Timothy
Parker Consulting Incorporated
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Windows 3.X and DOS Last column we finished off the configuration and testing of the Windows 95 machines on our peer-to-peer network. Using a dumb hub, all that’s really required for this type of network is to plug in the network interface cards and configure TCP/IP on the Windows 95 machines, then reboot and test. We started with Windows 95 because it’s the easiest platform to set up a peer-to-peer network for, and it is the most widely used these days. However, there are many machines that have to be plugged into typical networks that aren’t quite as easy. Older Windows and DOS machines are still widely used, so we’ll add these two platforms to our peer-to-peer network this issue. Both Windows 3.X and DOS can be networked quite easily, but the necessary software isn’t included with the operating systems. This is true even with Windows for Workgroups, which was designed to use the NetBEUI protocol and not TCP/IP. Since we want to use TCP/IP, we need to purchase or download a set of drivers for this network operating system. Other than the TCP/IP software, we need only a network interface card to complete the package. The network card presents a problem for most systems, though, since the majority of network cards available today are designed for Windows 95’s plug-and-play feature. To run a network card in either a Windows or DOS machine (as well as UNIX and other operating systems, which we’ll deal with in the future), you need a network card that lets you manually set the IRQ and I/O address. (If you’re not sure about IRQs and I/O addresses, see the first column in this series, or send e-mail for a copy.) There are many inexpensive network cards that simply will not allow you to manually set the IRQ and I/O address. You can sometimes install them in a Windows 95 machine, have that operating system set the configuration parameters, then move the card, but that doesn’t always work. A better solution is to simply buy a network card that has either hardware-set parameters (usually via jumpers or DIPs on the card), or that has a DOS-based utility to set them in software. These cards are currently more expensive than the Windows 95-only network adapters, but they will work well in Windows 3.X and DOS platforms. Make sure the cards you buy have the proper jacks for your network cables. You can buy cards with up to three different jacks (BNC, RJ45, and AUI) which are much more flexible and provide for future expansion, but they tend to be higher in cost. If you can set the IRQ and I/O address on the card, follow the instructions that came with the card and choose safe values. For example, the I/O address of 300H or 360H, and IRQs of 5 or 15 are often safe bets for most machines. If you have to set the parameters through a software utility, you may encounter problems after installing the card in the machine and trying to boot. Instead, boot off a DOS diskette and then use the supplied utility to set the parameters. Otherwise, the operating system can get confused by the new card’s appearance, and the existing settings may conflict. Better to boot from a diskette and be safe. Once the card is installed, boot the machine. Whether you use Windows 3.X or DOS doesn’t matter at this point. Most network cards for Windows 3.X and DOS include drivers on a diskette which need to be installed into the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. Follow the card’s instructions to install those drivers. Install the DOS drivers even if you are using Windows 3.X. The drivers will usually ask for configuration settings, or let you establish them yourself, then verify the card is communicating properly and modify the DOS files accordingly. A reboot and the card should be active, but you won’t be able to use it yet. The final component of the Windows 3.X and DOS configuration is the TCP/IP protocol. There are a number of commercial packages that offer complete all-in-one software suites for TCP/IP networks. Packages like ftp Software’s PC-TCP, WRQ’s Reflection, NetManage’s Chameleon, and Frontier Technologies’ Super TCP/IP all contain everything you need to connect to a TCP/IP LAN. Make sure the software package you buy supports the version of DOS or Windows 3.X that is being used, as some have limitations. DOS-only packages are getting quite hard to find, but they are out there. Commercial TCP/IP packages vary in price considerably, ranging from under $100 retail to several hundred. The difference is primarily due to the included software, which may include all manner of extras like support for NFS (Network File System), Web browsers, and so on. Buy what you need, and no more. An alternative to a commercial TCP/IP package is a public domain or shareware TCP/IP protocol stack. There are a few available, and some have excellent reputations, but remember they all lack large company technical support and usually lack the extra software bits commercial vendors throw in. Often the shareware and public domain TCP/IP products are harder to install, as well, and some have severe limitations on their functionality and compatibility. Installing the TCP/IP software is really a matter of running the installation routine that comes with them, then answering a few questions about the IP address, netmask, and sometimes the type of network card. After that, a reboot and a ping test, and the DOS and Windows 3.X machines should be operational. A typical installation on either platform should take about half an hour. |
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