| Chapter 8. Building Windows 98 Networks | |||||||||||||||
| Chapter 8. Adding Non-Win98 Workstations | |||||||||||||||
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Windows 98 is an excellent networking platform that (except for the occasional device driver) provides all of the software you need to build your own peer-to-peer network. However, there are a number of reasons why you might be compelled to use another operating system on some or all of your network workstations. This chapter will examine the subject of mixing operating systems on the same network, including the reasons why you would want to do this, the reasons why you should avoid this practice, and the procedures for installing and using the following operating systems on a Microsoft network:
Why Should I Run Other OSes? It is possible to connect computers running different operating systems to a Windows 98 network. The following sections examine some of the reasons why you would want to do this. Proprietary Applications You must run an application that is designed to run on another operating system. This is a very common problem with professional offices and other types of small businesses that use proprietary software packages for appointment scheduling, bookkeeping, forms generation, and other specialized tasks for a particular type of business. These applications often run under DOS and may have been in use for many years. Because the software is intended for a niche market, it may be relatively immune from the market-driven itch to release frequent upgrades, and the application may also be quite expensive when compared to more commercial software products. There are several compelling reasons why you might want to stick with your current application, rather than switch to another product. Chief among these is the fact that the application might use a proprietary database that is not compatible with other manufacturers' products. For many businesses, legacy applications manage critical data that cannot be lost or even temporarily offline. Another reason is that the people who use the program have become accustomed to its idiosyncrasies and may have a difficult time learning to use a new product with equal efficiency. In many cases, however, the businesses that use these applications are exactly the types of businesses that can benefit from a simple network. The first thing to do in a case like this is to contact the manufacturer of the application and ask whether a Windows 98 (or 95) version of the program exists. If the answer is no, then ask whether the current program can run in Windows 98. Any professional software company will have considered this question by now and should be able to tell you whether the application is stable in a Win98 DOS window. If no information is available, you can test the program on Windows 98 yourself, as long as you're careful to back up your data first. Many DOS and 16-bit Windows (that is, Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups) programs can run successfully in Windows 98. As an example, consider that there are a great many law firms that still rely heavily on WordPerfect 5.1, both because it is a superior word processor and because there are specialized macro/template products designed for specific legal tasks. Despite this reliance on an application they've been using for nearly ten years, many of these firms use up-to-date computers and modern operating systems like Windows 98, because WordPerfect runs very well in a DOS window. If your application cannot run reliably on a Windows 98 system, then it is certainly possible to continue to use DOS or 16-bit Windows (Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups) on a network with other machines running Windows 98 or other operating systems. Upgrade Expenses If you have been running DOS or an older version of Windows for a long time, then you may find that the expense of upgrading to Windows 98 involves not only the cost of the operating system software itself, but the hardware required to make it run reliably. However, despite what the manufacturers of microprocessors and computers might say, it is usually not necessary to buy a new computer in order to run the latest operating system. If you have Pentium systems, or even fast (at least 66 MHz) 486s, then you can run Windows 98. If the processor is a 33 MHz 486 or less, then a new computer is in order if you want to run Windows 98. However, you can still connect a 33 MHz system to the network if you run Windows for Workgroups or DOS. In order to upgrade an older system to Windows 98, the best hardware investment you can make is to install additional memory. To run well, a networked Windows 98 system should have at least 32 megabytes of RAM (although the operating system will function with as little as 16). With memory prices as they are today, adding 16 megabytes to an older system should cost well under $50.00.
Learning Curve There are a great many computer users, particularly in small businesses, that are accustomed to performing their appointed computing tasks in a certain way and are not in the least bit interested in changing them. Depending on the aptitude of the user, an upgrade to Windows 98 from DOS or Windows 3.1 can be a major adjustment that slows down productivity and generates frustration and resentment. In these cases, you have to balance the potential benefits that can result from the upgrade with the difficulties you will encounter. If, for example, the manufacturer of your primary business software application releases a Windows 98 upgrade and abandons the DOS version you've been using for years, you will probably want to consider the upgrade in order to take advantage of any new features that may have been added and to maintain continued technical support. If you plan to continue using the same legacy applications in Windows 98, the learning curve might not be so steep, because once a user launches an application, it will function just as it did in the old operating system. New applications (or new versions of old applications) however, may require considerable adjustment from your users. In a case like this, you might have to consider some formal retraining for your employees if you plan to upgrade to Windows 98. Converting from Macintosh to Windows 98 is a different matter, because a complete replacement of all hardware and software is required, as well as the introduction of a very different graphical user interface. This adjustment will be more difficult for your users than any substitution of one Microsoft OS for another. For these reasons, you might be better off sticking with an older operating system on at least some of your network's computers. You might consider the Windows 98 upgrade as a long-term goal, but for the present, the other Windows OSes and DOS can be made to communicate on a Microsoft network. Why Shouldn't I Run Other OSes? Just because you can mix operating systems on your network doesn't necessarily mean that you should. Any one of the preceding reasons is sufficient cause to remain with another operating system, and in most cases you will still be able to interact with Windows 98 computers on your network, as well as with computers running other compatible operating systems. However, you should consider the drawbacks to running a network with different operating systems before you commit yourself to a multi-OS network. Installation and Support The first and foremost reason why you might want to avoid running multiple operating systems on your network is the fact that each OS has its own procedures and requirements for installation, administration, troubleshooting, and support. Most small networks do not have full-time administrators to maintain them and provide technical support for the users, and with several different operating systems, the support burden placed on the resident computer expert can be considerably greater than if everyone is using Windows 98. The Microsoft network clients for DOS, Windows for Workgroups, and Windows 9x all function using the same basic principles, but the interfaces for each are different, as are the drivers needed to install a network interface card. Installing the networking components for two or three different operating systems complicates the network setup process considerably. In addition, the procedures for sharing and accessing shared resources differ anywhere from slightly (in the case of Windows for Workgroups) to drastically (for the DOS client). Macintosh, as usual, is a completely different situation from Windows, that requires even more specialized knowledge than the maintenance of various Microsoft operating systems. Macintosh systems have basic networking capabilities built in, but they need a third-party software product to connect to and use a Windows network. File Names Windows 98 (as well as 95) use VFAT, the Virtual File Allocation Table file system, that provides the ability to specify names for files and directories up to 255 characters in length. In addition, VFAT makes it possible to use the following characters, which are not permitted in the standard 8.3 file names used by DOS and 16-bit Windows operating systems: + , ; = [ ] When you run DOS, Windows for Workgroups, or Windows 3.1 on a network with Windows 98 systems, you will find that the older OSes cannot see long VFAT long file and directory names on shared Win98 drives. This does not mean, however, that they cannot access the files and directories. VFAT is designed to provide backwards compatibility with the earlier operating systems by maintaining an 8.3 alias for every long file and directory name. When you create a file or directory on a Windows 98 drive with a name that exceeds the limits of the standard FAT file system ( eight plus three characters, separated by a dot), VFAT automatically creates an alias for that file or directory that is composed of the first six characters of the long name, followed by the characters ~1, a dot, and the first three characters after the last dot in the long name. If the first six characters contain any spaces, then the spaces are omitted, and any of the illegal characters listed earlier are replaced with underscores. If the use of the ~1 characters would result in a conflict with an existing 8.3 name in the directory, VFAT increments the numeral to ~2, ~3, and so on, as needed. Thus, the 8.3 alias of the long name this is a long file name.doc would be thisis~1.doc. Another file called this is another long file name.doc would be thisis~2.doc. This system makes it possible for DOS and 16-bit Windows users to access Windows 98 files and directories, but the resulting alias names are often cryptic and can defeat the entire purpose of having long file names in the first place. If you plan to mix operating systems on your network, you must be aware of how each individual OS sees the shared network resources. For example, Windows 98 users sharing new files with other users must be conscious of the 8.3 aliases that Windows for Workgroups users will see when they create long file names. Otherwise, you may find one user referring another to a this is a long file name.doc on a particular share, only to find that they see no such file. This type of confusion can complicate the life of the administrator enormously, because he or she is the one that the puzzled users are likely to call. File Formats In the same way that file and directory names can differ on computers running different OSes, file formats can be different as well. Different version of the same application can have different, and incompatible, file formats. The versions of Microsoft Office intended for use with Windows 98, for example (Office 97 and Office 2000), save their document files in formats that are different from those used by Office 4.2, which is the last version to run on the 16-bit Windows operating systems. A Win98 system running the newer version of Office can read the older version's files, but the older version cannot read the new files, even though they use the same file extensions. Once again, this can be cause for great confusion among your network users, and it will be up to you to decide on a format supported by both versions.
Using Windows 95 Windows 95 is the least problematic OS to run on the same network with Windows 98 systems. From a networking perspective, the two are virtually identical in function, although there are changes under the hood. With a few exceptions (which are explicitly noted throughout), anything that this book says you can do with Windows 98, you can also do with Windows 95. Using DOS and Windows 3.1 DOS and Windows 3.1 are the only operating systems covered in this chapter that do not have any built-in network clients. In order to connect a computer running these operating systems to a Windows 98 network, you must install a separate client program available from Microsoft. The Microsoft Network Client 3.0 for MS-DOS is available as a free download from Microsoft's FTP site at ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/Clients/MSCLIENT. The same client is also furnished with the Windows NT Server product, which has a program called the Network Client Administrator that creates installation and boot disks containing the client files. Like DOS itself, the client is not new technology, and you may in some cases have trouble finding drivers for the latest network interface cards. However, this client provides support for all of the standard networking protocols (NetBEUI, TCP/IP, and IPX/SPX) and enables you to access the drives and printers shared by other machines on the network.
The other major drawback of using this client is the amount of conventional memory it requires. The DOS client runs in real mode, meaning that the system processor is emulating the old Intel 8088 and 8086 processors. Real mode drivers cannot access extended memory (the memory above the first megabyte in the computer) and therefore utilize the conventional memory needed by applications. A full installation of the client with all of its optional features can utilize as much as 360 K of conventional memory, sometimes reducing the amount of available memory to the point that you cannot run Windows 3.1 or other applications. Memory management is one of the fundamental problems of DOS, and is itself a good reason to upgrade to Windows 95.
DOS Client Architecture The Microsoft Network Client for MS-DOS provides many of the same features as the Windows 98 client, in a package that runs on virtually any DOS PC. The following sections examine some of the client's components and how they function to provide networking functionality to DOS and Windows 3.1 applications. Network adapter drivers Like all of the Microsoft network clients, the client for MS-DOS uses an NDIS (Network Device Interface Specification) driver for the network interface card installed in the computer and additional drivers for the protocols that you choose during the client installation. The NDIS driver in this case conforms to version 2.0 of the NDIS standard. NDIS 2.0 NIC drivers are 16-bit modules with a .dos file name extension, written in assembly language, that run in real (as opposed to protected) mode on the computer. This means that the drivers load before the Windows GUI and run in conventional memory. Other versions of Windows, such as Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, and Windows 98, also include NDIS 2.0 drivers, but they are intended for use only when it is not possible to run the enhanced mode drivers included with those operating systems. For example, when you press the F8 key while booting a Windows 98 machine and select Safe Mode with Network Support, the system loads its real-mode NDIS 2.0 drivers to provide basic networking capabilities. Redirectors The module that provides the basic network client functionality is the redirector, that functions in much the same way as the redirector in the Windows 98 Client for Microsoft Networks. This module determines whether a resource requested by an application is located on a local or network device and sends the request to the appropriate place. The client includes two redirectors: basic and full, that trade off performance for memory utilization. The basic redirector provides simple access to network drive and printer shares using any of the supported protocols. The redirector module itself only uses 10 K of memory, and will run on any PC with an 8088 processor or better. The full redirector is faster and provides additional functions, such as domain logons, and is required if you will be running Windows 3.1 or RAS with the client. The full redirector requires 88 K of memory and an 80286 processor or better. The client uses the full redirector by default, but if you will be running DOS only, you can save a great deal of memory by installing the basic redirector instead.
Protocols The client also includes drivers for the three standard networking protocols that Microsoft systems use at the network transport layer. Just like on a Windows 98 system, you can elect whether to use NetBEUI, TCP/IP, or IPX for your basic networking tasks, plus Microsoft DLC for network printing. The decision regarding which protocol(s) to use is a more strategic one on MS-DOS systems than on Windows 98, because you must balance the functionality you require with the limited amount of conventional memory available on the machine and the more rudimentary memory management capabilities of the DOS operating system. As with Windows 98, NetBEUI is a good choice for a small network, with the added benefit in DOS that it requires a much smaller memory footprint than TCP/IP. However, if you want to access the Internet or intranet services from a DOS machine running Windows 3.1, you will have to use TCP/IP. The Microsoft Client for MS-DOS does not support connectivity to NetWare networks, so the choice of Nwlink, Microsoft's version of the IPX protocol, is impractical here. Network browsing The Microsoft Client for MS-DOS cannot function as a master browser on the network. The master browser is a computer that is responsible for maintaining the list of other computers and shares on the network. Other systems use this list to browse through the available resources on the network using applications like the Network Neighborhood in Windows 98 Explorer, File Manager in Windows for Workgroups, and the pop-up interface in the DOS client. One computer on the network is designated as the master browser as a result of an election between all of the computers capable of functioning as a browser. Since the client for DOS cannot function as a browser, it cannot be elected as master browser. In order to be able to browse the network using the DOS client, there must be a computer running Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Windows 95, or Windows 98 on the network to function as the master browser. If you have a network that consists only of computers running the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS, then none of the systems will be able to browse the network. However, the ability to browse the network is separate from the ability to connect to network shares. Even if there is no master browser, it is still possible to connect to a share by specifying its UNC name in the normal manner. Pop-up Interface The Microsoft Client for MS-DOS includes an optional pop-up interface that you can use to browse among the shares on the network and map shares to drive letters. To load the interface, you must select Run Network Client and Load Pop-up on the client installation program's Setup Options screen. You can then activate the interface by pressing the Ctrl+Alt+N key combination (by default), which displays a screen like that shown in Figure 8-1. You can select a different letter for the key combination during the client installation process.
Figure 8-1: The client's pop-up interface provides a simplifies means for managing connections to network shares. The pop-up interface provides a relatively intuitive mechanism for mapping drive letters that is simpler than the NET USE command at the DOS prompt and enables you to map drives without shelling out of an application, but the cost is high. The interface consumes 34 K of memory, 26 K of conventional and 8 K of upper memory (if available). Given the amount of memory consumed by the other client components, the pop-up interface is usually not worth loading at boot time, since the same interface appears when you use the NET command at the DOS prompt. You can also load the pop-up interface into memory at will and unload it afterwards using the NET START POPUP and NET STOP POPUP commands.On a small network, you would be better off creating persistent connections to all of the other shares the user will need, so that they do not have to create any additional drive mappings of their own. Memory requirements Depending on which of the DOS client’s features you choose to load, the amount of memory it consumes can range from a total of 66,672 bytes to as much as 371,824 bytes! At its largest, the client leaves very little memory for applications to use. In fact, the client setup program itself requires 429 K, and would not run with a full installation loaded into conventional memory. Fortunately, there are many modules that can use upper memory for some or all of their code, and with proper memory management techniques, you can lessen the burden of the client on your systems.
Even with judicious use of upper memory, however, your will probably have to limit the client features you choose to install, in order to save on conventional memory. The 371,824 byte figure mentioned earlier is for a complete client installation that includes all three network transport protocols (NetBEUI, TCP/IP, and IPX), as well as the pop-up interface and the modules required to run Windows Sockets applications, such as web browsers. The following listing is an excerpt from the DOS MEM command output for a system with the complete client loaded, showing only the modules installed by the DOS client and the memory they consume:
The first group of modules in the listing includes the IFS manager (IFSHLP, which passes data to the proper device depending on whether the requested resource is local or remote), the protocol manager (PROTMAN, which binds the protocol drivers to the NDIS network adapter driver), the network adapter driver (ELNK3), and other components that are required for every client installation. Notice that much of the code for these modules can load into upper memory, thus conserving conventional memory for applications. The REDIR module is the full redirector, which in this case includes the additional network buffers. This is by far the largest single module, in terms of conventional memory consumption, but you can reduce its size considerably by omitting the extra network buffers (as described in "Setting network buffers," later in this chapter), or by installing the basic redirector instead of the full one. If you are running Windows 3.1, you must use the full redirector, but you can still save the 10 to 20 K devoted to the extra network buffers. If you plan to run DOS only, the basic redirector (which shows up in the MEM listing as BASIC) requires only about 13 K, which is obviously a dramatic improvement. The NETPOP module is the pop-up interface. Omitting this is the easiest way to save 34 K. Another way to reduce the memory requirements is to install only the protocols that you absolutely require. This listing includes all three, when usually one will be sufficient. NetBEUI and IPX (provided by the NWLINK module) both require only a single module, while the entire group of eight modules totaling 153,152 K at the end of the listing is devoted to TCP/IP. While TCP/IP requires the most memory of the three protocols, it is possible to reduce its memory requirement. The DNR and SOCKETS modules are required only when you will be running Windows Sockets applications, like web browsers, in Windows 3.1. If you plan to use TCP/IP only for communications with other computers on the local network, you can eliminate these modules by removing the lines from Autoexec.bat that load Dnr.exe and Sockets.exe, thus saving 47 K. Installing the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS Because it runs using only the most basic system resources, you can install and run the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS on virtually any PC. The minimum system requirements for the software are as follows:
You can use the client to make network resources available to Windows 3.1, but you should not use the client for MS-DOS with other versions of Windows, such as Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, or Windows 98. The client includes an interactive installation program called Setup.exe that enables you to select and configure the features you want to install. The program then copies the appropriate files to the directory of your choice (C:\Net, by default), modifies the configuration files for the client (Protocol.ini and System.ini), and adds the appropriate commands to the system's Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files to load the client when the system boots.
Network adapter detection If the Microsoft client includes a driver for the network card installed in the computer, it may detect it automatically, or present you with a list of supported NICs from which you can choose (see Figure 8-2). If your card is not supported by the drivers shipping with the client, you can usually obtain an NDIS 2.0 driver from the manufacturer’s web site or other online service. An NDIS 2.0 driver package typically consists of the driver itself, which has a .dos extension, a .nif file, which provides recommended settings for the client configuration files, and an Oemsetup.inf file, which the setup program uses to locate the driver file and identify the possible values for the hardware resource settings.
Figure 8-2: The Microsoft Client for MS-DOS NIC driver listing.
To use a driver package obtained from another source, select Network Adapter Not Shown On List Below and specify the path to the driver files in the screen provided. Just like the later version NDIS drivers used in Windows 98, NDIS 2.0 drivers must use the same hardware resources as the network interface card installed in the computer. If the installation program successfully identifies the NIC, then it will usually configure the hardware parameters automatically as well. If it does not, then you will have the opportunity to modify the hardware parameters later in the installation. Tip: If the client's setup program fails to run properly or hangs up while trying to identify the network interface card, you can run Setup.exe with the /I parameter, which disables the entire hardware detection process. You will then have to select the NIC driver you want to install and the values for the hardware resource parameters. Setting network buffers After Setup.exe identifies the network interface card, the program prompts you to specify whether or not it should install using more memory for network buffers in order to improve performance. This is one feature that might want to enable when you first install the client, but keep it in mind if you find yourself in a situation where you must minimize the amount of conventional memory that the client uses. Later, you may want to trade off performance in order to have enough free conventional memory to be able to run all of your programs. The difference on an installation of the full redirector when you opt to set up the client without optimizing performance is a reduction of 10 to 20 K in the conventional memory used by the redirector module, which is shifted to upper memory instead. Selecting a user name When the client prompts you to specify a user name, you must supply a name consisting of up to 20 characters, alphabetical, numeric, or any of the following symbols: ! # $ % ^ & ( ) ` { } ~ _ When the setup program creates the configuration files for the client, it uses the name you specify here both as the logon name for the user and the NetBIOS name for the computer. You will have the opportunity to change both later in the installation. Setting up the MS-DOS client The main setup screen shown in Figure 8-3 is where you configure all of the client's optional features and operational parameters. This screen also displays the current values of the client's basic configuration options. As with all of the screens in the setup program's interface, you make selections by using the cursor keys to highlight an option and press the Enter key to select it.
Figure 8-3: The Microsoft Client for MS-DOS uses a menu-driven interface to install and configure the software. The Change Names screen When you select Change Names from the main setup screen, you can specify values for the following options: Change User Name Specifies the default name that the client will use when logging on to the network. The default value is the name you supplied earlier in the installation. During the logon, you can accept the name you furnished previously or specify a different one. Change Computer Name Specifies the NetBIOS name that will identify the computer to the rest of the network. By default, the setup program uses the same user name supplied earlier in the installation. In most cases, it is better to give computers names that are independent of their users, so that you don't have to change them when a person changes jobs or leaves the company. Change Workgroup Name Specifies the name of the workgroup that the computer will join when logging on to the network. The workgroup name you supply should already exist on your network. Change Domain Name Specifies the name of a Windows NT domain that the computer will join when logging on to the network. For a small peer-to-peer network, this parameter is not needed. The Change Setup Options screen On the Change Setup Options screen (see Figure 8-4), you specify the basic options for the client installation. These options largely determine the amount of memory that the client will require and functions it will provide.
Figure 8-4: The Change Setup Options screen enables you to select the functions provided by the client. The available options are as follows: Change Redir Options Specifies whether you want to install the basic or full redirector. The default is to install the full redirector. Change Startup Options Specifies how the setup program should configure the client to load when the system starts, using the following options:
Change Logon Validation Specifies whether or not the client should log on to the domain specified in the Change Names screen. The default is not to log on to the domain. Change Net Pop Hot Key Specifies the key that will activate the pop-up interface when pressed with the Ctrl and Alt keys. The default value is N. The Change Network Configuration screen The Change Network Configuration screen (shown in Figure 8-5) is where you select and configure the protocols to be installed by the setup program and modify the hardware configuration parameters for the network adapter driver. The screen contains two boxes, one listing the currently installed network adapters and protocols, and the other listing the functions you can perform.
Figure 8-5: The Change Network Configuration screen contains the network adapter and protocol configuration options. The basic functions of this screen are to add modules to or remove them from the list of installed adapters and protocols and to configure the installed modules. The driver for the adapter that the setup program detected earlier should already be present in the top box. You can select the protocols to install or delete by using the cursor keys to highlight Add Protocol or Remove in the Options box and pressing Enter to select it. To work with a particular module in the list of installed adapters and protocols, you press the Tab key to shift the focus to the top box and select the desired module with the cursor keys. After tabbing back to the Options box, you can select a function to be performed on the highlighted module. The Change Settings function displays a customized configuration screen for the selected module. When you highlight the installed network adapter and proceed to change its settings, you see a screen listing the hardware resources required by that card. By selecting one of the parameters and pressing Enter, you display a list of the possible values for that parameter from which you can choose. The settings for the NetBEUI protocol are the same as those is Windows 98. The Maximum Sessions parameter has a default value of 10 and the NCBS parameter has a default value of 12. For more information, see "Configuring NetBEUI settings" in Chapter 6, Installing Network Hardware. The TCP/IP protocol is the only one of the protocol modules that requires configuration before use on a peer-to-peer network. The Microsoft Client for MS-DOS supports automatic TCP/IP configuration via a DHCP server, but since this requires a Windows NT server on the network, you will have to configure the protocol manually. When you highlight the TCP/IP protocol module and select Change Settings, you see the screen shown in Figure 8-6, which contains the following parameters:
Figure 8-6: Unless you have a DHCP server on your network, you must configure the TCP/IP settings before the protocol will function. Disable Automatic Configuration Specifies whether or not the client should request TCP/IP configuration settings from a DHCP server on the network. The default value is IP Address Specifies the unique IP address to be assigned to the network interface card in the computer. Since the Protocol.ini file, where these settings are stored, uses only integers, the four decimal values (called octets) that comprise the address must be separated by spaces and not periods as in standard IP address notation. IP Subnet Mask Specifies the mask used to separate the network bits in the IP address from the host bits, using four octets separated by spaces. Default Gateway 0 Specifies the IP address of the system that serves as the gateway to other networks, using four octets separated by spaces. On a small peer-to-peer network, you only have to supply a value for this option if you are connecting to the Internet through a shared connection on another machine. Default Gateway 1 Specifies the IP address of an alternate gateway to other networks, should Default Gateway 0 fail, using four octets separated by spaces. NetBIOS Sessions Specifies the maximum number of NetBIOS sessions the client can have open at any one time. The possible values range from 1 to 12, and the default value is 6.
Completing the installation Once you have configured the options you want to install, select The Listed Options are Correct and the program will proceed to copy the required files and modify the configuration files, including your Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. When you reboot the system, the client will load, log on using the name you supplied earlier, and prompt you for a password. Once you're logged on you can connect to network resources using the NET command or load Windows 3.1. Changing Options If you want to modify the client configuration after the installation is complete, you can run the Setup.exe program from the directory in which you installed the client (typically C:\Net). The program functions just as it did during the installation, enabling you to modify any of the parameters accessible from the main setup screen. If for any reason (such as a shortage of conventional memory) you cannot run the setup program, you can also make manual changes to the client's configuration files. These files use the same names as Windows configuration files and have the same basic structure, but they are stored in the C:\Net directory and should not be confused with the identically-named files used by Windows. System.ini parameters The System.ini file in the C:\Net directory (by default) stores many of the parameters that you configured when you installed the client. You can modify your settings at any time by changing them in this file and rebooting the system to put your changes into effect. The following directives are all located under the [Network] heading of the file and consist of a parameter and a value, separated by an equals sign ("=").
filesharing Not used by the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS, as the software does not support the sharing of files on the client system. The default value is no.printsharing Not used by the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS, as the software does not support the sharing of printers on the client system. The default value is no.autologon Specifies whether or not the system should automatically log on to the network during the boot process. The default value is yes.computername Specifies a unique NetBIOS name for the computer that will identify it to the other systems on the network. The default is the value you specified during the client installation. lanroot Specifies the name of the directory in which you installed the client. The default value is C:\Net.username Specifies the default name that the client will use when logging on to the network. The default is the value you specified during the client installation, but you can supply a different name during the logon. workgroup Specifies the name of the workgroup that the computer will join when logging on. The default is the value you specified during the client installation. reconnect Specifies whether or not the client should reconnect to the shares that you mapped to drive letters during the previous session. The default value is yes.dospophotkey Specifies the key that activates the pop-up interface, when you press it with the Ctrl and Alt keys. The default value is N.lmlogon Indicates whether or not the client should log on to the Windows NT domain specified by the logondomain directive. The default value is 0, meaning that the client should not log on to the domain. To activate the domain logon, change the value to 1.logondomain Specifies the name of the domain that the client will log on to, if the value for the lmlogon directive is 1. The default is the value you specified during the client installation.preferredredir Specifies whether the client should load the basic redirector or the full redirector when executing the NET START command. The possible values are basic and full; the default is the value you specified during the client installation.autostart Specifies whether the client should load the client during system startup and whether the pop-up interface should load. The value is taken from the redirector and the startup option that you chose during the client installation. Possible values are basic or full, with POPUP optionally added after a comma (e.g.: autostart=full,popup). If you selected Do Not Run Network Client as the startup option, the value for this directive is left blank, but the NET START command is still added to the Autoexec.bat file.maxconnections Not used by the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS. The default value is 8. sizworkbuf Specifies the size of the work buffers that the client uses during SMB (server message block) communications with other systems on the network. The default value is 1498 when you elect to optimize performance with extra network buffers during the client installation, as discussed in "Setting network buffers," earlier in this chapter. If you choose not to install the extra buffers, this entire directive is omitted.Protocol.ini parameters The Protocol.ini file contains the configuration parameters for the individual protocols, some of which you can modify directly. The [TCPIP] section of the file, as shown in the following excerpt, contains the directives corresponding to the settings you configured during the client installation (see "The Change Network Configuration screen," earlier in this chapter). You can modify them at will, and your changes will take effect when you next reboot the system.[TCPIP] NBSessions=6 DefaultGateway0=192 168 2 100 SubNetMask0=255 255 255 0 IPAddress0=192 168 2 2 DisableDHCP=1 DriverName=TCPIP$ BINDINGS=MS$ELNK3 LANABASE=0 In the same way, the [MS$NETBEUI] section contains the directives for the Maximum Sessions and NCBS parameters. For general networking tasks, you should usually not have to modify the values for these parameters.[MS$NETBEUI] DriverName=netbeui$ SESSIONS=10 NCBS=12 BINDINGS=MS$ELNK3 LANABASE=1 Windows 3.1 and the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS The Microsoft Client for MS-DOS provides access to the network both for DOS applications and for Windows 3.1. Although Windows 3.1 does not contain a network client of its own, it does have modules that enable applications like File Manager to make use of a real mode client installed and loaded before you launch Windows. Installing Windows 3.1 Networking Support To install Windows 3.1's networking support, you launch the Windows Setup application in the Main program group and select Change System Settings from the Options menu. This displays the Change System Settings dialog box shown in Figure 8-7. In the Network field, select Microsoft Network (or 100% compatible) and supply the location of the Windows 3.1 distribution files when the program requests them.
Figure 8-7: Windows 3.1's networking support provides access to the function of the DOS client with the GUI. Once you restart Windows with this change in effect, the File Manager application contains a Network Connections command in the Disk menu that provides GUI access to the drive mapping functions provided by the NET command at the DOS prompt. Installing Windows Sockets Support Although it is not obvious from the installation process, the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS does have the capability to resolve DNS names and to support Windows Sockets (Winsock) applications like web browsers in Windows 3.1. Unfortunately, the setup program does not properly configure the client to do these things, so you must modify the configuration files manually. Use the following procedure to enable Windows Sockets support and load the Domain Name Resolver (DNR):
Expand Wsahdapp.ex_ Wsahdapp.exe C:\NET\netbind.com C:\NET\umb.com C:\NET\tcptsr.exe C:\NET\tinyrfc.exe C:\NET\nmtsr.exe C:\NET\emsbfr.exe c:\NET\dnr.exe c:\NET\sockets.exe C:\NET\net start [dnr] drivername=DNR$ bindings=TCPIP nameserver0=192 168 100 3 nameserver1=192 168 100 4 [tcpglobal] drivername=GLOBAL$ hostname=cz2 [sockets] drivername=SOCKETS$ bindings=TCPIP numsockets=4 numthreads=32 poolsize=3200 maxsendsize=1024 [telnet] drivername=TELNET$ bindings=TCPIP nsessions=0 max_out_sends=0 [dnr] drivername=DNR$ bindings=TCPIP nameserver0=192 168 100 3 nameserver1=192 168 100 4 Once you restart the system, you should be able to run a web browser or other Internet application in Windows 3.1 normally. Using the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS Once the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS is installed and loaded, you can use it to map drive letters to network shares. From the DOS prompt, you do this with the NET command. In Windows 3.1, any drives that you have already mapped are available to all of your applications, and you can map additional drives using the Network Connections dialog box in File Manager.Using the NET Command Net.exe is a very powerful command-line utility that you can use to view and manipulate network resources in many different ways. All of the other Microsoft network operating systems, including Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 98, include the program and use the same syntax.NET Displays the pop-up interface, enabling you to browse the network shares and map drives. NET CONFIG Displays information about your network connection, including the computer name, the name of the user logged on, and the workgroup name. NET DIAG Uses the Microsoft Network Diagnostics program to test the connection between two network computers. When you run the NET DIAG command, the system searches for a diagnostic server on the network. If no diagnostic server is found, the system begins functioning as a diagnostic server itself, until you press a key to terminate the program. When the system detects a diagnostic server, the two machines connect and exchange test messages to determine if the network is functioning correctly. NET HELP Displays a summary of Net.exe's functions. To see more detailed information about a specific command, use NET HELP command or NET command /?., where command is a valid NET command. For information about an error message, use NET HELP error, where error is a valid error message number.NET INIT Loads the client's network adapter and protocol drivers without binding them to the protocol manager. The client installation program adds this command to the computer's Config.sys file. NET LOGOFF Closes all connections with network shares and logs the user off of the workgroup. To reconnect to the network, you must use the NET LOGON command.NET LOGON Logs the system onto the network and re-establishes all persistent connections to network shares. When you issue the NET LOGON command with no additional parameters, the program logs you on using the default user name you furnished during the client installation and prompts you for a password. You can also specify a user name and password on the command line using the following syntax:NET LOGON username passwordBy default, the program will ask you if you want to create a password file for the user if one does not already exist. The client uses the password file (which is named using the first eight characters of the user name plus a .pwl extension) to store the passwords for the shares you connect to in encrypted form. To skip the prompt for the creation of the password file, add the /SAVEPW:NO parameter to the NET LOGON command line.NET PASSWORD Changes the password for a domain user logon. NET PRINT Displays information about print queues and enables you to manipulate your queued print jobs. To display the contents of a print queue, use any of the following commands: NET PRINT \\ computerNET PRINT \\ computer\printerNET PRINT portwhere computer is the NetBIOS name of a system functioning as a print server, printer is the name of a printer share, and port is the name of a printer port on the system that is connected to a network printer. To manipulate a queued job, use the following syntax: NET PRINT \\computer\printer job [/DELETE] [/PAUSE] [/RESUME]where job is the number of the job as listed in the queue display.
NET START Loads client services into memory. With no parameters, the command loads the default redirector you specified during the client installation process. You can also load specific services from the command line using the following commands: NET START BASIC Loads the basic redirector. NET START FULL Loads the full redirector. NET START WORKSTATION Loads the default redirector specified during the client installation. NET START POPUP Loads the pop-up interface into memory. NET START NETBIND Binds the network adapter and protocol drivers to the protocol manager. NET START NETBEUI Loads the NetBIOS interface. NET STOP Unloads client services from memory, using the following command line parameters: BASIC, FULL, WORKSTATION, POPUP, NETBEUI.
NET TIME Displays the time on another network system or synchronizes the computer's time with a time server on the network. NET USE Connects or disconnects the client system from shared network resources and manages persistent connections. To map a drive letter to a network share, use the following syntax: NET USE drive: \\computer\share [password]where drive is the drive letter you want to map (or an asterisk, which causes the program to use the next available drive letter after C:), computer and share identify a shared drive on the network, and password is the password needed to access the shared drive.To connect to a network printer, you use the same syntax with name of a local port (such as LPT1) instead of a drive letter, and the name of a printer share instead of a drive share. This causes all print jobs sent to the specified port to be redirected to the printer share on the network.In either command, you can add the \SAVEPW:NO parameter to prevent the client from saving the password for the share in the password file on the local system. This option is useful for administrators who have to access a special resource from a client system without compromising its security.To disconnect a drive letter or port from a share, you specify either the share name, the drive, or the port in the NET USE command with the \DELETE parameters, as in the following examples:NET USE f: \DELETE NET USE \\cz1\cdrive \DELETE NET USE lpt1 /DELETE To manage persistent connections, you use the /PERSISTENT parameter with one of the following options:NET USE /PERSISTENT:YES Causes all subsequent connections you establish to be persistent. NET USE /PERSISTENT:NO Causes all subsequent connections you establish to not be persistent. NET USE /PERSISTENT:LIST Lists the current persistent connections. NET USE /PERSISTENT:SAVE Changes all currently active connections to persistent connections. NET USE /PERSISTENT:CLEAR Clears all of the current persistent connections. You can also use the /PERSISTENT parameter in a NET USE command with the YES or NO option when connecting to a network drive or printer. This causes the connection being established to be made persistent or non-persistent, as well as setting the default for all subsequent connections.NET VER Displays the type of redirector currently loaded and its version number. NET VIEW Displays the shares on a specific computer or the computers in a specific workgroup, using the following syntax: NET VIEW \\ computerNET VIEW /WORKGROUP :workgroupnameUsing the graphical interfaces The DOS client's pop-up interface and the Network Connections dialog box in Windows 3.1's File Manager (shown in Figure 8-8) are different in appearance, but provide essentially the same functionality. Both enable you to connect drive letters to network shares by either browsing the network or manually entering UNC names. In the pop-up screen, you use the Tab key to move around the screen or press the Alt key with the highlighted letter in one of the various fields to move the emphasis there.
Figure 8-8: Although different graphically, the DOS client’s pop-up interface and the Windows 3.1 Network Connections dialog box operate in much the same way. After specifying a drive letter and entering or browsing for a share name, you use the connect command to map the drive, checking the Reconnect at Startup box (using the spacebar) to create a persistent connection. The Network Connections dialog box in Windows 3.1 functions in much the same way, but with the added convenience of the mouse, which is not supported in the DOS interface. To connect printer ports to shared printers, you press the Alt+S key combination in the pop-up interface, which modifies the display to show ports instead of drives. The Show Queue control displays the current print jobs waiting for processing in the selected queue, and enables you to pause, resume, and delete your jobs, just as you can with the NET PRINT command. In Windows 3.1, the printer management tools are found in the Print Manager application, which has a Network Connections dialog box that is also similar to its drive-sharing counterpart.The DOS and Windows client tools share the same underlying infrastructure, so that you can use them interchangeably with causing a conflict. If, for example, you connect drives and printer ports to network shares in DOS, you will find that the Windows tools show the previously established connections as well. If, however, you map a drive in a Windows 3.1 DOS session, you will find that if File Manager is already running, it will not show the drive as being mapped. Once you close the application and restart it, however, File Manager will display the proper connections. As mentioned earlier in this chapter, persistent connections are your best tool when it comes to introducing networking services to DOS and Windows 3.1 users. Rather than train them how to connect drives and printers on their own, you are better off doing it yourself and seeing to it that the system re-establishes the connections during every reboot. Since you will be working with a relatively small number of systems on your network, you should not have a huge number of shares to deal with. You should therefore be able to connect each computer to all of the shares they need without running out of drive letters. Using Windows for Workgroups Although it is still a 16-bit operating system, Windows for Workgroups is far more network-friendly than DOS and Windows 3.1, largely because its networking components run in protected mode, rather than real mode. When the system processor runs in protected mode it can access the extended memory in the machine, as well as the virtual memory provided by Windows. This means that the networking components use extended instead of conventional memory and load from the Windows System.ini file, rather than Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. The only disadvantage to this arrangement is that you lose your network connectivity when you exit Windows, although you retain your network capabilities when you open a DOS session within Windows. The differences between Windows for Workgroups version 3.10 and version 3.11 are substantial. Version 3.10 requires you to load several of the networking components from the Config.sys file, including the protocol manager (Protman.dos), the NDIS adapter driver, and Workgrp.sys, the real-mode stub for the redirector, while 3.11 only loads one driver from Config.sys (Ifshlp.sys) and executes one command from Autoexec.bat ( NET START). This leaves only a 4 K footprint in conventional memory, providing substantial RAM for DOS applications. If you are currently running Windows for workgroups 3.10, an upgrade to version 3.11 is strongly recommended before you install the networking modules.Windows for Workgroups Client Architecture The basic architecture of the networking components in Windows for Workgroups is very similar to that of the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS. For example, you have network adapter drivers, protocol drivers, and a protocol manager that binds the two together. The difference is the modules themselves, which are now virtual device drivers (VxDs) that load from the System.ini file into extended memory. Windows for Workgroups is capable of running the same NDIS 2.0 drivers as the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS, but one of its major improvements is the ability to use the protected-mode drivers defined in the NDIS 3.0 specification. NDIS 3.0 drivers are written using 32-bit C APIs, rather than the 16-bit assembly language APIs used by NDIS 2.0, and have a .386 extension. Thus, the entire code path between the network adapter and the redirector is 32 bits wide, rather than being bottlenecked down to 16 bits by real-mode drivers. NDIS 3.0 network adapter drivers require protocol drivers written to the same standard, but the NDIS 3.0 protocol drivers can bind to NDIS 2.0 adapter drivers. This means that you should attempt to find NDIS 3.0 drivers for your network interface cards for use with Windows for Workgroups, if an appropriate driver is not supplied with the OS, but that you can conceivably use the NDIS 2.0 drivers intended for the DOS client. Performance will suffer if you do this, as will the conventional memory situation on the system, but the combination will work. The basic structure of the networking stack in Windows for Workgroups is shown in Figure 8-9. The redirector and server modules provide access to network shares and the ability to share local resources, respectively. The protocol drivers lie beneath these two modules and bind to the network adapter driver, which provides the interface to the NIC.
Figure 8-9: The Windows for Workgroups networking modules run in protected mode and load into extended memory. Installing Windows for Workgroups' Networking Components A standard Windows for Workgroups installation creates a separate Network program group containing a Network Setup icon that provides access to the installation and configuration controls for the network subsystem. In fact, Network Setup is not really a separate application; rather, the icon executes the regular Windows Setup application (Winsetup.exe) with the /Z parameter, which loads it in network configuration mode (see Figure 8-10).
Figure 8-10: To install networking support in Windows for workgroups, you run the Network Setup program. To install Windows for Workgroups' networking capabilities, you click the Networks button and select Install Microsoft Windows Network in the Networks dialog box. The Sharing button enables you to specify whether users on the network are to be permitted to access the system's drives, printers, or both. The Drivers button displays the Network Drivers dialog box (see Figure 8-11), which is similar in function to the Network Setup screen in the DOS client's installation program. In this dialog box, you select the networking modules you want to install, including the network adapter and protocol drivers. If Windows for Workgroups successfully detects and identifies the NIC in your computer, an adapter driver will already be present. If not, you must add an adapter and specify a location for the driver, if Windows does have one.
Figure 8-11: In the Network Drivers dialog box, you specify the adapter installed in the computer and select the protocols you want to use. By selecting a module and clicking the Setup button, you access a dialog box that enables you to configure the individual settings for the selected component. For adapter drivers, you can modify the hardware resource parameters, such as the IRQ used by the device. For protocols, you can change the configuration settings and performance parameters unique to the module you've selected. The settings for the various components in Windows for Workgroups are nearly all identical to those in their Client for MS-DOS and Windows 98 counterparts. Installing TCP/IP-32 The selection of protocols in Windows for Workgroups is subject to the same criteria as Windows 98. Since the protocol drivers run in extended memory, you are not hindered by the conventional memory utilized by additional protocols, as with the DOS client. However, you may notice when you are installing the protocol modules in Windows for Workgroups, that TCP/IP does not appear among them. This is because at the time Windows for Workgroups was released, the default protocol for Windows NT and the other Microsoft network operating systems was NetBEUI, and TCP/IP stacks for Windows 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups were not freely available. When the popularity of the Internet and of TCP/IP grew enormously in the years after Windows for Workgroups was released, Microsoft recognized the lack of a TCP/IP stack as a shortcoming and provided one as a free download from their online services. You can download TCP/IP-32, the Windows for Workgroups TCP/IP stack, from Microsoft's FTP site at ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/peropsys/windows/public/tcpip as a single archive file called Wfwt32.exe. To install the TCP/IP stack, you expand the archive by executing Wfwt32.exe in an empty directory and supply that directory name to Windows for Workgroups after clicking the Add Protocol button and selecting Unlisted or Updated Protocol. After the protocol is added, you must configure it before you can use it on your network. The Microsoft TCP/IP Configuration dialog box (see Figure 8-12) contains the controls for all of the standard TCP/IP settings, as discussed in "The Change Network Configuration screen," earlier in this chapter, and in the "Configuring TCP/IP Settings" section of Chapter 6, "Installing Network Hardware."
Figure 8-12: Once you install the TCP/IP-32 package, you must supply an IP address and other configuration parameters, like any other TCP/IP system. Unlike the DOS client, Windows for Workgroups properly installs the Windows Sockets support and the DNS name resolver needed to use a web browser or other Internet application with the operating system. The DNS button provides access to the Connectivity Configuration dialog box, where you specify the IP addresses of your DNS servers. The TCP/IP-32 package also includes FTP and Telnet client applications that you can use to communicate with other systems on Internet or the local network.
Configuring the System Settings Like every other computer on your network, a Windows for Workgroups machine must have a unique computer (NetBIOS) name and a workgroup to which it belongs. You configure these settings in the Network Control Panel, which displays the Microsoft Windows Network dialog box shown in Figure 8-13.
Figure 8-13: To configure the computer name, workgroup, and default user name in Windows for Workgroups' Network Control Panel. From this dialog box, you can also log on and off of the network, change the password for your user name, modify the system startup options, and manage the event log. The Startup button displays the Startup Settings dialog box, which contains the following options: Log On at Startup Causes Windows for Workgroups to automatically log on to the network using the default user name when starting. If deselected, you must manually log on by selecting the Log On/Off icon in the Network program group or by using the Log On control in the Network Control Panel. Enable Network DDE Causes Windows for Workgroups to start Network Dynamic Data Exchange at startup, enabling you to use network applications like Chat and Clipbook Viewer. If you do not intend to use these applications, leave this box unchecked to maximize system performance in other areas. Ghosted Connections Specifies whether or not Windows for Workgroups should re-establish all persistent connections at startup. When activated, the connections are not re-established until you actually attempt to use them, providing a slightly faster startup sequence. This is the functional equivalent of the Quick Logon option found on the Client for Microsoft Networks’ Properties page in Windows 98. Enable Winpopup Winpopup enables you to send and receive brief messages over the network. Windows utilities like Print Manager use Winpopup to deliver status messages about print jobs. Log On to Windows NT or LAN Manager Domain On a network with a domain hosted by a Windows NT server, you use this option to specify the domain name and instruct the system to log on to that domain during the Windows startup sequence. On a small, peer-to-peer network, you will leave this option disabled. Set Password Enables you to change the password associated with your domain user account. To change a Windows for Workgroups password, you use the Password button on the Microsoft Windows Network dialog box instead. Performance Priority Enables you to adjust the performance characteristics of the system to favor either the applications running on the machine or the server functions with which it shares resources. If you are using a Windows for Workgroups system as a file server (which is not recommended) and no one is using it as a workstation, then you should move the control closer to the Resources Shared Fastest option to improve server performance. The Event Log button in the Network Control Panel provides access to the Event Log Settings dialogs, where you can enable logging of network events, specify which activities the system should record in the log, and impose a limit on the size of the log file. Once activated, you view the event log by opening the Net Watcher application from the Network program group and selecting View Event Log from the Connection menu. Networking with Windows for Workgroups Once you have installed and configured the networking components of Windows for Workgroups and restarted the system, you can begin to use its networking capabilities. The following sections examine some of the basic networking procedures and how they differ from Windows 98. Logging on to the Network By default, Windows for Workgroups logs you onto the network whenever you load Windows, using the default name you specified in the Network Control Panel. You can log off at any time without exiting Windows using the Log On/Off icon in the Network program group or the Log Off button in the Network Control Panel. If you disable the Log On at Startup feature or have previously logged off manually, you can log back on to the network using these same two controls. However, if you double-click the Log On/Off icon while the computer is logged off, the system will log on using the default user name you previously supplied. If you want to log on using a different name, you must open the Network Control Panel and modify the value of the Default Logon Name field. Accessing shared drives When you install the networking components in Windows for Workgroups, the Connect Network Drive and Disconnect Network Drive items are added to the File Manager's Disk menu. The Connect Network Drive dialog box (shown in Figure 8-14) provides the ability to browse through the drive shares on the network or enter the UNC name of a share in the Path field and map them to drive letters. The Reconnect at Startup checkbox creates persistent connections and the Always Browse box
Figure 8-14: The Connect Network Drive dialog box provides access to network drive shares. Windows for Workgroups' client also provides networking services to DOS applications. Any drive letter that you map to a share in File Manager is also immediately accessible from a Windows DOS session and any application that you run in a DOS session. In the same way, you can open a DOS session and use the Net.exe utility to manage network resources, just as you would with the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS. Any drive letters that you map from the DOS prompt become available to applications in Windows as well.
When you select Disconnect Network Drive from the File Manager’s Disk menu, the system presents a list of the currently mapped shares. You can disconnect the share and prevent all applications from accessing it by choosing an entry from the list. Accessing printer shares As with Windows 3.1, you configure a Windows for Workgroups system to access printer shares using the Print Manager utility. The Connect Network Printer item on the Printer menu provides access to a dialog just like the Connect Network Drive box in File Manager, except that it browses through the printer shares on the network and maps them to the system’s printer ports. Once you have mapped a port to a share, any print jobs sent to that port by any application are redirected to the appropriate share. As with drive shares, you can also manager network printer access from the DOS prompt using the NET, NET USE, and NET PRINT commands.Sharing system resources Unlike the Microsoft Client for MS-DOS, Windows for Workgroups includes a server component that enables you to share its resources with other computers on the network. This alone is sufficient reason to upgrade any DOS/Windows 3.1 system you may have to Windows for Workgroups. From the administrator’s perspective, the ability to access the system’s drives remotely can be an immeasurable aid in software troubleshooting.
In order to create a drive share on a Windows for Workgroups system, you highlight the drive or directory to be shared in File Manager and select Share As from the Disk menu. This presents the dialog box shown in Figure 8-15, which is the functional equivalent of the Sharing page in a Windows 98 drive’s Properties dialog box. As in Windows 98, you specify a name for the share and passwords providing either read-only access, full access, or both. The Re-Share at Startup checkbox makes the share persistent. When the share is created, its icon in File Manager appears with an outstretched hand, just as in Windows 98.
Figure 8-15: The Share Directory dialog box enables you to control network access to the drives on the local system. Using Windows NT Building a client/server network based on Windows NT is substantially more complicated than a peer-to-peer network, and usually not necessary for a home or small business. However, this does not mean that you cannot use Windows NT on your peer-to-peer network. Windows NT Workstation 4.0 is designed for use as a client workstation on a LAN, as opposed to Windows NT Server, which is fundamentally the same operating system, but with many additional applications and features that provide services to the network. In function and appearance, Windows NT Workstation is very similar to Windows 98. The Network Control Panel uses the same basic components: adapters, protocols, and services, although each has its own page in the dialog box rather than being listed together as in Windows 98. In the Windows NT Explorer application, you access network shares and share local resources just as you would in the Win98 version. |
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