Windows XP Networking

UNIT 4 WINDOWS XP NETWORKING

Structure Page Nos.
4.0 Introduction 47
4.1 Objectives 47
4.2 Introduction to Windows XP Networking 47
4.2.1 TCP/IP Protocol Setting for Windows XP
4.2.2 To Select a Network Protocol
4.2.3 Virtual Private Networks and Remote Networking
4.3 Windows XP in File System 51
4.4 Sharing Network Resources in Windows XP 52
4.4.1 Sharing Files in Windows XP
4.4.2 Sharing Folders in Windows XP
4.4.3 Sharing Drives in Windows XP
4.5 Enabling Offline File Features 58
4.6 Summary 59
4.7 Solutions/ Answers 60
4.8 Further Readings 60

4.0 INTRODUCTION
Windows XP is a network operating system. Microsoft introduced Windows XP so
that it can be used in small networks as well as in networks spanning a large area.
Windows XP comes with Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional.
Home Edition supports workgroup networking but does not support domain
networking. Windows XP also supports most of the networking features that were
there in Windows 2000. Our objective in this unit is to highlight the features of
Windows XP professional edition.

4.1 OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit you should be able to describe:

• Windows XP networking features;

• file sharing features in Windows XP;
• folder sharing in Windows XP;
• disk sharing features in Windows XP;
• file Encryption in Windows XP, and
• offline features in Windows XP.

4.2 INTRODUCTION TO WINDOWS XP

NETWORKING
In this subsection we will take up some standard protocols supported by Windows XP
system.

4.2.1 TCP/IP Protocol Setting for Windows XP

TCP/ IP Protocol is a suit of protocols that provides a set of vast networking
capabilities. In Windows networking environments TCP/IP is the default protocol for

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 Windows 2000 both user group and domains. Windows XP has many built in features for configuring
and monitoring TCP/IP.

Configuring IP settings in Windows XP:

TCP/IP protocol suite is the default installation on all Windows XP systems.

To access TCP/IP properties:

1. Initially log as administrator
2. Open network Connections:
From windows XP start menu, choose connect to
3. Right click local area connection icon, choose properties from shortcut menu.
4. On the general tab, select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click properties.

The Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box opens. Through this dialog box
the computer can be configured to use static or dynamic addressing.

A new feature in Windows XP is Alternate IP Configuration tab in Internet Protocol

(TCP/IP) Properties dialog box.

It allows an automatically assigned:

• IP addresses if a DHCP server is available.

• Static IP configuration when a DHCP server is not available.

Thus this option enables the user to connect to two different networks and get address
assigned.

4.2.2 To Select a Network Protocol

Click the network protocol that you wish to work on (as shown in Figures 1 & 2):

Figure 1: Network Selection Screen

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 Windows XP Networking

Figure 2: Installation Screen

If we right click on My Network Places to display network properties, this window

(Figure 3) appears on the screen,

Figure 3: Network Connection Screen

Then the following windows (Figure 4) for LAN connection properties appear:

Figure 4: LAN Connection Properties Screen

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 Windows 2000 For authenticated network access the following screen (Figure 5) is used.

Figure 5: LAN Properties Screen

For selecting network components that you wish to install on your network use the
following screens (Figure 6):

Figure 6: Network Component(s) Selection Screen

The NetBEUI Protocol is not available in Windows XP:

Support for the NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI) network protocol has
been discontinued in Windows XP. This protocol is not available for installation in
Windows XP.

If you upgrade from a previous version of Microsoft Windows with NetBEUI

installed, the Compatibility Wizard displays the following message:
The currently installed driver for the NETBEUI Transport Protocol is not
compatible with Microsoft Windows XP and will be uninstalled during the
upgrade. This protocol is removed from this new version of Windows as shown in
Figure 7.

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 Windows XP Networking

Figure 7: Network Protocol Selection Screen

For more information about this driver, visit the manufacturers Web site at
[Link] Web addresses can change, so you may be unable to
connect to this Web site.

For a list of protocols supported by Windows XP, see the Microsoft Windows
Whishtis Protocols Compatibility List at the Microsoft Web site.

4.2.3 Virtual Private Networks and Remote Networking

Windows supports Virtual private networks connection to access machines remotely. A
VPN connection lets one system connect securely to another machine over the network.
A VPN is an extension of a private network that comprises links across shared or
public networks. But here in VPN, local network data is encrypted and is secure
(referred to as tunneling), for security considerations. For VPN connection either use
Point to Point (PPTP) or Layer 2 tunneling protocol (L2TP).

4.3 WINDOWS XP IN FILE SYSTEMS

File Systems manage the way in which system resources are shared. All network file
sharing are based on it. By default NTFS is the file system for fixed storage in
Windows XP.

To connect a drive to NTFS, follow these steps:

1. Choose Start, Run, Type cmd and click Ok.
2. At command prompt, type convert C:\FS: NTFS where C is the letter of the
your drive.
3. Press enter to run the command.

Note: If any of the files on a disk volume are open then volume won’t be converted.

File Encryption
Windows XP Professional lets the user encrypt any of the files or folders using EFS.
The user can still use that file or folder but no one else will be able to access it, if that
file is not shared.

To encrypt a file or folder:

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 Windows 2000 1. Right click the file and choose properties.
2. On the General tab, click the Advanced option.
3. In the Advanced Attributes dialog box, select Encrypt contents to secure data
and click OK.

This EFS service in Windows XP includes a new feature that allows sharing an
encrypted file or folder.
1. Right click the encrypted file and choose properties.
2. On the General tab, click advanced button, then click details button in
Advanced Attributes Dialog Box.
3. In encryption Details Dialog box, click the Add for multiple users.
4. In select user’s dialog box select the additional users and then click ok.

 Check Your Progress 1

1) _____________ allows users to keep copies of network files on a local
machine.
2) By Default windows XP computers contain ___________file-sharing feature.
3) By Default _______________is the file system for fixed storage in Windows
XP.
4) Command line option in any environment lets the user interact with the
___________________.

4.4 SHARING NETWORK RESOURCES IN

WINDOWS XP
In the subsection we will describe the process of sharing files, folders and devices in
Windows XP.

4.4.1 Sharing Files in a Windows XP

By default, Windows XP computers that do not belong a domain use a new feature
called Simple File Sharing.

New Feature in Windows XP:

Simple File sharing makes NTFS permissions easy for users to manage.

While sharing a resource with simple file sharing enable others users have read only
access to the file. Also Full Control can be given to the users.

But Windows XP computers that belong to a domain cannot use simple File sharing.

4.4.2 Sharing Folders in Windows XP

To share a folder with Simple File Sharing enabled, you first need to ensure that the
folder does not currently reside in a private folder. If the folder does, it is either
removed from the parent folder or to another location (as in Figure 8(a)).

To share the folder, follow these steps:

1. Right click the folder that user wishes to share. Choose sharing and security.
2. On the sharing tab, select share this folder on the network; give a name for the
folder in the share name box.

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Figure 8(a): Sharing Folder Screen(s)

Following Figure 8(b) is a list of shares (shares refer to shared resources over the
network) on the network: if the permission for sharing has not been granted then a
dialog box appears as it is shown in Figure 8 (b).

Figure 8(b): Drive Mapping Screen

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 Windows 2000 The following screen (Figure 8(c)) & (Figure 9) share a given folder on the network.

Figure 8(c): Resource Properties Screen

When this folder f1 is now shared using the “Simple File Sharing “ then also the
security settings are modified. Thus the option – Allow Network Users to change my
files is enabled and users will have full control to edit and delete files. But if you
want users to be able to read your files only, clear this check box.

Figure 9: Advanced Properties Screen

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4.4.3 Sharing Drives in Windows XP Windows XP Networking

To share a drive (Figure 10),

1. Right click the drive letter that the user wishes to share.
2. Choose sharing and Security.

Figure 10: Drive Sharing Screen

Windows XP lets the user handle security issues (Figure 11)

Figure 11: Web (D:) Properties

1) Select the desired folder from the share.

2) Right click on the folder and select “Sharing and Security”.
or
3) On the left side select “Share this Folder” (Figures 12 and 13).

Figure 12: Web (D:)

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 Windows 2000

Figure 13: Folder Option Screen

The process of sharing a disk is identical (Figure 14) to the procedure

used on Windows NT4 and Windows 2000.

Figure 14: Web (D:) Properties

Enter the name of the share, as to be used on the network and as to be displayed in
the Network Neighborhood as given in the above screen (Figure 15).

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Figure 15: New Share Screen

By default all users in a network have access for a share, Even this group can be
reduced (Figure 16).

Figure 16: Share Permission Screen 1

To view/modify the permissions or to remove the sharing you can select the share
names from the drop down list as shown in Figure 17:

Figure 17: Share Permission Screen 2

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 Windows 2000 Then the following screen Figure 18 shows Files and the Hard disk drives on
the shared network.

Figure 18: My Computer

While sharing a drive system warning is invoked that sharing an entire drive is not
recommended but sharing the entire drive is recommended for several situations as
well. But under circumstances, access should be given to everyone group (as shown in
Figure 16), but doing so makes the shared drive highly vulnerable.

4.5 ENABLING OFFLINE FILE FEATURES

Offline file allows users to keep copies of network files on a local machine. When say
not connected to network, the user can use cached copy. When the user again
reconnects to the network, offline file is synchronized with the online copy.

If changes have been made to the offline copy, offline file is copied to the network
copy. If network version is changed but offline copy has not changed, the online copy
is copied over the users offline versions.

If both online and offline versions of the file have changed, a dialog box appears that
lets the user select either of the two versions and also gives an option to retain both the
versions of different filenames with the same name.

This feature is useful for:

1. Users working on a network.
2. Mobile Users
3. Users with an unreliable network connection

In order to make a file offline fast user switching feature has to be disabled first.
This new Windows XP feature lets one or more additional users logon to the local
computer without the other users logging off.

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This fast user switching option is to be turned off first before making a network file Windows XP Networking
offline.
1. From Start, Control Panel chooses open folder option.
2. Select offline file option
3. Here select drive, ok.

While working with offline files (in Windows XP environment) following options can
be set:
1. Synchronize all offline files when logging on: If the users choose this option it
synchronizes all files as the user logs on to the network.

2. Synchronize all offline files before logging off: This is by default i.e. before
logging off all files are synchronized. This option makes sure that all users’
files are synchronized before logging off from the networks. For most users,
this option is the best while working with offline files.

3. Display a reminder every x minutes: A balloon reminder appears in the

notification areas, when the user is working offline. By default, this message
appears every hour. This time interval can be adjusted.

4. Create an offline File shortcut on the Desktop: In order to make shortcut to

the Offline files folder on your desktop you can easily access any offline files.

5. Encrypt offline files to secure data: This option facilitates the encryption of
files on the local hard disk.

6. Amount of disk space to use for temporary offline files: This option lets the
user control the amount of disk space that is allocated for temporary offline
files.

4.6 SUMMARY
Windows XP provides networking features that are capable of supporting a wide
range of networks. In this unit Windows XP networking has been discussed, since
TCP/IP is the de facto protocol for the Internet so it is also considered the favoured
protocol for Windows XP machines. Windows XP does not support NetBEUI. File
sharing, disk sharing folder sharing is very much similar to Windows and Windows
2000 environment. Also supported with this network operating system is file
Encryption. Offline features are very useful for mobile users. And a window XP does
support many offline features.

 Check Your Progress 2

1) Which operating systems support NTFS file system? Two computers are
connected using a Local Area Network; Machine A is running on a 98 second
Edition with FAT 32 file system. Machine B is running on XP Pro with NTFS
file system. Will the Machine A be able to view and access files on XP, which
are shared. Assume ideal situations with no group policies. Also answer, if not
why?

2) Mrs. Smith had Windows XP Pro on her Office desktop. She had some critical
data on his computer as password protected and secure. Due to some error, she
called a technician, who did a parallel installation of Windows XP on different
folder and removed the initial installation of XP. Will Mrs. Smith still be able to
access the shared File/Folders (assuming no recovery systems installed)? If not,
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 Windows 2000 can you enable it? Also what difference had it been if we had FAT32 or XP
Home Edition and why?

3) Mr. Smith wants to computerize his office. He has a Medium Scale business
with plans of growing in near future. What type of operating system and
network structure would you design for them?

4.7 SOLUTIONS /ANSWERS

Check Your Progress 1
1) Offline file feature
2) Simple file sharing
3) NTFS
4) Operating system

Check Your Progress 2

1) Operating systems that support NTFS are:
Windows 2000
Windows XP
Yes, although win 98 sec does not support NTFS, yet it is not reading
physically.
XP is reading the disk physically and transferring data using NIC card. There
fore, 98 Sec can read NTFS of XP.

2) No, there is no way to access them.

In FAT32, we could access using a different machine
We can physically attach the drive as secondary drive to a system and access the
files; this is because NTFS uses file encryption.
In XP home, we don’t have File Encryption.

3) Ideal Operating system: Windows XP

Ideal Network Structure: Server Based.

Reasons:
1. Not computerized at all: XP’s easy user interface would be better than
9X or 2000.
2. Plan to grow in near future: Server based is better over peer-to-peer with
more security and ease in increasing users and handling them.

4.8 FURTHER READINGS

1. www. [Link]
2. Survey of operating system. John Holcombe & Charles Holcombe, Tata
McGraw Hill.

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