Chapter 7. Step-by-Step Networking with Windows 98

In this chapter...

• Make Sure Your Hardware is Recognized

• Checking for TCP/IP

• Naming Your Computer and Workgroup

• Start File and Printer Sharing

• Using Network Neighborhood

• Share Internet Access Wirelessly

You say you've got Windows 98 computers? Well, you're in luck, because in this chapter, we'll walk you through the standard setup for connecting a Windows 98 computer on a wireless network.

Windows 98 computers are quite easy to network. In addition, if you use Windows 95 or Windows Me, you should be able to follow these directions to set up those operating systems on your network. More recent versions of Windows, such as XP and 2000, are set by default to appear on the network. We look at setting up those operating systems for wireless networking in the next chapter.

There is an important difference between Windows 95/98 and Windows Me. The more recently introduced Me offers the Home Networking Wizard, which can handle some of this operation for you. In addition, Windows Me has "Network Places," a folder that shows your available network resources, whereas Windows 95 and 98 have "Network Neighborhood."

You'll want to have your operating system CD-ROM handy, as you might be prompted after making network settings to copy files from the CD to your hard drive.

Ready? Let's get your systems up and running on your wireless network. You'll see how step by step in this chapter, and how to avoid potential pitfalls.