Finding and Using Shared Resources on a Windows Network

You can access shared resources in Windows via "My Network Places" in Windows 2000/XP or "Network Neighborhood" in Windows 9x and NT. Through this screen you can navigate through shared resources on network servers, other computers and printers etc.

If you know a computer name on the network you can use the "Find" or "Search" tool (depending on what version of Windows you're using) from the Start menu to search for computers on the network.

Mapping Network Drives

This is only one way of connecting to network shares however. You can also map network folders as drive letters on your machine. Provided you're connected to the network you can use the drive as if it were located on your machine. Another way of connecting to network resources is to use an UNC path, which uses the format \\niksmachine\share\.

To map a network drive you can either right-click the shared resource you want to map in "My Network Places" and click "Map Network Drive" or you can use Windows Explorer, this method however requires you to either browse to a resource or know the UNC path.

NetBIOS and NetBEUI

NetBIOS - This is also called the "Computer Name" in Windows. It is essentially a name resolution system which allows the computer to be found by name from another machine on the same network. To test this follow these steps in Windows XP. You'll need access to another computer on the network.

1. Right-click My Computer
2. Select Properties
3. Click the Change button next to the text that says "To rename this computer or join a domain click change"
4. Either make note of the computer name or rename your computer
5. Log-on to a different machine
6. Click the Start button and select Run
7. Type \\computer name (replace the text computer name with your computer's name)
8. You should get a new window which should show any shared folders that exist on the first computer

More information on NetBIOS here.

NetBEUI - NetBEUI or NetBIOS Extended User Interface to give it its full name is a transport protocol used in the early days of Windows networking. It is not a scalable protocol this is due to the fact that it will only work on the local network segment, it is an unrouted protocol. NetBEUI has been superceded by the TCP/IP networking protocol. Read more information on NetBEUI here.

Windows Networking Basics

The A+ course does not go into any great depth where networks are concerned, it concentrates on configuration of client machines in order to access LAN and the Internet and basic networking protocols.

Much of the configuration in Windows is the same across all Windows operating systems. You'll need a Network Operating System NOS to access resources on a server. Luckily Windows 9x/NT/2000 and XP are all capable of connecting to network resources, however the A+ also requires candidates to be able to configure Novell Netware as well.

Networking Prerequisites

• Network Interface Card (NIC)
  
• Spare PCI slot
• Supplied manufacturers' software
• Network patch cable
• Spare network wall socket or spare switch/hub socket
  

Lets look at some Windows Networking Terminology

Client - This is a piece of software that allows your machine to communicate with servers on the network. This software can be manufactured by different companies depending on the type of network access on the network you're trying to connect. We'll only be looking at Microsoft and Novell for the A+.

Adapter - This is a Windows term to describe the network driver, essentially the software that Windows uses to communicate with the hardware (NIC).

Protocol - This is the network protocol used to communicate with other network devices. You need to speak the same protocol (language) as the other devices on your network. Examples of network protocols are TCP/IP, NWLink, NetBEUI.

Service - This is how you assign network services that your machine will provide to other devices on the network. Examples of services include printer sharing and file sharing.

Once you've installed your NIC card hardware and software you'll need to configure Windows as a Network Client. To do this you'll need to go to the Control Panel and look for Network, Network Connections or Network and Dial-up Connections depending on the version of Windows you're configuring.

In addition to configuring the Client, Adaptor and Protocol, Windows NT/2000 and XP require that you join either a Workgroup or Domain. Your network administrator should be able to tell you what type of network you are trying to connect to.

Here's a tutorial on installing a Windows Client.

How can I get extend my Laptop Battery Life?

Laptops are designed to be portable machines and as such their main source of power comes from batteries. There are several different types of battery technology:

Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) - These are popular because they are cheap, they last about 700 charge cycles, but suffer from what's known as the memory effect, this eventually makes the charge cycle so short they become unusable.

Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) - These type of batteries are better than NiCad because they don't suffer from a memory effect and generally provide 10% more power, they are much less polluting than NiCad. However they only last about 400 charge cycles.

Lithium Ion (LiON) - These are the latest type of batteries, which have dropped in price in recent years to become more affordable. They last about twice as long as equivalent sized NiMH batteries before needing to be recharged. They require special circuitry which stops them from being over-charged and last for about 400 charge cycles.

Getting the most from your Notebook Battery

Notebook battery life has been improving gradually over the years, both with improved battery technologies and with the development of less power-hungry mobile components such as Intel's Centrino. However there are still ways of improving your battery life.

Background Processes - Use the Task Manager (right-click an empty portion of the Windows taskbar and select Task Manager) , which will not only tell you your CPU usage but also let you see what processes are using up your valuable battery power.

Unnecessary Components - If you're on the move and using battery power make sure you disconnect any PC Cards you don't need. Wireless cards are big consumers of battery power, turn them off or unplug them if you don't require them. (My laptop battery lasts an hour longer without the Centrino WiFi card enabled)

Backlight - The notebook screen is one of the biggest power consumers in a laptop, know how to dim the display and dim it down when you don't need it at full brightness. You can also use Windows Power Management to control this for you.

Windows XP Power Management - Set the Power Scheme in Power Management to Max Battery, this will make Windows more power-efficient. Read more on Windows Power Management.

BIOS options - Modern notebooks using the Intel-based Pentium and Centrino ranges provide a hardware power management technology which is used to slow the processor when idling. The Intel technology that manages this is called SpeedStep and can be enabled in the BIOS, make sure it is enabled on yours. (Restart your PC and press F2 or DEL during startup to enter the BIOS)