Windows XP Was Made to Network

Aside from finally finding a use for the right button on the mouse, almost all the advancements in the Windows platform over the last 10 years have been made in the area of networking. Back in Windows version 3.1, network software was an expensive add-on productan afterthoughtcumbersome to install and manage. Not so anymore! Networking is built right into the heart of Windows XP, such that Windows is hardly even happy without a network attached.

Okay, I'm exaggerating. But the truth is, Windows XP's personality does change for the better when it's connected to a network, and the change depends on the type of network to which it's attached. In this chapter, I'll show you how to use Windows XP networking, and share tips for making the most of whatever type of network you have.

In Windows XP, using files and printers on the network is exactly the same as using files and printers on your own hard drive. The "look and feel" are identical. The only new tasks you have to learn are how to find resources shared by others and how to make your own computer's resources available to others on the network.

I'll use the word resource frequently in this chapter. When I say resource, I mean a shared folder or printer on someone else's computer, which you can access through the LAN or the Internet. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a resource as "an available supply that can be drawn upon when needed." That's actually a perfect description of a network resource: It's there for you to useprovided you can find it, and provided you have permission.

The ways of finding resources and managing permissions change depending on the type of network you have. I talked about these network models in detail in Chapter 15, "Overview of Windows XP Networking," but here's a quick review:

• Workgroup Network (Peer to Peer) A workgroup network, also called a peer-to-peer network, does not have a central server computer to perform user/password verification. On this network, each computer manages its own user list and security system. Home users and small offices usually use workgroup networks. Networks mixing Windows computers with Macintosh, Linux, and UNIX computers also fall into this category.

• Domain Network A domain-based network uses Windows 2003/2000/NT Server to provide a centralized user security database. All computers on the network look to a domain controller, or primary server, for usernames, group memberships, and passwords.

  NOTE

  From now on, I'll write "Windows 200x Server" when I'm referring to Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Server, or Windows NT 4.0 Server. I know it's confusing. Why Microsoft can't pick a name and stick to it, I'll never understand.

  
  

• Active Directory Network Active Directory (AD) adds a distributed, global user directory to a domain network. It not only provides a user and password database, but it also provides a way for management permissions to be delegated and controlled; this capability is very important in large, spread-out organizations.

• Remote Network Windows XP Professional functions very well on a standalone computer, but it also lets you connect to and disconnect from networks, or get remote access by modem, WAN (wide area network), or the Internet. Windows provides special services to help you deal with this "on again/off again" network relationship.

Most network functions are identical regardless of your network type. The following are some notable differences:

• On a domain network, the administrator can set up roaming profiles so that your settings, preferences, My Documents folder, and so on are centrally stored on the network, and are available to you on any computer on your LAN or even at other network sites.

• Active Directory gives you added search functions to find users and printers on your network. These search functions appear as added icons and menu choices that non-AD network computers don't have.

• In a domain or Active Directory network, the network administrator may use policy functions to restrict the network management features you can use. For example, you might not have the option to map network drives or add network protocols in such a strictly controlled LAN. Rather than rouse up a protest for computer freedom, though, be thankful that you'll have less maintenance and futzing to do yourself.

NOTE

I'm already tired of typing Active Directory over and over, so from here on, I'll usually abbreviate it as AD.

Members of a Windows network with AD have some optionsmenu choices and buttons in dialog boxes, for examplethat workgroup network users don't have. If you are using a workgroup network, don't feel left out. Because a workgroup typically has fewer than 10 computers, the searching and corporate-style management functions provided by AD simply aren't necessary.

In this chapter, I'll try to point out the differences you may encounter depending on your network type. But it's difficult to generalize about AD networks because AD's policy-based restrictions mean that some options might not appear where I say they will. If you are on a domain or Active Directory network and can't find an option I show you, call your network manager to see whether its use has been restricted.

Workgroup Versus Domain Networking

On a Windows domain-based network (that is, a network managed by a Windows 200x Server), user accounts are set up on the domain servers. Domain users are known by every computer on the network. When you and the network managers are establishing who can and can't have access to files, you can choose users and groups from the entire list of all users in your organization. You can grant access to specific individuals, departments, sites, or other groupings even though those users might be scattered around the globe.

In a workgroup network, however, it's a different story. Each computer in the workgroup has its own separate list of usernames. This makes it more difficult to be sure that a user on one computer can be granted access to another. I'll talk more about managing multiple users on a network in Chapter 28. For now, though, I can offer you this bit of advice:

TIP

The Simple File Sharing option eliminates the difficulties (and advantages) of individual user permissions over the network. If you want to be able to enforce user permissions over your Workgroup network, you'll have to disable Simple File Sharing. And, if you do, you'll find it much easier to use the network if you set up the same list of users on each your computers. Each user should have a unique private password, but it should be the same on every computer.