11 How to Manage a Network

11.1 Join or Create a Workgroup

11.2 Files and Folders Sharing At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:
11.3 Accessing a Shared Folder
ƒ Create a new workgroup or join an existing workgroup
11.4 Sharing a Printer ƒ Learn the fundamentals of files and folders sharing
ƒ Implement files and folder sharing
11.5 Adding a Network Printer
ƒ Access the shared files and folders
11.6 Creating and Sharing Internet Connection ƒ Install and share printer over the network
ƒ Create a broadband Internet connection
ƒ Share the Internet connection over the network
 Networking Principles

11.1 Join or Create a Workgroup

When you set up a network using Windows XP, Windows automatically creates a

11 workgroup. You can manually join an existing workgroup on a network or create a new
group as you like.

Workgroup
A group of computers that are connected on a network and share resources, such as printers
and files. When you set up a network, Windows automatically creates a workgroup and gives
it a name.

Creating a workgroup

1. Click the Start button and then click Control Panel

2. Double click System icon of control panel

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A view of System Properties

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3. Click the Computer Name Tab

Computer name
and workgroup
name

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4. Click button to change current computer name and workgroup

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5. To join an existing workgroup, type the name of the workgroup that you want to join, and
then click OK.

6. To create a new workgroup, type the name of the workgroup that you want to create, and
then click OK.

Notes
ƒ Assign each computer a different, meaningful name.
ƒ Assign each computer to the same workgroup.

7. Click OK

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8. To restart your computer click YES.

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9. You have successfully created or joined a workgroup.

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11.2 Files and Folders Sharing

11 You can easily share files and folders over the network. Network users can access the files
and folders that are shared. Resources that are not set up for sharing remain private. For
example, you can enable the following resources for sharing:

ƒ Folders
ƒ Drives
ƒ Printers
ƒ Internet access

Sharing files and folders

1. Locate the file and folder which you want to share

2. Right-click the file that you want to share, and then click Sharing and Security to view
additional settings.

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3. Remote access is turned off by default. Click the Security warning message:
If you understand the security risks but want to share files without running the wizard, click here.

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Click here

4. Select Just enable file sharing and click OK

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5. Click Share this folder on the network, and then type a share name. You can use this
name later to access the data. You can Allow network users to change files by enabling it.
Click OK

11 Notes
The share name and the folder name do not have to be the same.

6. The shared folder will appear like this (with a hand under the folder)

Shared folder Unshared folder

7. You have successfully shared a folder.

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11.3 Accessing a Shared Folder

1. Click Start button and then click My Network Places.

2. You can see all the shared files and folder

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11.4 Sharing a Printer

Expensive printer such as laser printer can be shared and accessed by all the network users.

11 1. Click Start button, click Control Panel, and click Printers and Other Hardware

2. Click View installed printers or fax printers

(If you are using Classic view in Control Panel, double-click Printers and Faxes.)

3. Right-click the printer and then click Sharing

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4. If you are sharing printer or folder for the first time, the following warning message will
appear. Click on the warning message:
If you understand the security risks but want to share files without running the wizard, click here.

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Click here

5. The following screen will appear, click Just enable printer sharing, and then click OK.

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6. Click Share this printer, type a share name, and then click OK

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7. The printer is now shared and icon will appear like this

On the other computers, the Windows automatically installs the network printer that has the
share name you entered in step 6. You can install additional drivers by clicking
button. Network shared printer icon will look like one shown below.

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11.5 Adding a Network Printer

1. Click Start button, click Control Panel and click Printers and Faxes

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2. Click Add a printer

3. Add Printer Wizard starts, click Next

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4. Click A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer, and then click
Next button.

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5. Click Browse for a printer to find the printer in the network, and then click Next.

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6. Look for the workgroup, look for the computer, look for the share name, and then click
Next.

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7. Connect to Printer dialog box appears, ignore this warning and click YES

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8. Click Finish. Windows configures your printer and copies the printer driver over the
network

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9. You have successfully added a network printer. Network Shared printer will look like this

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11.6 Creating and Sharing Internet Connection

The Internet
The Internet is the largest network of the world. The Internet provides almost instantaneous
communication by using telephone lines and other media to transmit information from
computer to computer. The World Wide Web (WWW) is a network of computerized 11
information that can include text, photographs, video clips and sound.

Shared Internet connection gives everyone access to surf the web when they want it using a
single connection. To create a broadband Internet connection, use the following procedure:

1. Click Start button, click Control Panel

2. Click Network and Internet Connections

3. Click Network Connections

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4. Under Network Tasks, click Create a new connection

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5. New Connection Wizard will appear, click Next button

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6. Click Connect to the Internet, and then click Next

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7. Click Setup my connection manually, and then click Next button

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8. Click Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and password
and click Next

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9. In the Connection Name dialog box, type the name of the ISP. This becomes the name of
the connection. Click Next

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10. Enter the Phone number provided by ISP and click Next

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11. In the Internet Account Information dialog box, type the user name and password.
Additional checkboxes allow you to specify whether this connection and its user name and
password is available to all users (selected by default), whether this connection is your
default Internet connection (selected by default) and then click Next

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12. In the Completing the New Connection Wizard dialog box, review the settings. If you
need to modify any of them, click Back as many times as necessary. If all the settings are
correct, click Finish.

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13. Click Connect to attempt the connection, you have just created.

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13. Connecting TMnet… dialog box appears

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You have successfully created broadband Internet connection

Internet Connection Sharing

Let’s share the Internet connection so that other computer will have access to the Internet
using same Internet connection.

1. Click Start button, click Control Panel, then Click Network and Internet Connections,
Click Network Connections

2. Right click the TMnet icon and click Properties

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3. TMnet Properties dialog box appears, click Advanced Tab and check Internet
Connection Sharing then click OK

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4. You have successfully enabled the Internet sharing for all users on the network.

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