Installing a NIC, Hub and Cable

Installing the Network Card, Hub and Cable

Installing The Card

1. Remove the cover of your computer and set it aside, then locate a free PCI or ISA slot, depending upon the type of card you purchased.

   When installing a PCI card, use PCI Slot# 2 or 3.

   PCI slot #1 is generally shared with the AGP video card. PCI Slot #4 is shared with the ISA bridge and ISA hardware.

2. Install the card into the slot by gently inserting it into the open slot. Be sure it is seated firmly.

3. Install and tighten the screw that secures the card in the computer.

If you are using Coax Cable:

• Attach the “T” connector to connector on the card.

• Attach the coax cable to one end of the “T” connector, and then attach the 50 ohm terminator on the opposite end.

• Run the cable to your next computer and repeat each of the above steps. Only the first and last computer on your network requires that a 50 ohm terminator be installed. Those in the middle will have a coax cable attached to each side of the “T” connector.

If you are using CAT 5 Cable:

• Run the cable from the hub port to each machine on the LAN, securely plugging in the RJ 45 connector until it “clicks”. Do not plug the cable into the “uplink” port of your hub. The uplink port is used to join two hubs together.

Installing the software:

1. Do not reinstall the cover on your computer at this point, just go ahead and restart it.

   If you are running Windows 95 or Windows 98 your new card should be detected at boot up. If it is not, turn off the computer, remove and reinsert the card to reseat it, and then restart the computer.

2. On boot up Windows should ask for the driver disk that came with your network card. When it does, go ahead and install the driver. Most manufacturers place the drivers in folders on the installation disk according to the operating system you have installed.

3. After you have installed the driver, Windows will then ask for your Windows 95 or Windows 98 CD-ROM disk and then begin to install the necessary network files that are needed.

4. After all the files have been installed Windows will request that you restart your system. Once Windows has restarted, it will ask for a username and password. You MUST specify a user name and then click OK. Without clicking ok…you will NOT be signed onto the network and the machines will not recognize each other!!

Check The Installed Components:

1. After your system restarts, click Start, then Settings, then Control Panel.

2. Double click on the Network icon.

3. Click on the configuration tab, and make sure all the following are installed:

   • Client for Microsoft Networks
   • Dial-Up Adapter
   • The Ethernet Adapter you installed
   • TCP/IP—> Dial-Up Adapter
   • TCP/IP—> Your new Ethernet Adapter
   • File and Printer Sharing For Microsoft Networks

If any of the above components were not installed, you will need to manually install them by selecting Add, then proceed to add the missing component. Once the missing component(s) have been added, proceed with #4 below.

1. In the Primary Login box, select ” Client for Microsoft Networks”

2. Type the name of your workgroup in the “Workgroup Box”

   All the computers on the home network will have the same “network” name, and use only a single word for the name. Spelling counts!

3. Enter a description in the “computer description box”. You can use almost anything here, such a computer 1 and computer 2 , etcetera.

4. Click on the “Access Tab” and make sure “shared level access” is selected.

5. Click on “TCP/IP”, then the new “Ethernet Adapter” you installed and then select “Properties”.

   • At the IP address Tab, select “Specify IP Address”
   • Enter 192.168.0.1 as an IP Address for your first machine.
   • Each machine will have a unique IP address. You should use them in order, as an example Machine #1 would be 192.168.0.1 then Machine #2 would be 192.168.0.2 and so on.
   • For the Submask Enter 255.255.255.0 
   • All machines will use the same Submask. You must not randomly pick any IP Address or Submask. 192.168.0.x are IP Addresses that are reserved for private networks and are not routable to the Internet.

6. Click “Ok” and Windows will then ask for your Windows CD-ROM disk and start copying the necessary files. When Windows is done copying the necessary files, it will then ask you to restart your computer. When this occurs, click OK.

7. After Windows has restarted, it will ask for a username and password. You must specify a user name and then click OK. Without clicking ok…you will NOT be logged onto the network and the machines will not recognize each other!!

8. After restarting the computer, double click on the “network neighborhood icon” on your desktop. You should now see all the computers on your network that are powered up and running. If you don’t see all of them, press F5 to refresh the screen. It may take a minute or two for all of the machines to show up.

File and Printer Sharing:

To share data between computers, as well as share printers, you must enable File and Printer Sharing, as it is not enabled by default.

1. Go to “My Computer.”

2. Right Click on the drives you wish to share.

3. Go to “properties”, sharing, and click “Share As”. You can use the default name or type your own. This needs to be done on each computer. If you do not want others on your network to have access to a shared folder, insert a $ after the share name and it won’t be visible to others on the network.

   Example: share name: mydocuments$

4. After you have restarted your computer and you are at your desktop, you should now see a Network Neighborhood icon on your desktop. Double click on it and you should see all the other computers on your network. Make sure they are turned on. If you don’t see them, close the window and wait a minute, then open it again. Now you should see them. If you don’t….go back over the steps above and see if you missed anything. Double check all of your connections such as the “T” connectors and the 50 Ohm resistors and make sure they are tight.

   Your system is up, connected, and you are on your way to enjoying your new network. Congratulations!

Would you like to review and Overview of Networking? If so, click the “Go” button.

Will you be playing games of your new network? If so, you may want to read our introduction!

Would you rather go back to the beginning? If so, click the “Back” button.