Chapter 8
One of the design goals of Microsoft Windows XP was to make networking fast and easy for the user. On the surface, Microsoft has succeeded admirably; Windows XP is significantly simpler to configure for networking, especially for the home and Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) user, than any previous version of Windows. However, this ease of use comes at a price; almost all the configuration information and the technology behind it are hidden from the end user. This means that for corporate network administrators and individual power users, there’s a level of uncertainty about the process. Although average home users are less concerned about the black-box nature of the networking configuration process in Windows XP, more experienced users are not quite so sure that when they make a selection in a networking wizard, the end result will be what they expected or exactly what they need.
In this chapter we cover exactly what networking tools Windows XP provides in its basic form and show you how and where you can customize and configure your Windows XP networking environment. Figure 8-1 shows all the Windows XP current network connections and their status. You can open the Network Connections window by clicking Start, pointing to All Programs (Programs in the Windows XP Classic view), and finally selecting Control Panel. In Control Panel, double-click the Network Connections icon.
Figure 8-1.
The Network Connections window.
