Setting up a workgroup

Setting up a workgroup
To set up networking on any Windows-based computer, you need to decide on
a few basic networking options. A lot of these will be decided for you, based on
the equipment that you happen to be using on your network. As an example, if
you have a server on your wireless network, you have many more options as to
the type of network that you might create. With a server on your network, you
gain the ability to centralize your security policies and to use domains to control
devices. In Windows, a domain is a set of network resources (applications,
printers, and so on) for a group of users. The user only has to log on to the
domain to gain access to the resources, which might be located on one or a
number of different servers in the network.
If you don’t have a server (which most of us don’t on our home networks),
you’ll end up using the most common type of network: a workgroup.
The distinction between a workgroup and a domain can best be summed up
in one word: security. Domains make managing, maintaining, and modifying
security much simpler. In many cases, the domain controller — the server
that controls the domain — can set up security on each device on the network
remotely, and security can be managed in groups so that you don’t have
to add every family member to every machine or device on the network. Of
course, all this great management comes at a price. Servers tend to be expensive
and require a much higher skill level to maintain. The initial setup of a
domain can take a lot of planning and time to implement. We don’t take you
through setting up your own domain because you can find more detailed
books already written on the subject. If you do happen to choose some type
of domain for networking, keep in mind that the security of your domain is
only as strong as the security on each individual piece of equipment attached
to your network — and that includes all your wireless devices.
On the other hand, setting up a workgroup is relatively simple. All that’s
really required is to decide on the name of your workgroup. Many people use
family names or something similar. Microsoft has a default of Workgroup
MSHome for workgroups in Windows, for instance. Keep in mind that domain
and workgroup names can only be 15 characters long and cannot contain any
spaces or special characters.
To set up a workgroup in Windows 95/98/Me, you start by right-clicking the
Network Neighborhood icon on your desktop or choosing Start➪Settings➪
Control Panel and then double-clicking the Network icon. On the Identification
tab of the Network dialog box that opens, enter the following:
A simple computer name of eight characters that describes the machine
The workgroup name of no more than 15 characters
A good computer description so others on the network will have an idea
of what’s on this computer (such as Danny’s Office Machine)
To set up a workgroup in Windows 2000/XP, start by right-clicking the My
Computer icon (in the upper-left of your desktop) or by choosing Start➪
Settings➪Control Panel and then double-clicking the System icon. On the
Network Identification tab of the System Properties window that opens,
you can click the Network ID button to have a wizard walk you through the
process of setting up your networking options. A simpler method is to click the
Properties button and just enter the computer name, description, and workgroup
name (and a handy way to quickly check — and rename if necessary —
workgroup names on the computers on your network.)