Windows xp network with 6 computers

[Roger]

Hi,
I currently have a windows network consisting of 4 machines with a mix of
windows xp home, xp pro and windows ME. A router handles DSL internet access
and assigns addresses via DHCP. I now need to add two more (for a total of
6) computers to the network but I know that windows xp home can connect to
only 5 computers and xp pro to 10. For the network to work, would I need to
upgrade all the non-xp-pro computers to xp pro? Or just one xp pro machine
on the network is enough? Since DHCP is handled by the router, is this
something that I should even worry about? Any help on this much appreciated.
Roger

 

[WTC]

I do not beleive so, I beleive those rules only apply to ICS.

 

[JR]

These quota's only matter if you are sharing files
amongst all the machines.
It doesn't apply to the internet access through your
router.

 

[Roger]

Yes, I will be sharing files among the machines eg. outlook email, word and
excel files in sharedocs folders, quickbooks accounting multi-user etc. I
will also be sharing one office printer with all the machines.
Roger

 

[Roger]

Then, since I am not using ICS, I can connect without a problem?

 

[WTC]

That is correct.

--
William

Then, since I am not using ICS, I can connect without a problem?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Yes, I will be sharing files among the machines eg. outlook email,
word and excel files in sharedocs folders, quickbooks accounting
multi-user etc. I will also be sharing one office printer with all
the machines.
Roger

You can make a maximum of 10 concurrent network connections to XP Pro.
You can make only 5 with Home.

If this isn't a small home network, invest in a proper server (decent
hardware & server OS) and perhaps even set up a domain to make admin easier
(all workstations should really run XP Pro in that case).

 

[Leythos]

Hi,
I currently have a windows network consisting of 4 machines with a mix of
windows xp home, xp pro and windows ME. A router handles DSL internet access
and assigns addresses via DHCP. I now need to add two more (for a total of
6) computers to the network but I know that windows xp home can connect to
only 5 computers and xp pro to 10. For the network to work, would I need to
upgrade all the non-xp-pro computers to xp pro? Or just one xp pro machine
on the network is enough? Since DHCP is handled by the router, is this
something that I should even worry about? Any help on this much appreciated.
Roger

Setup one XP Prof box as the main drive for everyone in the office. If
your users need to share printers, purchase a simple Network Printer box
to connect the printer too - it will mean you don't have to keep the
computers on to print.

Make sure that the "Common" machine that you are using to store all the
files on has a large tape backup drive and that you backup every night.

If you want to have even more reliability, install a Promise RAID
Controller card and mirror the hard drive.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Hi,
I currently have a windows network consisting of 4 machines with a mix of
windows xp home, xp pro and windows ME. A router handles DSL internet access
and assigns addresses via DHCP. I now need to add two more (for a total of
6) computers to the network but I know that windows xp home can connect to
only 5 computers and xp pro to 10. For the network to work, would I need to
upgrade all the non-xp-pro computers to xp pro? Or just one xp pro machine
on the network is enough? Since DHCP is handled by the router, is this
something that I should even worry about? Any help on this much appreciated.
Roger

There's a lot of misinformation on the Internet about the limits that
apply to Windows XP networking. I've even seen such misinformation on
the web site of a prominent computer maker. I'll try to give just the
facts:

1. There's no limit to the number of computers that can be on a
network with a Windows XP computer.

2. A Windows XP computer can connect to any number of other computers
on a network simultaneously, without limit.

3. There's no limit to the number of computers that can share an
Internet connection with XP.

4. A Windows XP Home Edition computer allows a maximum of 5 other
computers to connect to its shared resources (disks, folders,
printers) simultaneously.

5. A Windows XP Professional computer allows a maximum of 10 other
computers to connect to its shared resources (disks, folders,
printers) simultaneously.

Computers that aren't actively connected to a computer's shared
resources don't count against the limit. When a computer disconnects
from a shared resource, it no longer counts against the limit. This
site has more information:

Inbound Connections Limit in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314882

So, you don't need to upgrade any non-XP computers, and you don't need
to worry about the router.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Roger]

OK, thanks for making it so clear. So the limit only applies to incoming
simultaneous connections. Looks like one XP pro machine on the network will
be enough if I make it the server. Thanks again.
Roger

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

OK, thanks for making it so clear. So the limit only applies to incoming
simultaneous connections. Looks like one XP pro machine on the network will
be enough if I make it the server. Thanks again.
Roger

You're welcome, Roger.

I just checked, and the Gateway web site STILL has misinformation
about Windows XP networking, more than 3 years after the product was
released:

http://products.gateway.com/products/gconfig/prodconfig.asp?system_id=e6300sb&seg=sb

Under "Operating System", it says "Windows® XP Home Edition is a
consumer operating system and does not support peer-to-peer networking
of more than five computers". Unbelievable! I've reported the error
to Gateway.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com