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Understanding Network
Configuration
 There are a couple of levels
of network configuration that need to be checked for
your network to work. The first level we will talk about is
the protocol level. Computers use several protocols (kind of like languages) to
communicate with each other. Each protocol has benefits and drawbacks. In
this ‘Internet Age’ we mostly use TCP/IP (or just IP) but for a
simple home network for file and print sharing we can use Microsofts NETBEUI. A long time ago IBM and Sytec invented a simple
network communication ptorocol called NetBIOS. Later IBM modified it for flexability and
called it NetBEUI. Microsoft then added network browsing and domain control
features to the protocol. We now have a simple, fast, easy
to configure network protocol. NetBEUI is 'self configuring'.
The second layer of networking
we will need to configure has to do with how Windows uses
the first level (the protocol level) to talk to other Windows computers for file
and print sharing. This second level has two components to it:
“Client for Microsoft Windows” and “File and Printer Sharing for Windows”
In summary, your network needs at least 4 things to
be configured.
1) Network Adapter Drivers
2) NetBEUI
3) Client for Microsoft Windows
4) File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Windows
Note: If this computer is currently
communicating with the internet, it needs TCP/IP installed too.
Now, lets get to configuring your network!
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