First looks at Windows XP Networking

First looks at Windows XP Networking

A first view of Windows XP Networking :

	Right-click on the "My Network Places" on the desktop to display the Network "Properties" On a first view, the network configuration looks very much the same as we know it already from Windows2000.
	The Windows behaves different: when selecting a Network Connection, a new menu "Network Tasks" is displayed. Let's have a look at the "Properties" (you can also right-click on the Network connection and select on the Context/Pop-up menu : "Properties" )

	something familiar and something new : tab: General The configuration of Network Client, protocols and File-and-Printer Sharing is similar to Windows 2000, but there is a new feature on Windows XP Pro (not on XP Home) : "QoS Packet Scheduler : Quality of Service" nothing to configure for it, no info in Help. (my guess: will be used with the Server-version of XP) tab: Authentication tab: Advanced An "Internet Connection Firewall" is integrated

	There is one BIG NEWS : Windows XP is the first Microsoft Windows system where Microsoft's own NetBEUI protocol is "NOT supported" anymore !
	In the window : "Select Network Protocol", NetBEUI is not anymore listed as a possible network protocol to be added.

I actually first stumbled over this issue, when running on my Windows98SE system the
upgrade check (from the main menu of the XP-installation CD-ROM) :


When searching the Microsoft Knowledge Base, I found article Q306059:

The NetBEUI Protocol Is Not Available in Windows XP

Support for the NetBIOS Extended User Interface (NetBEUI) network protocol has been discontinued in Windows XP. This protocol is not available to install in Windows XP.

If you upgrade from a previous version of Microsoft Windows with NetBEUI installed, the Compatibility Wizard displays the following message:
The currently installed driver for the NETBEUI Transport Protocol is not compatible with Microsoft Windows XP and will be uninstalled during the upgrade. This protocol is removed from this new version of Windows.

For more information about this driver, visit the manufacturer's Web site at http://www.microsoft.com. Web addresses can change, so you may be unable to connect to this Web site.

For a list of protocols supported by Windows XP, see the Microsoft Windows Whistler protocols Compatibility List at the Microsoft Web site.

MORE INFORMATION

The NetBEUI protocol was developed in 1985. It is used by network operating systems such as Microsoft LAN Manager, Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, Microsoft Windows 95, and Microsoft Windows NT. The NetBEUI protocol implements the OSI LLC2 protocol, and is a
non-routable protocol.

You can install NetBEUI in Windows XP, but it is an unsupported protocol. For additional information about installing NetBEUI in Windows XP, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
So, NetBEUI is "not supported" anymore ( which means: if you have problems, do NOT call us ! ),
but still available to install from the "Valueadd\msft\net\netbeui" folder on the XP CD-ROM :

	in the window "Select Network Protocol", when adding protocols, we need to select "Have Disk..."
	in the window :"Install from Disk", use the button "Browse" to locate on your XP-CD-ROM the folder VALUEADD\MSFT\NET\NETBEUI, so that the text-box "Copy manufacturer's files from" shows : "I:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NET\NETBEUI" ("I" is the CD-ROM drive on my system, you have to use the drive-name of your CD-ROM drive), then select OK
	In the window "Select Network Protocol", you can now select the NetBEUI protocol.

In the Knowledge Base Article Q301041, Microsoft shows the procedure to copy the NetBEUI
files to the system :

make sure, that you can have access to hidden folders : Select in "My Computer" from the menu : "Tools" the "Folder Options:" In the window "Folder Options", select the tab :"View" Locate the settings for "Hidden files and Folders", select to "Show Hidden files and Folders"

Insert your Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive and browse to the Valueadd\MSFT\Net\NetBEUI folder. Copy "Nbf.sys" to the directory "System32\Drivers" in your Windows directory. Copy "Netnbf.inf" to the ( hidden )directory "Inf" in uour Windows directory. If you now select in the Network configuration to add a protocol, NetBEUI will be listed and can be directly selected for installation :

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