HowTo: Microsoft: SOHO Network 2: Set up a Router and Workstations using DHCP and Preset TCPIP Ranges for a Small-Office/Home-Office Workgroup on Broadband Internet
Summary: This tutorial shows how to set up a router to feed broadband cable or ADSL/DSL internet to a home, home-office or small office (SOHO) network of computer workstations --and-- how to set up each workstation to accept a TCPIP address assigned by the DHCP server in the router, to form a network of computers that communicate with each other and with the internet.
The following sections were covered on Page 2:
- Section 2: Connecting the router and computers
- Section 3: Configuring the computers as members of a Workgroup
Section 4: Configuring the computers to receive an IP address from the router [DHCP]
There's a catch 22 situation here. You use the web browser in a computer to set up your router for connection to the internet. But the computer can't see the router until it has an IP address that is consistent with the router's IP address. So first the computer must be given this consistent IP address. Where does it come from?
The router is standing by, waiting to give the computer this consistent IP address when the computer is switched on. So all we have to do is set the computer up to be the client who receives the IP address that the server, i.e. the router, serves up.
Windows 2000: Open the network and dial up connections icon in Control Panel. Then RClick the "local area conection" and select properties. You should ensure three entries are ticked as in the pic
There may be additional entries for other components. Ignore them.
Highlight the TCPIP internet protocol and click properties to open the Internet protocol properties panel.
Make sure that only the choices Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically are activated. Now click the Advanced button to check that your details are correct:
Finally, check your details for the DNS tab
and for the WINS tab
You can most likely ignore the last Tab. I always do. Now click OK buttons to lock all that in; i.e. don't just click the crosses in the top right hand corners to close the panels.
Windows XP: Open the network connections icon in Control Panel [classic view]. Then RClick the "local area conection" and select properties. You should ensure four entries are ticked as in the pic
There may be additional entries for other components. Ignore them.
Highlight the TCPIP internet protocol and click properties to open the Internet protocol properties panel.
Make sure that only the choices Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically are activated. Now click the Advanced button to check that your details are correct for IP Settings
,for DNS
and for WINS
You can most likely ignore the last Tab. I always do. Now click OK buttons to lock all that in; i.e. don't just click the crosses in the top right hand corners to close the panels.
Windows 98SE: Open the Network icon in Control Panel.
Highlight TCP/IP and click properties to open the TCP/IP Properties panel.
You'll see seven tabs where settings can be changed. Here are the settings you should have.
IP Address: Obtain an IP address automatically- WINS configuration: Use DHCP for wins resolution
- Gateway: blank = nothing
- DNS configuration: Disable DNS
- NetBIOS should have an inaccessible entry: i.e. I want to enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP
- Advanced: Leave alone
- Bindings: (1) Enable Client for Microsoft Networks and (2) Enable File & printer sharing if you want to share across the Workgroup
Section 5: Power up the router & network
It's important to have the router ready to serve up IP addresses to the client computers before the computers ask for IP addresses. The computers, the router and any ancillary network switches/hubs, and the broadband modem should be switched off. The correct sequence for switching on the network is important:
- First power up the router and give it some time to settle down if it has some sort of start-up routine
- Then power up the computers and have them complete their start-up sequences to beyond the log in point
- All computers have network cable connections between their ethernet sockets and LAN sockets on the router
- The WAN socket on the router is connected to the broadband modem by standard network cable and the modem is still switched off
- The ethernet connector in/attached to each computer has a status light which should show a connected state (usually green)
- The status lights on the LAN sockets should affirm there is a good connection to that socket's computer
Go back to page 1 or page 2 or forward to page 4.
MS Windows Tutorials.
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Grisoft's AVG Antivirus
virus scanner
Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm
firewall
Lavasoft's Ad Aware
malware cleaner
Javcool's SpywareBlaster
spyware gate
SpyBot's Search & Destroy
registry cleaner
Together, these five quite excellent free programs provide multi faceted and overlapping security not available from single proprietory [i.e. non-free] security package.
Cheers, Swerdna.
