This section relates information about configuring your computer to use the networking features of Windows NT. If you are not installing these features, Setup automatically skips the screens shown in this chapter and jumps to the end of installation. See the next chapter, "Finishing Installation," for more information.

Your first network Setup choice is to indicate the type or types of network, if any, in which your computer will participate.

Check the Remote access to the network option if you will use a modem to connect to the network.

For all other network connection types, check the Wired to the network option. You can check both options if both scenarios apply to your computer. If you do not want access to a network, select the Do not connect this computer to a network at this time option. You can install or modify your network connections after Setup is complete by double-clicking Network in Control Panel.

If your computer is wired directly to a network, the next step is to identify the network adapter(s) in your computer.

Setup uses an automated method of detecting adapters, but if you plan to use a type other than what is detected, you must do both of the following:

When you click Start Search, Setup checks for network adapter cards in your computer and displays the first network adapter it finds. Click Find Next to search for additional adapters.

Setup cannot recognize some types of network adapters, and as a result one or more of your adapters might not be detected and added to the list. If Setup cannot identify your adapter, or if you have the disk from the manufacturer of an additional adapter you wish to install, click Select from list... and click the name of the adapter you want to install.

If you do not know the name and model of your adapter, use one of the following methods to find it out:

You can install additional adapters after running Setup by double-clicking the Network icon in Control Panel.

Depending on the manufacturer of your network adapter, Setup might display an Adapter Card Setup dialog box, letting you select the correct IRQ number, I/O base port address, memory buffer address, and other settings. For many adapters, these settings are configured automatically. In these cases, we recommend that you accept the manufacturer’s proposed settings.

Make sure to double-check all adapter settings before continuing with Setup. If your network adapter is set improperly, Windows NT won’t be able to run network services.

If you are an experienced user and know that you need to change adapter settings, see the documentation for your network adapter or ask your network administrator for the correct values.

Next, Setup asks you to select one or more network protocols to install.

Protocols are the software that enable the exchange of information among computers. Common network protocols include the following:

You must select NetBEUI if your computer communicates with other computers on an existing Microsoft network that uses NetBEUI for Windows NT 3.1 or later, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, or LAN Manager 2.x.

If you do not install NetBEUI and your network requires it, your computer will not be able to communicate with other computers on your network.

If you are unsure about which network protocol to choose, accept the default or ask your network administrator. After Setup is complete, you can add or remove any transports for your system by double-clicking the Network icon in Control Panel.

For Custom Setup, the Network Services dialog box appears after you configure the first network adapter so that you can install additional supporting software.

If you choose to install additional network components, you might be asked to insert additional disks supplied by the component manufacturer.

Setup is now ready to copy the necessary files for installing your network options and start the network. If you want to make any changes to your network choices, click the Back button to do so now.

Click the Next button to begin installing the networking components.

While Setup is copying the needed files to your computer, dialog boxes might appear for the various adapters, protocols, and services you have chosen to install. Accept the default values in each dialog box or type the settings required for your computer.

Next, Setup lets you adjust your network bindings.

Network bindings are the series of paths that enable communication among the network services, protocols, and adapters in your computer. In some cases, you can adjust the bindings on your computer to increase the performance of certain network services among multiple network adapters.

Do not attempt to change the binding settings unless you are an experienced network administrator familiar with the requirements of your network software.

To adjust the bindings for a network service, double-click the service name and click the adapter or protocol to which it is connected. Then, click the Enable and Disable buttons to allow or disallow communications along the selected path.

By default, Setup displays all bindings as they are associated with the network services. To change the view on this screen, click the drop-down menu arrow and choose All protocols or All adapters.

Next, Setup displays the Domain Settings dialog box.

In Windows NT, a workgroup is a collection of computers that appears, for convenience, under the same workgroup name when you browse network resources. Belonging to a common workgroup is a way for coworkers to quickly find each other’s computers on the network. When you browse the network, the names of all the computers in your workgroup appear first in the browsing directory.

Any computer can join any single workgroup. You can join an existing workgroup or create a new one simply by typing a workgroup name. Windows NT Setup will accept almost any workgroup name you choose, including the default WORKGROUP. The only workgroup name you cannot use is the name you gave to your computer, as described in "Entering Your Personal Information" in Chapter 6, "Gathering Information About Your Computer."

A domain is a collection of computers defined by the administrator of a Windows NT Server network. A domain provides the same convenience for network browsing and also provides access to the centralized user accounts and group accounts maintained by the domain administrator.

Unlike a workgroup, a domain must already exist for you to join it. Joining a domain usually requires that the domain administrator add an account for your computer to the domain. If the administrator has given you the correct privileges, however, you can create your computer account during installation. Check with your administrator to see how your account will be created.

If you do not know the domain name for your computer and you want to finish running Setup without this information, you can select the Workgroup option and then type any workgroup name. After running Setup, you can join a domain or change the workgroup name by double-clicking the Network icon in Control Panel.

If you have recently removed an older version of Windows NT Workstation and are reinstalling on a computer that previously belonged to a domain, you must ask your network administrator to delete your machine account and create a new one. Otherwise, you will not be able to log on to the domain after the reinstallation.

You cannot change the machine account when you are upgrading your original Windows NT Workstation installation.

The Domain Settings dialog box can be used in two ways, depending on your network configuration:

At this point in Setup, dialog boxes might appear for the various adapters, protocols, and services you have chosen to install. Accept the default values in each dialog box or type the settings required for your computer.