If you have more than one computer, and the computers are networked, you probably want to share resources like files, folders, and printers over the network. As a rule of thumb it makes no difference if the network is wired, wireless, or both, or even if the computers connect through a router or access point, the computers only see network devices.

There are now printers that have an ethernet port, or a radio to wirelessly connect to an access point, but you may also have an old fashioned printer that connects directly to your computer through a USB or some other cable connection. Sharing a printer is simple.

Read More →

On my home network I have a Cisco Linksys Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router that has a built-in firewall, and I run McAfee Security Center that also includes a firewall for each machine it is installed on. I tried sharing files and folders, and printers, between a wired PC and a wireless PC, but was denied. It makes no difference on a network if the PCs are wired or wireless, because they all look the same on the network, and use the same protocols.

Since I could see the other PC on the network, but I could not see any printers, or shared files and folders, I suspected the McAfee firewall was blocking the ports needed to share.

Let’s setup sharing between these computers.

Read More →

Microsoft KB article 929868 describes a problem which will cause you to experience very slow browsing on certain websites when using Internet Explorer 7 on Windows Vista, and eventually the website might even drop the data completely. The cause is that by default, Windows Vista Enterprise fully supports RFC 1323 and supports a Windows Scaling factor of 8. This issue occurs when a Web site does not fully support RFC 1323 or when a Web site does not support the default scaling factor.

THE QUICK FIX

To work around the slow browsing issue change the Windows Scaling to a factor of 2. First open and Administrator command line prompt. Click Start –> All Programs –> Accessories, right click Command Prompt, then left click Run as administrator. As an alternative you can click Start then type into the Start Search box, or the Run box, cmd, then use the shortcut keys Ctrl-Shift-Enter. (NOTE: After you set a new autotuninglevel you will need to reboot in order for the changes to take effect.)

Type, or copy and paste, into the Administrator command prompt window:

netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=highlyrestricted

This will set the autotuninglevel to "Allow the receive window to grow beyond its default value, but do so very conservatively". In this mode, Vista will by default use RWIN of 16,384 bytes with a scale factor of 2.

MORE AUTOTUNING OPTIONS

To restore the autotuninglevel back to the default setting type, or copy and paste into the Administrator command prompt window:

netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=normal

There have been reports that disabling the autotuning feature will speed up threaded network downloads, mostly used with downloading agents and per-to-peer networking, along with great improvement to file copying on your network. Vista has issues where it will hang to a file copying task, but Service Pack 1, which is coming out in less than a month, is expected to fix this issue. There have been other reports that say disabling the autotuning of TCP can also fix other Vista specific issues related to slow file transfer between Outlook 2007, and Exchange server connections.

You can disable autotuning with the following command:

netsh int tcp set global autotuninglevel=disable

When autotuning is disabled, the RWIN receive window defaults to a value of 65536 bytes.

There are two more settings. First restricted:

netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=restricted

Restricted allows for the receive window to grow beyond the default value, but limits such growth in some scenarios.

Second is experimental:

netsh interface tcp set global autotuninglevel=experimental

Allows for the receive window to grow to accommodate extreme scenarios. Note The experimental value can decrease performance in common scenarios. This value should be used only for research purposes, and is not suitable for most common uses like general web browsing.

NOTE: Vista may have autotuning disabled by default, unless you use Diagnose and repair for a network connection, which will cause Vista to enable autotuning using the "normal" autotuninglevel.

To read a more technical description about tuning the TCP receive window size (RWIN), click here.

Before you start: To decide what type of network to set up or to find out what hardware and cables you need, see What you need to set up a home network. That topic has information about the different types of networks (also known as network technologies), as well as hardware requirements for each type.

Once you know what type of network you want and have the necessary hardware, there are four possible steps to take (two of these are not always required):

1. Install any necessary hardware.
2. Set up an Internet connection (optional).
3. Connect the computers.
4. Run the Set Up a Wireless Router or Access Point wizard (wireless only).

Each of these steps is described in detail later in this article.

Start by setting up one computer. Once you set up the network and you are sure that the first computer is working correctly, you can add additional computers or devices.

Note: This information is designed for people who have a broadband connection (usually DSL or cable) to the Internet rather than a dial-up connection.

Install the hardware

Install network adapters in any computers that need them. (Follow the installation instructions in the information that came with each adapter.)

Set up or verify an Internet connection (optional)

You don’t need an Internet connection to set up a network, although most people want to use their network to share an Internet connection. To set up an Internet connection, you need a cable or DSL modem and an account with an Internet service provider (ISP). Then open the Connect to the Internet wizard and follow the instructions. For more information, see What do I need to connect to the Internet?

If you already have an Internet connection, you just need to verify that the connection is working. To do that, open your web browser and go to a website that you don’t usually visit. (If you go to a website that you visit often, some of its web pages might be stored on your computer and will display correctly even if your connection is faulty.) If the website opens and you don’t get any error messages, your connection is working.

To share an Internet connection

You can also share one Internet connection among two or more network computers. To do that, you can either use an intermediary device or set up Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). Your ISP might charge a fee for multiple Internet connections. Ask your ISP for information about this.

Use an intermediary device

You can use a router or a combined router and modem (also called an Internet gateway) to share an Internet connection. If you use a router, connect it to both the modem and the computer with the Internet connection, and then verify your Internet connection again. The information that came with the router should include connection instructions. If you use a combined router and modem, plug it into any computer. Check the information that came with the device for more detailed connection instructions.

Note

The router and modem must be turned on to use the Internet connection from any of the computers on your network.

Set up ICS

If you want to share an Internet connection and you don’t want to buy any more equipment, you can set up ICS on the computer that is connected to the modem. That computer will also need two network adapters: one to connect to the modem and one to connect to the other computer. ICS is not included with Windows Vista Starter.

Connect the computers

There are several ways to connect computers-the configuration depends on the type of network adapters, modem, and Internet connection that you have. It also depends on whether or not you want to share an Internet connection among all the computers on the network. The following sections briefly describe some connection methods.

Ethernet networks

You need a hub, switch, or router to connect computers using Ethernet. (For information about each type of hardware, see How do hubs, switches, routers, and access points differ?)

To share an Internet connection, you need to use a router. Connect the router to the computer that is connected to the modem (if you haven’t already done this).

Ethernet network with wired router and a shared Internet connection

If your home or office is wired for Ethernet, set up the computers in rooms that have Ethernet jacks, and then plug them directly into the Ethernet jacks.

Ethernet network using built-in Ethernet

Wireless networks

For wireless networks, run the Set Up a Wireless Router or Access Point wizard on the computer attached to the router. The wizard will walk you through the process of adding other computers and devices to the network.

Wireless network with a shared Internet connection

HPNA networks

For HPNA networks, you need an HPNA network adapter in each computer and a phone jack in each room where there is a computer. Plug the computers into the phone jacks. The computers will be automatically connected.

Turn on all computers or devices, such as printers, that you want to be part of your network. If your network is wired Ethernet or HPNA, it should be set up and ready to use. You should test your network (see below) to make sure that all computers and devices are connected correctly.

Run the Set Up a Wireless Router or Access Point wizard

If your network is wireless, run the Set up a Wireless Router or Access Point wizard on the computer attached to the router.

• Open Set Up a Wireless Router or Access Point by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Network and Internet, and then clicking Network and Sharing Center. In the left pane, click Set up a connection or network, and then click Set up a wireless router or access point.

The wizard will walk you through the process of adding other computers and devices to the network. For more information, see Add a device or computer to a network.

Enable sharing on your network

If you want to share files and printers on your network, make sure your network location type is set to Private and that network discovery, file sharing, and printer sharing are turned on. For more information, see Choosing a network location and Enable or disable network discovery.

Test your network

It’s a good idea to test your network to make sure that all of the computers and devices are connected and working properly. To test your network, do the following on each network computer: Click the Start button , and then click Network. You should be able to see icons for the computer you are on and all of the other computers and devices that you have added to the network. If the computer you are checking has a printer attached, the printer icon might not be visible on other computers until you enable printer sharing. (Printer sharing is not available on Windows Vista Starter.)

Note

It might take several minutes for computers running previous versions of Windows to appear in the Network folder.

The variety of options for home networking can make buying decisions difficult. Before you decide what hardware to get, you should decide what type of network technology (the way computers in a network connect to or communicate with one another) to use. This article describes and compares the most common network technologies and lists hardware requirements for each.

Note: This information could be applied to almost any operating system.

Network technologies

The most common types of network technology are wireless, Ethernet, and HPNA (home phone line). When choosing a network technology, consider the location of your computers, desired speed of your network, and how much you want to spend. The sections below compare these three technologies.

Wireless

Wireless networks use radio waves to send information between computers. The three most common wireless network standards are 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11a.

Speed

• 802.11b: transfers data at a maximum rate of 11 megabits per second (Mbps)
• 802.11g: transfers data at a maximum rate of 54 Mbps
• 802.11a: transfers data at a maximum rate of 54 Mbps

(For example, downloading a 10 megabyte [MB] photo from the Internet under optimal conditions takes about 7 seconds on an 802.11b network and about 1.5 seconds on an 802.11g or 802.11a network.)

Cost

Wireless network adapters and routers can cost three or four times as much as Ethernet cable adapters and hubs or switches. 802.11b products are the least expensive; 802.11a products are the most expensive. 802.11g products are priced in the middle and offer a greater signal range than 802.11b and 802.11a products.

Pros

• It’s easy to move computers around because there are no cables.
• Wireless networks are usually easier to install than Ethernet.

Cons

• Wireless is more expensive and often slower than Ethernet or HPNA.
• Wireless can be affected by interference from things such as walls, large metal objects, and pipes. Also, many cordless phones and microwave ovens can interfere with wireless networks when they’re in use.
• Wireless networks are typically about half as fast as their rated speed under all but ideal conditions.

Ethernet

Ethernet networks use Ethernet cables to send information between computers.

Speed

Ethernet transfers data at either 10, 100, or 1000 Mbps, depending on the type of cables used. Gigabit Ethernet is the fastest, with a transfer rate of 1 gigabit per second (or 1000 Mbps).

(For example, downloading a 10 megabyte [MB] photo from the Internet under optimal conditions takes about 8 seconds on a 10 Mbps network, about 1 second on a 100 Mbps network, and less than a second on a 1000 Mbps network.)

Cost

Ethernet cables, hubs, and switches are very inexpensive and many computers come with Ethernet adapters installed. Adding a hub, switch, or router to your network will be most of the cost.

Pros

• Ethernet is a proven and reliable technology.
• Ethernet networks are inexpensive and fast.

Cons

• Ethernet cables must be run between each computer and to a hub, switch, or router, which can be time-consuming and difficult when the computers are in different rooms.
• Gigabit Ethernet is expensive.

HPNA

HPNA networks use existing home telephone wires to send information between computers.

Speed

HPNA 2.0 transfers data at 10 Mbps. HPNA 3.0 transfers data at 128 Mbps.

(For example, downloading a 10 megabyte [MB] photo from the Internet under optimal conditions takes about 8 seconds on an HPNA 2.0 network and about 1 second on an HPNA 3.0 network.)

Cost

HPNA adapters cost a little more than Ethernet adapters but are usually less expensive than wireless adapters.

Pros

• HPNA uses the existing telephone wiring in your home.
• You don’t need hubs or switches to connect more than two computers in an HPNA network.

Cons

• You need a phone jack in each room where you want to have a computer, and all jacks must be on the same phone line.

Hardware requirements

There are several kinds of hardware used in home networks.

• Network adapters: These adapters (also called network interface cards, or NICs) connect computers to a network so that they can communicate. A network adapter can be connected to the USB port on your computer or installed inside your computer in an available Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) expansion slot.

Wireless, Ethernet, and HPNA network adapters

• Network hubs and switches: Hubs and switches connect two or more computers to an Ethernet network. A switch costs a little more than a hub, but it speeds up the transfer rate of information.

Ethernet hub

• Routers and access points: Routers connect computers and networks to each other (for example, a router can connect your home network to the Internet). Routers also enable you to share a single Internet connection among several computers. Routers can be wired or wireless. You don’t need to use a router for a wired network but we recommend it if you want to share an Internet connection. Access points turn wired Ethernet networks into wireless networks. If you want to share an Internet connection over a wireless network, you will need a wireless router or an access point.

Access point (left); wired router (center); wireless router (right)

• Modems: Computers use modems to send and receive information over telephone or cable lines. You will need a modem if you want to connect to the Internet.

Cable modem

• Network cables (Ethernet and HPNA only): Network cables connect computers to each other and to other related hardware, such as hubs and routers.

Ethernet and HPNA cables

The table below shows the hardware that you need for each type of network technology.

Technology	Hardware	How Many
Ethernet	Ethernet network adapter	One for each computer on your network
	Ethernet hub or switch (only needed if you want to connect more than two computers)	One (a 10/100 hub or switch is best and should have enough ports to accommodate all computers on your network)
	Ethernet router (only needed if you want to connect more than two computers and share an Internet connection)	One (you don’t need a hub or switch if you have a router because it has ports on it for your computers)
	Ethernet cables	One for each computer connected to the network hub or switch (10/100 Cat 5e cables are best)
	Crossover cable (only needed if you want to connect two computers directly to each other and not use a hub, switch, or router)	One
HPNA	Home phoneline network adapter (HPNA)	One for each computer on your network (USB-to-phoneline network adapters are best)
	Telephone cables	One for each computer on your network (use a standard telephone cable to plug each computer into a phone jack)
Wireless	Wireless network adapter	One for each computer on your network
	Wireless access point or router (recommended)	One

It’s a good idea to find out what kind of network adapters your computers have, if any. You might decide to go with a certain technology because you already have most of the hardware, or you might decide to upgrade your hardware. Most people find that a combination of technologies works best for their environment. For recommended layouts and information about assembling your network, see Setting Up a Home Network.