Last month’s “Front Counter Mechanics” explained how to select and install network interface cards (NIC’s). This month’s article, the fourth and last in the Computer Networks series, describes the payoff: How to get the computers talking across the network.

Once the network cable and cards are working, configure the Windows network settings. This takes four steps:

1. Install the Network Neighborhood icon.
2. Set the Network Properties for each computer in the network.
3. Set the Share Properties for specific drives and printers on each computer.
4. ‘Map’ the shared drives and printers across the network.

Repeat these same four steps for each computer on the network. Bearing Step 4 in mind, begin with the computers with the drives and printers you wish to share, and end with the computers that have little or nothing to share. Throughout this process, Windows may ask you to install files from your original Windows installation disks (or CD-0ROM), so have them (or it) handy.

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