Click OK to add the protocol. Windows automatically adds the Client for Microsoft

Chapter 11 ✦ Accessing the Network with Various Operating Systems Depending on how much trouble you want to tackle, you can add these and other computers to your network. You can use the following operating systems and types of computers in the same workgroup network: ✦ Windows 9598 ✦ Windows Me ✦ Windows 2000 ✦ Windows XP Home or Professional ✦ Macintosh computers using System 9 or OS X ✦ Linux with Samba support ✦ Portable computers ✦ Handheld computers ✦ Tablets You can add other operating systems, such as Macintosh System 7 or 8, but those aren’t cov- ered in this book because the older the operating system, the more difficult it is to add to a workgroup network. Also, operating systems that aren’t commonly used or the newest of the technology may pose some problems as well. If you want to learn how to add a computer that’s not listed here, you can search the Internet and perhaps find help there. You might look at www.networking.ittoolbox.com for more information. Adding to a clientserver network If you’re using a Windows 98 or XP computer as your server, you won’t have much trouble connecting other operating systems to the computer. They’ll act like a workgroup network in connections and data transfer; the difference is your configuration of the “server” and how much data you share. See Chapter 12 for more information about sharing resources. Adding various operating systems and portable computers to a clientserver network is fairly easy when you use the network operating system Windows 2000 Server. Windows 2000 Server includes clients for most any Windows operating system, plus Windows 2000 Server can ser- vice Macintosh and Linux clients, as well. Following are the Windows and other operating sys- tems Windows 2000 Server can work with: ✦ Windows 98 ✦ Windows 2000 Professional ✦ Windows XP Professional ✦ Macintosh 9 and OS X ✦ Linux with Samba support ✦ Tablets ✦ Portable computers Cross- Reference Part II ✦ Planning and Setting Up Networking — Hardware and Software You also might be able to find other client software with the network operating system or in third-party packages. Both NT Server and NetWare include client software for Macintosh com- puters. NT Server is an older operating system, but many people still use it; because of its age, you might not find a way to connect with newer clients, such as Macintosh OS X. If you’re using something other than Windows 2000 Server as a network operating system NOS, see the specific NOS documentation for more information about installing and configuring the client computers. If you run a small business and you’re using a workgroup or a clientserver network, you should upgrade all computers to run compatible operating systems on the client computers. Using various operating systems on your network takes more time to administer, manage, and troubleshoot. Adding a Windows-based computer versus a non-Windows-based computer Naturally, adding Windows computers to a Windows network is easier than using a different operating system. Windows operating systems are similar in networking software, configura- tion, operation, and other processes. However, Windows operating systems can still cause problems on a network of all Windows computers. You will find times when one Windows computer won’t see another on the network, times when they won’t share, and times when the computers won’t print to each other’s printers. And you will also have those problems when you add a different non-Windows operating sys- tem to your network. That’s just the way networking is. Sometimes it works very well for months; then everything falls apart for seemingly no reason. When that happens, and it will, take a look at Appendix A in this book for some tips and help on troubleshooting your network connections. But don’t let the fact that all your computers are not Windows 98 or Windows XP Professional keep you from trying to network them. Usually, you can connect various computers and oper- ating systems, and being able to share files and printers makes it worthwhile. Using Various Windows Operating Systems Most operating systems you’ll want to add to your workgroup network probably will be Windows. Computers running Windows 98, Me, 2000, and XP are all capable of existing and sharing on a network together. Configuration is similar for all Windows operating systems, with just a different look to a dialog box or different terminology. However, some Windows operating systems don’t work well with clientserver networks or with workgroups contain- ing more than five users. Each Windows operating system is covered in this section. Cross- Reference Small Business Tip