professional. Doing so will ensure that your Windows XP Professional machine recognizes each existing computer on the network and can see into them for file sharing purposes.
If a networked computer wasn’t up and running, getting your Windows XP machine to browse to it or see into it is quite an endeavor if you don’t want to use the Network Setup Wizard.
To bring that inaccessible Windows 9x computer into the LAN that your Windows XP system can browse and access, go to the Windows 9x computer and click on My Computer>right-click C Drive>Properties>Share tab>Shared as C can be left alone, but change Full Access to Depends on password or vice versa and enter a new password.
Return to your Windows XP Professional computer and you’ll be able to successfully browse to the Windows 9x computer and enter in its new password to share or access its files as needed.
You’re not done yet! Your Windows XP computer may be able to browse the other computers on your network, but they still can’t browse your Windows XP machine yet.
It’s recommended that you select what may be shared on your network from your Windows XP Professional computer by going to Start>All Programs>Accessories>Windows Explorer>select the folders/files or drive(s) you wish to share, right-click Sharing and Security>follow the menu options to share the selected file or folder with other users of your Windows XP Professional computer or with connected users on your network.
Sharing the contents of your Windows XP Professional machine by selecting sharing options from Windows Explorer prevents the accidental sharing of Documents and Settings, Program Files and Windows System Folders and Windows XP Professional user’s files.
If you yearn for total access to the Windows XP Professional machine, open My Computer>right-click C>Sharing and Security>check Share this folder on the network>type in a share name>Apply>OK.
You should yield to caution by de-selecting Allow network users to change my files, but be aware that a networked computer will have complete and unrestricted access to the entire contents of the drive you’ve just shared using this method.
Another networking feature built into Windows XP is the Quality of Service (QoS) Enhancement for home networks.
QoS is put into use if a networked computer connected to a fast 100Mbps Ethernet connection is communicating with another computer over a slow 56Kbps dial-up modem. QoS, in simple terms, manages the recipient’s acceptance of the data to avoid packet loss which could result in data being resent and congesting the connection.
Networking any Windows XP computer with other computers on your network is most simply accomplished by using the automated capabilities of the Network Setup Wizard.
Safety and security are of paramount importance and are enabled without fuss on your part.
If you prefer the control and freedom of data communication and access that you had on your network before the upgrade to Windows XP Professional, manually connect your Windows XP Professional machine to your network without the use of the Network Setup Wizard.
You will need to employ your own firewall and security protection. You can check your computer and network’s security for security leaks in various places around the web. One such place is GRC. Correct any security problems and be sure to re-test to check your results.
Article first appeared at InfiniSource
Sandra Underhill is the Associate Editor of InfiniSource,a site reknowned as a premier Internet Resource Center, offering
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