Tired of running from desk to desk to share or print files? Install a small office
network and save your energy for more important things, like running your business.
Windows XP makes file and print sharing easy to set up. This brief tutorial will show
you how to get started.
NOTE: For demonstration purposes, we are using Windows XP as our network
operating system.
In this course, you’ll learn:




Which hardware is best for a small office network
How to use Windows XP to share files across a LAN
How to share printers — even non-network printers
Various tips and tricks to manage and secure your network
Recommended Software



Windows XP Professional
Anti-virus and anti-spyware software
Firewall software
Recommended Hardware







A wireless router or access point
A wireless network adapter for each computer on the network
A wireless print server
USB and Ethernet cables
Two or more computers
One or more peripherals, such as a printer or scanner
For a wired network, an Ethernet hub and coaxial or twisted pair cabling to
connect the computers on your network.
Recommended Web sites



Get started using Remote Desktop with Windows XP Professional
CNET Learning Center: Wireless Security course
Microsoft TechNet: Home and Small Office Network Topologies
Lesson 1: Small-office network basics
Welcome, wadeldaim71. You are enrolled in this course.
In this lesson, we’ll look at the benefits of a small office LAN, and explore the pros
and cons of wired and wireless networks.
Your small business is growing. Not long ago, one computer was enough; now you
have several, not to mention a laser and an inkjet printer, and a scanner. A small
office network is the best way to tie these components together. Consider the benefits:





You can print and scan from any computer
Your devices can share one Internet broadband connection
Each computer can access files and folders on other systems
No more shuffling discs between machines
Safer and easier-to-manage security for your entire network
Many small offices today are using wireless networks, and for good reason: Wi-Fi
setups are considerably easier to install. If nothing else, you’re spared having to
physically connect your computers via cables. So you’ll spend less time crawling
under desks and along floorboards.
Another Wi-Fi perk: You can move a wireless-equipped node — say, a notebook
computer — to a new desk or cubicle without having to rewire anything. And while
wireless networks come with added security risks, you can take steps to minimize
these dangers, as we’ll explain in Lesson #6.
A wired network has its benefits too. They include:


No signal interference issues from cubicle and office walls, microwave ovens,
cordless phones, and other sources
Faster performance: An Ethernet 100BaseT network delivers speeds of 100
megabits per second. Although the theoretical maximum speeds of the latest
(802.11n) wireless routers easily top 200-mbps, CNET tests show real-world
performance of these Wi-fi networks at about 50mbps. (802.11n speeds are
likely to improve over time as the spec is finalized and supporting hardware is
improved.)
Another option is a mixed network that includes both wired and wireless nodes. This
is a good choice if you already have a wired network and want to add a wireless node
or two.
However to keep things simple, it’s a good idea to stick with one networking
technology.
Tip:
Windows XP has a helpful guide for creating a small network.



Go to Start/Control Panel/Network and Internet Connections/Set up or change
your home or small office network
Click Next on the Network Setup Wizard screen
Click checklist for creating a network
Lesson 2: Hardware requirements and options
Welcome, wadeldaim71. You are enrolled in this course.
This lesson describes the hardware and software you’ll need to share files and printers
on a small office network.
You don’t need a technical degree to set up a small office network, but proper
equipment is essential. If you’re installing a wireless LAN, here are some checklist
items:
Wireless router
» Wireless router: The Grand Central Station of your network, this device links your
Wi-Fi-enabled computers and peripherals to a broadband connection, such as a DSL
modem. It combines an Ethernet hub with a wireless access point. Many routers
support both wired and wireless connections.
Note:
If you expect to someday set up a VPN (virtual private network), you’ll need to
purchase a VPN router. Setting up a VPN is beyond the scope of this course, but we
just want to point out that if you do plan to set up a VPN in the future, consider
getting a VPN router now (even if you don’t use that feature right away).
» Wireless access point: This device connects your machines to a wired router. It’s
convenient if you already have a router and just want to enable wireless capabilities.
Wireless network adapter for a desktop PC
» Wireless network adapters: Most of today’s laptop computers have built-in Wi-Fi,
but with desktops, a wireless adapter typically costs extra. Your best bet is a plug-in
PCI card with an external antenna from a well-known networking vendor such as
Belkin or D-Link. Click here for more info on wireless network adapters for both
desktops and laptops.
Wireless print server
» Wireless print server: Want to hide that hulking laser in the storage room? Use
one of these to share a network printer (or two) across a wireless LAN.
» Cables: Even with a wireless network, you’ll still need Ethernet and USB cables to
make some connections. For instance, you’ll typically use a USB cable to connect a
network printer to a wireless print server. And you can use an Ethernet cable to link a
computer, printer, or print server directly to the router. If your router is physically
nearby, you might as well plug into it directly and take advantage of the increased
performance of a wired connection.
And some options:
» Network printer: A printer that connects directly to the network rather than to an
individual computer. For instance, if your printer has an Ethernet port, it can plug
directly into a router. This approach is more convenient than having a printer
connected to a computer, which needs to be turned on for other users to access the
printer.
» Wireless LAN range extender: If you encounter Wi-Fi-blocking interference from
steel-reinforced walls, metal doors, microwave ovens, and cordless phones, a range
extender from NetGear and other networking vendors can boost a wireless signal.
Going with wired Ethernet instead? You’ll need:



A network adapter for each computer on the network. Most of today’s PCs
are Ethernet-ready, so this part is easy
An Ethernet hub to manage the network
Enough coaxial or twisted pair cabling to connect each computer to the hub
Lesson 3: Create a small office workgroup
Welcome, wadeldaim71. You are enrolled in this course.
In this lesson, we’ll use Windows XP to set up a workgroup, the necessary first step to
share files and printers.
To share files and printers on your small office network, you’ll first need to create a
workgroup, which — as the term implies — is a group of linked computers that share
information over a network.


Go to Start/Control Panel/Network and Internet Connections
Click “Set up or change your home or small office network.”
Tip:
If you’re setting up a wireless network, select “Set up a wireless network for home or
small office.” The wizard will guide you through additional steps, such as enabling
WEP or WPA security (click each to find out more about these additional security
layers).



On the “Select a connection method” screen, check the box next to “This
computer connects to the Internet through a residential gateway or through
another computer on my network.”
The next screen (shown below) asks for a computer description and name. The
description isn’t that important, but you’ll want to enter a word or phrase that
helps identify the machine (e.g., “Stockroom PC” or “Design PC”, etc.).
The computer name is very important. Why? To take part in the network,
each computer must have its own unique name. You could, for instance, name
your main office machine “OFFICE1.”
Tip:
A computer name cannot be longer than 15 characters or contain spaces. Nor can it
include special characters such as ; : ” * + = \ | ? ,

The next step is equally important: Naming your workgroup. Keep it simple
(”OFFICE” works just fine). This is the name for the entire group of machines
— computers, printers, and so on — that comprise your workgroup.
Tip:
Bad memory? (You, not your computer.) Write down the workgroup name on paper.
You’ll need to enter the name when you set up the other machines on your network.

On the next screen, check the box next to “Turn on file and printer sharing.”
Once you’ve completed these steps, you’ll see a screen that says “Windows is
configuring your network settings.” This process may take a minute or so.
Tip:
Planning to install non-XP computers, such as older Windows 98 machines, on your
network? Don’t forget to create a Network Setup Disk. You’ll use this disk to
configure workgroup settings on the non-XP systems. On the screen that says “You’re
almost done . . . ” select “Create a Network Setup Disk.”
Congratulations! You’ve configured the first computer in your workgroup. Next,
repeat these steps on the other systems in the network.
Lesson 4: Setting up file sharing
Welcome, wadeldaim71. You are enrolled in this course.
This lesson shows how to set up file sharing settings in Windows XP.
Naturally, you’ll want to share files and folders across your small office network. But
do you want to share the entire contents of a computer’s hard drive, or only specific
files?
For security reasons, we strongly recommend the latter. In every small business, there
are files that shouldn’t be shared — personnel records, salary histories, business plans
— that you don’t want to be accessible to snoops and hacks. And a virus introduced
from the network will have less opportunity to wreak havoc if it can’t access the
entire drive.






To share a folder, go to Start/My Computer/Local Disk (e.g., the C: drive)
Right-click on the folder you want to share, and select “Sharing and Security”
from the drop-down menu
Check the box next to “Share this folder on the network”
Type a folder name in the “Share name” window. The easiest choice is the
folder’s current name, which Windows enters by default.
Do you want other users to be able to edit files on the computer? If so, check
the box beside “Allow network users to change my files”. If you leave the box
unchecked, other users will only be able to view the computer’s files.
Click “Apply”
Tip:
In Windows XP, only the Administrator has the right to configure file sharing and
other settings. (If you’re the only user of the computer, you’re the Administrator.) But
what if the computer has several users? Go to Start/Control Panel/User Accounts. The
user name with “Computer administrator” under it has the power.
Tip:
Only need to share a few files? Right-click the Desktop and select “New/Folder”.
Name the folder “Shared” and complete the file-sharing steps above. Then copy or
move all the files you’d like to share to that folder.
Tip:
How can you tell if a folder is shared? Look at its icon. If there’s a little hand holding
the folder, it’s shared.
WARNING:
If you enable file sharing on your network, it’s critical that you protect your network
thoroughly from digital intruders. We recommend a multi-layered security strategy
which is discussed in detail in Lesson 6.
Lesson 5: Setting up printer sharing
Welcome, wadeldaim71. You are enrolled in this course.
This lesson shows how to configure print sharing settings in Windows XP.
How you configure a shared printer depends on the type of printer you have:


A network printer has an Ethernet port which allows it to be connected
directly into a router. Examples are the HP Color LaserJet 2600n or the
Samsung CLP-510N color laser printer. Follow the printer’s setup instructions
for network use.
A non-network printer like the Konica Minolta Magicolor 2430DL or the HP
Color LaserJet 1600 lacks an Ethernet port, but you can connect it via USB
cable to either a computer on your workgroup, or to a wireless print server like
the D-Link RangeBooster G Multifunction Print Server DPR-1260 or the HP
JetDirect ew2400. Typically, a print server works with a printer if both devices
have either a USB or parallel port.
Don’t have a network printer or a print server? An affordable alternative is to connect
a printer via USB to one of your workgroup computers. With this approach, other
users will go through the computer to access the printer.
To configure this:





Go to the computer connected to the printer
Go to Start/Printers and Faxes
Right-click on the icon of the printer you want to share
Click “Sharing” from the drop-down menu
Select “Share this printer” and enter the Share name, or accept the default
name listed in the window (shown below)

Click “Apply”
Tip:
As with file sharing, a shared printer has a little hand under its icon.
The next step is to configure the other workgroup computers to use the new printer.





On each computer in the workgroup, go to Start/Printers and Faxes
Under Printer Tasks, select “Add a printer”. This launches the Add Printer
Wizard
Click “Next”
Under “Local or Network Printer”, select “A network printer, or a printer
attached to another computer”
On the next screen, choose “Browse for a printer”
XP then scans your small office network and lists all available printers. Select the
appropriate one.
Tip:
The printer — and just as importantly, the computer it’s attached to — must be turned
on for other users to access the printer.
Lesson 6: Security and administrative issues
Welcome, wadeldaim71. You are enrolled in this course.
This lesson describes the best ways to protect and manage your small-office network.
When you’re a small business owner, you wear multiple hats: CEO, CPA, and
probably IT guru too. If something breaks on the network, it’s your job to fix it. Oh,
and you’re also responsible for keeping out viruses, spyware, and malicious hackers.
So while it was a smart move to set up a small office network — and to activate file
and printer sharing — you’ve now got additional security and administrative
headaches to manage.
Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to shore up your network’s
defenses.
Tip:
The best network security is multi-layered. This means you should implement
numerous security features; if one fails or gets hacked, the others are in place to
protect you.
For a secure small office network, you’ll need:


Comprehensive security software which fights viruses, hackers, spam, and
spyware. Some examples are Symantec Norton Internet Security Small Office
Pack, Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2006, or ZoneAlarm Internet
Security Suite 6.5. These are available in a 5- or 10-user license.
A router with a hardware firewall that operates inside the device and protects
all the computers on your network.
Running a wireless network? Here are some tips:



Go to Start/Control Panel/Wireless Network Setup Wizard to enable WEP or
WPA security. (WPA is more secure but may not work with older hardware.)
Disable the SSID broadcast feature to make your network invisible to
neighborhood snoops. Check your router’s manual for setup instructions.
Enable MAC address filtering, which lets you specify which hardware
devices can access your wireless LAN. Again, check the router manual for
details on how to enable this feature.
Tip:
Every PC on your network should have anti-virus software installed at the very least.
Tip:
Make sure everyone on your team uses a “strong” password by making their
passwords meet these requirements:


They’re at least eight characters long
They contain elements from any of the following groups: lowercase letters,
uppercase letters, nonalphanumeric symbols (punctuation, *, #, $, etc.), and
digits
Accessing your network remotely
If you (or a member of your team) wish to access the network while you’re away from
the office, it’s easy — Windows XP Professional comes with a handy utility called
Remote Desktop. By activating it, you can take complete control of your work
computer via the Internet.
To activate Remote Desktop:



Go to Start/Control Panel/Performance and Maintenance
Click “System”, then the “Remote” tab
Select “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer” and click “OK”
As the Administrator, you’re granted remote access to the computer. However, you’ll
need to download the client portion of Remote Desktop. From the client computer —
the one you’ll be using to access the work machine — download the free remote
access utility from the Microsoft site.