HOWTO Setup Windows Clients

This document identifies how to setup the Windows (95/98/NT/2000/XP) client systems for a Network Concierge (NC) client/server configuration. The preferred/default mode of operation of the NC server is to configure it in automatic mode where it is the DHCP/DNS network server. In this configuration, it will automatically distribute the IP network addresses for all the TCP/IP enabled client machines. The Windows/other client machines are configured to “Obtain an IP address from a DHCP server”. With this setup, the DHCP NC server must be up and running before powering up the Windows client systems.

Using the following client-server network topology diagram consisting of a 2 printer, 5 Windows client systems and 1 NC server, the 5 windows client machines are setup to obtain an IP address from the NC DHCP server. The Windows client machines can all be running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT,

Window 2000, Windows XP systems or any mix therein. The NC box must be setup as the DHCP server so that it will be the master of the network whose job will be to automatically dish out/manage the network IP addresses.

Each Windows client machine must be setup accordingly as a DHCP client system, which will issue a request to obtain an IP address from the network DHCP server at boot-up time. If the DHCP server exists and is functioning properly it will honor the request and provide an IP address to the requesting client machine. For this to happen automatically, each Windows client machine must be configured accordingly. For the rest of this document, the basic process for setting up a Windows 95, 98 and NT client system will be described.

Windows 95 Client Machine Setup

Place mouse cursor on Network Neighborhood icon and right-click mouse and select properties to bring up the following network information screen. Select the TCP/IP network adapter entry and click on the properties button to bring up the TCP/IP properties.

Walk the TCP/IP properties’ folder tabs and set the settings accordingly. For the IP Address tab make the setting to “Obtain an IP address automatically.”

Select the WINS Configuration tab and “Use DHCP for WINS Resolution.”

Select the Gateway tab and clear any entries.

Select the DNS Configuration tab and “Disable DNS”/clear entries.

Select the Bindings tab and use TCP/IP as the network components protocol.

Select the Advanced tab and make TCP/IP your default protocol.

Windows 98 Client Machine Setup

Place mouse cursor on Network Neighborhood icon and right-click mouse and select properties to bring up the following network information screen.

Select the TCP/IP network adapter entry and click on the properties button.

Walk the TCP/IP properties’ folder tabs and set the settings accordingly. For the IP Address tab make the setting to “Obtain an IP address automatically.”

Select the WINS Configuration tab and “Use DHCP for WINS Resolution.”

Select the Gateway tab and clear any entries.

Select the DNS Configuration tab and “Disable DNS”/clear entries.

Select the Bindings tab and use TCP/IP as the network components protocol.

Select the Advanced tab and make TCP/IP your default protocol.

Select the NetBIOS tab and set accordingly if using NetBIOS.

Make sure workgroup matches between the client machines and the NC server.

For the “Access Control” tab use share level access control.

Windows NT WS4.0/2000 Client Machine Setup

Place mouse cursor on Network Neighborhood icon and right-click mouse and select properties to bring up the following network information screen.

Make sure workgroup matches between the client machines and the NC server.

Click on the Protocols tab and select the TCP/IP Protocol.

Now from the TCP/IP Properties screen walk through the various tabs and verify the settings. Setup the client system to “Obtain an IP address from the DHCP server.”

Clear out the DNS/Domain search order fields.

Make sure to clear settings for WINS server and disable DNS/LMSHOSTS lookup.

Verify IP forwarding disabled.

Non-Windows Client Machine Setup

In order for non-windows client machines to coexist on the NC DHCP server network, they must be TCP/IP enabled, which means that they must be running the TCP/IP network protocol as their default protocol. In addition, they must either be configured as a DHCP client machine that automatically queries the NC DHCP server for an IP address at bootup time or it must be set up as a unique static IP address.