Ads by TechWords

See your link here
Receive the latest technology news and information.
Networking
Computerworld Daily News (First Look and Wrap-Up)
Computerworld Blogs Newsletter
The Weekly Top 10
Cloud Computing
View all newsletters




Privacy Policy
 

Windows Vista in a Nutshell: Networking

How to set up, connect to, manage and configure networks in Vista

February 12, 2007 12:00 PM ET

Computerworld -

The following article is excerpted from Windows Vista In A Nutshell with permission of O'Reilly Media Inc.

Windows Vista includes many tools, screens and features for setting up, connecting to, managing and configuring networks. This section covers all of Windows Vista's features for doing that, and it includes basic information for setting up and connecting to networks and network connections.

Change Workgroup or Domain

Change the workgroup or domain to which a PC is attached.

To open

Control Panel → [System and Maintenance] → System → Change Settings → Computer Name tab

Description

The Networking and Internet Control Panel and the Network and Sharing Center both have one surprising shortcoming: They do not offer a way to change the workgroup or domain to which your PC is currently attached or to easily connect to a new domain or workgroup. So you may think that there is no way to perform both tasks.

In fact, though, they're both easy to do, as long as you know where to look. And you'll have to look in a surprising place—on the Computer Name tab of the System Properties dialog box (Figure 7-8). You can also reach it via Control Panel → [Network and Internet] → Network and Sharing Center → Network Discovery → Change Settings.

Figure 7-8. The System Properties dialog box, which lets you connect to a domain or workgroup and change your domain or workgroup

The System Properties dialog box, which lets you connect to a domain or workgroup and change your domain or workgroup
(Click image to see larger view)

Click Network ID to launch a wizard that will allow you to join an existing domain or workgroup. Click Change and the dialog box shown in Figure 7-9 appears. Select either Domain or Workgroup, and enter the name of the domain or workgroup to switch to a new one.

Figure 7-9. Switching to a new domain or workgroup

Switching to a new domain or workgroup

Connect to a Network

Connect to a network or the Internet.

To open

Click the network icon in the System Tray → Connect or disconnect

Control Panel → [Network and Internet] → Connect to a network

Control Panel → [Network and Internet] → Network and Sharing Center → Connect to a network

Description

Once you've set up a network connection (see "Set Up a Connection or Network" later in this chapter), use the "Connect to a network" screen (Figure 7-10) to connect to any network—wired, wireless, VPN or dial-up.

Figure 7-10. Choosing a network to which you want to connect

Choosing a network to which you want to connect
(Click image to see larger view)

Connecting is straightforward: Double-click the network to which you want to connect, or highlight it and click Connect. When you're connected to a network, disconnect from it by clicking Disconnect.

This screen is primarily designed for wireless, dial-up and VPN connections. If your only connection to a network is via an Ethernet cable, you won't even get to the screen shown in Figure 7-10 when you choose to connect. Instead, you'll be told that you're already connected to the network. Want to disconnect? There's a simple, physical solution for you -- unplug your Ethernet cable.



Jump to comments

vista

Additional Resources

Xerox
By using solid ink technology only from Xerox, you could save up to 65% by printing color for the cost of black and white. Enter for a chance to WIN a PhaserTM 8860 network color printer!
Microsoft
Save time and mitigate security risk. Deploy it now.
Sybase
In this white paper, IDC analyzes the role of next-generation mobile enterprise platforms as organizations seek a more strategic deployment of mobile solutions.

Learn the important issues you must consider before starting your next mobility initiative. Get your mobility white paper from IDC now, compliments of Sybase.

What People Are Saying

White Papers & Webcasts

Southern Company
Download Now  

Aligning IT to Business: The Rising Importance of Application Delivery Networks
Application Delivery Networking (ADN) will play a vital role in helping enterprises incorporate strategic technologies to achieve business initiatives.

Mitigate Risk, Lower Costs and Improve Network Efficiency
Create a stable IP network that not only meets today's challenges, but is flexible enough to also meet future demands.

Share our Strength
Download Now  

Preparing Your Business Services for the Future
Would you trust your network monitoring tools enough to know when something is truly halting a business service?

IPAM: Slashing Network Costs
Slashing Network Costs by Consolidating and Automating Core Network Services

Horror stories: Managing IT Across Multiple Locations
How one extra sharp IT manager eliminates daily agony, hassle and repetition.