How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 4) (813939)

SUMMARY

This article includes Part 4 of the "Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition" guide. Part 4 discusses how to install the network card.

Note To view the other topics of the "Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition" guide, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are listed in the "References" section of this article.

The "Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition" guide includes the following topics:

Part 1. Introduction: Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition

Part 2. Buying the Network Hardware

Part 3. Connecting the Computers

Part 4. Installing the Network Card

Part 5. Configuring TCP/IP Protocol

Part 6. Setting the Computer Names and the Workgroups

Part 7. Sharing Folders

Part 8. Sharing a Printer

MORE INFORMATION

Part 4. Installing the Network Card

The network card does not function correctly until you have installed a driver. To install a driver, turn the computer on, and then restart Windows. Windows recognizes most network cards. You do not have to do anything else. It takes some time to install the appropriate driver and the network software.

If Windows does not recognize the card, you can use the driver that the manufacturer included with the card on a CD or floppy disk. Do not worry if you did not receive a CD or floppy disk. The drivers can usually be downloaded from the manufacturer's Web site.

If you have the required driver with the card on a CD or floppy disk, use the Hardware Wizard to install the driver:

When new hardware is detected, the Hardware Wizard starts. Click to select the Install the software automatically (Recommended) check box, and then insert the disk that you received from the hardware manufacturer. Windows searches for the driver. If the wizard does not start searching, click Next.
After a short time, Windows finds the driver and automatically installs it.
After the installation is finished, click Finish.

REFERENCES

To view other topics in the Set Up a Small Network guide, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

813936 How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 1)

813937 How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 2)

813938 How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 3)

813940 How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 5)

814003 How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 6)

814004 How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 7)

814005 How to Set Up a Small Network with Windows XP Home Edition (PART 8)

This article is a translation from German. Any subsequent changes or additions to the original German article may not be reflected in this translation. The information contained in this article is based on the German-language version(s) of this product. The accuracy of this information in relation to other language versions of this product is not tested within the framework of this translation. Microsoft makes this information available without warranty of its accuracy or functionality and without warranty of the completeness or accuracy of the translation.