Adding an XP Machine TO a LAN

[John Gregory]

My home network consists of a high speed cable modem connecting to a router
(NetGear RT311) with a straight through CAT 5 connection to the 8th port of
a (EZXS88W) Ethernet switch (not the Uplink port.... although there's a long
printed line running between the labels of these two ports suggesting
there's some sort of relationship). Three computers then plug into three
other ports of this switch; a WIN 95, WIN 98 SE, and the new WIN XP Home
Ed. that I'm trying to add to this network.

I've been reading for a few hours and jumping around in the instructions.
I'm confused.

First, I think I inadvertently set up a network while exploring the "Network
Setup Wizard". Network Connections tells me there are two active
connections:
1) Local Area Connection and 2) 1394 connection. There's activity on the
first, none on the second. If I DID do this and it shouldn't be there....
Q1) How do I get rid of it?

When I go to Control Panel/Internet Options/Connections/LAN settings...
nothing is checked.
Q2) Shouldn't something be checked here and if so, what?

I read somewhere in the instructions that "Network Setup Wizard is only
supported on computers using..." WIN98 and above. I configured the other two
machines over the past two years using WIN95 and WIN98 wizards.

Q3) How do I add this XP machine to the existing LAN I build two years ago?

Q4) How do I dtermining if the WINDOWS XP version I have is a 64 BIT
program?

 

[NetXPCom [MSFT]]

Q1) On your XP computer:
a) If you have a Network Bridge in your Network Connections folder
(which you can get to from the Control Panel), delete it.
b) Run the Network Setup Wizard again.
Select the "This computer connects to the internet through
another computer on my network or through a residential gateway" connection
method
Select the "Let me choose the connections" option at the
"You have multiple connections" screen
Uncheck all boxes at the "Select connections to bridge" page
At the workgroup page, find out what the workgroup name was
on your Win95, and 98 machines. Type this workgroup name into the Wizard on
your XP machine.
Accept remaining defaults. When the wizard is done you do
not have to create a setup disk. Restart as prompted.

Q2) If you're on an always on connection (which cable is), then choose the
"Automatically detect settings option"

Q3) See Q1

Q4) Go to Start -> Run and type in "winver". Hit enter, and the window
that pops up will say "Windows XP 64-bit edition". Otherwise, you have the
32-bit version of XP.

 

[John Gregory]

Thank you. Everything went smoothly. Do have a few more questions, however.

Q1) I want to change the names on the other two machines. Can I simple go
to "Control Panel/Network/Indentification" and change the names and
descriptions of the computers (NOT the network)? If not, how do I do that?

Q2) I still show two networks. One is the LAN that's working fine. The
other is that "1394 Connection" which shows it "enabled" through a "1394 Net
Adapter". It still shows no activity. What is this and is this an open link
that can threaten my security?

Q3) My task for the day (assuming I get 1 & 2 above squared away quickly)
will be to understand how I can use the calendar on Outlook 2000 that's on
machine 2 (Win98) with machine 3 (WinXP). I assume I won't be able to handle
this with machine 1 (Win95). Can you point me in the right direction to read
about getting this done please? I believe I have to separately create a
calendar that's viewable by the network or something to that effect. I
vaguely remember reading that when I bought Office 2000 Professional. It
wasn't a factor then.

Q4) I'd like to be able to read my email and view newsgroups from all three
machines with the ID I've already set up rather than creating separate one
and not being able to view what lands into "Outlook Express" from newsgroups
and into "Outlook 2000" for my email. I'd also like to be reading from the
same "My Favorites" file when using the "Internet Explorer Browser". If not
asking too much, can you steer me into the right place to read how that can
be done as well.

I deeply appreciate your help. You've saved me considerable time already.