Networking Windows XP, Win 98SE & Win 95 machines - Can it be done

[CotswoldCS]

I have three different PCs

1. New PC (Pentium 4) - Running Windows XP Pro (NTFS)
2. Windows 98SE on a Pentium II-MMX (FAT32)
3. Old Pentium 133 on Windows 95 OSR2

I have a 4 port hub and want to add my new machine to the network. Can this be done. I am very familiar with PCs but new to networking. Can anyone tell me if there is a guide/ FAQ somewhere on the internet?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JackMDS]

AT - FAQ: Networking and sharing between computers.

AT - FAQ: Sharing Files, and Printers between WinNT/Win2K and Win9x/ME.

Practicallynetworked.com - Windows XP Simple File Sharing

Practicallynetworked.com - Windows XP Professional File Sharing

 

[rw120555]

Are the 2 old machines networked ok? If so, I think you'll be fine. One of the things I like about XP is you plug stuff in, and it just works. For example, when I plugged my new laptop into my existing network, everything worked fine. I'd be more worried about the win95 machine working than the WinXP one.

If you need help, check the Anandtech Networking FAQs. If you encounter problems, try Windows XP Network troubleshooting.. You may want to go through some of this to figure out how to deo your file and printer sharing. Or, you can just mindlessly follow XP's network wizards.

If you've got DSL or cable, I'd get a router rather than a hub. A switch would also be better than a hub, but it may not matter much for a small network like this.

 

[CotswoldCS]

Many thanks for your useful comments and for the URLs.

Do I need additional software for Internet Connection Sharing between Windows 98SE and Windows XP. Is there any way in which the Windows 95 machine can access the internet via ICS?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jonmullen]

If you get a router, the Dlink 704P which can be had for about $40 (check the hot deals fourm, is a good choice and you wont need any software to share your internet connection. The router has a 4 port switch built in so all you should have to do is make sure that the computers workgroups are the same and that they have TCP/IP installed and they should work just fine. The router also has a print server function so you could share a printer.

 

[rw120555]

I'd strongly recommend a router. But, I think you can do it all with Windows OS software if you really want to. WinXp has a networking wizard that can help you. It'll even create a disk you can take to other machines (which I've never needed to do, but maybe it would be handy in your case).