Wired Networking Guide

1. Getting started
2. Fitting a network card
3. Installing the driver software
4. Setting up Windows networking
5. Setting the Computer Names and the Workgroups

1. Getting started

1. Plan your network! Decide where you want to be using your computers. The location of your broadband enabled telephone line may be a deciding factor. Always work to minimise the amount of cable laying you need to do.
2. Read through all your hardware instructions. Before doing anything, you should be familar with all the steps.
3. Make sure all your computers have network cards installed, or built-in. If necessary, install a network card in each computer or laptop that you intend to network.

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2. Fitting a network card

1. Shut down your computer.
2. Unplug the power cable.
3. Open the computer case.
4. Locate a free PCI slot and remove the cover bracket. Keep the screw at hand, as you will need this to secure your network card.
5. Place the network card into the free PCI slot. Ensure that the back plate is aligned with the opening. Apply steady pressure so that the card clicks into place.
6. Use the screw from the cover bracket to secure the network card in place.
7. Check that nothing has been accidentally moved or unplugged, then put the computer case back on.

8. Plug in and switch your computer on.

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3. Installing the driver software

1. Windows will detect that you have a new device installed. Your card may automatically work with Windows, or you will be prompted to install the driver files.
2. If your network card came with a driver disk, you will need to insert your disk and follow any on screen instructions.
3. You may need to restart your computer once the installation has finished.

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4. Setting up Windows networking

1. Click Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet Connections, then click Network Connections. If your network card is installed correctly, Windows will have installed a LAN Local Area Connection.

2. Right-click the network interface, click Properties. You will see the installed network components, including the following:

• Client for Microsoft Networks (windows components for running your PC on a network)
• File and Printer Sharing (allows other users to access your computer or printers)
• Quality of Service (QoS) Package Scheduler (Optional component for improving network performance)
• TCP/IP protocol (The rules that govern how data is sent and received over the Internet)

If any of these components are not present, you should reinstall them by clicking the Install button.

3. Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and then click Properties.

Using DHCP (Dynamic Host Connection Protocol)
Read your router documentation to see if this service is provided. DHCP will detect when a computer is attempting to connect and will assign it an IP address automatically.

Not using DHCP
If you are not using DHCP, you must assign IP addresses to each computer on your network.
Select "Use the following IP address:" and type 192.168.0.2 on the IP address line. Make the subnet mask 255.255.255.0

Give each computer on your network a unique IP address. Do this by changing the last number of the IP on each computer. The number can be anything from 1 to 254, just so long as it only appears once on your network.

The subnet mask always remains the same.

For example –
Computer 1 address: 192.168.0.2 subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Computer 2 address: 192.168.0.3 subnet mask 255.255.255.0

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5. Setting the Computer Names and the Workgroups

1. Click Start, Control Panel, then Performance and Maintenance (if you are using the classic view, double click System instead).

2. Click on the Computer Name tab. You may type a description of your computer.

3. Click Change, the Computer Name Changes window will display.

4. Type a name for your computer.

5. Type a name for your Workgroup, this must be the same for all the computers on your network that you want to share information between. Click OK, then OK again.

6. You will be prompted to restart your computer in order for these changes to take effect.

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