ZEDEX The
School Networking Solution!
As
Schools purchase the latest technology, they end up with a
variety of computers over time. This causes problems for
networking. But not with Zedex. Zedex will work on Windows 98, Windows
95, Windows Me, Windows 2000 , and Windows XP. It even has a version
which will work on Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups. The latest
version of Mac's can login to the Zedex server, and older Mac's can do
so also with additional software, called Dave. Imagine all of
those systems all being networked into the same server at the same
time. And this server only has to be a Windows 95 or 98(recommended)
computer.
Watch
Zedex in action:
Download
and run the following Camtasia video:
ZEDEX_INTRO.exe
Setting Up a Peer to Peer Network
|| Zedex || Installing Zedex || Windows for Workgroups || Download
|| Policy Editor || Installing Programs on Workstations || Zedex and Mac's
|| Communicator and Zedex ||
Contact || Running programs
from a server
What
is a peer to peer network?
Ask questions or offer comments in our new discussion group at Google Groups:
http://www.groups.google.com/group/zedex?hl=e
A peer to peer network is a system
whereby computers are connected to each other using ethernet
cards and proper cabling; and because of that connection, the
computers are able to share their resources (printers, drives or
folders).
When networked, printers can be setup to
automatically print to a printer that is connected to another
computer. Folders or whole drives, including CD-ROM,
can show up as an additional drive letter on other computers
(i.e. drive F:\ might be the windows folder on another computer,
while drive G:\ might be the CD-ROM on yet another). You would
select and use it just as you would select the A: or C: drives.
How
do I setup a peer to peer network?
Here's the world's shortest tutorial in networking: Network101 ScreenCam.zip
It's a ScreenCam. Here's the Lotus ScreenCam Player, if you
need it: Lotus ScreenCam.zip
First here's a couple of other good
sites to get info on peer to peer setup:
There are three parts. First, you
install ethernet cards in each computer and the software that
allows these cards to communicate with each other (protocols).
Next, you connect these computers with appropriate cables.
Lastly, you selectively share resources, such as drives,
printers, folders.
The only part that is difficult is right at
the beginning, the installation of ethernet cards. There are
hundreds of different models, but they all come with directions
for their installation and with the necessary software (drivers).
If you are just about to install them, consider purchasing them
installed. Just ask that they must have Client for Microsoft
Networks (Microsoft Windows Network in WFW) setup with NetBEUI
and TCPIP as protocols.
If you are doing the installation of the
cards yourself, you will need the network drivers for the
ethernet card you are installing, as well as the Windows 95 CD
(or the WFW disks). Follow the instructions that come with the
card. During the setup, you may have to help Windows find certain
files, which may be in specific directories. The following are
the most often used locations: a:\, a:\wfw, a:\nt, a:\win95, or
D:\win95. If you are installing in WFW, then you will need
to determine an available interrupt and address for the ethernet
card. Some cards come with utility programs to help you
determine what is available.
Windows
95 didn't setup the ethernet card properly, so what do I do?
Have your driver disk in the A:\
drive and your Windows 95 disk in the CD-ROM drive.
Open Control Panel ... then select Network
... Select Add ...
At this point there will be four items from
which to select
... select Adapter ... Add ... then select
the manufacturer of your ethernet card and then select Have Disk.
You should be provided with a selection
showing your ethernet card. Select it and select OK. The
network configuration window should now show your ethernet card
and probably IPX as a protocol.
Back at the configuration window, Select
Add and from the list of four Network Components, select
protocol ... Add ... Microsoft ... NetBEUI ... OK.
Then again select protocol ... Add ...
Microsoft ... TCPIP ... OK.
Back at the Network configuration window
select IPX and remove it. If there are any items
referring to Client for Netware, remove them as well (your disks
will probably not have the software for those items). You will only need these if you are using a
Novell Network.
Now select Add again and this time
select Client ... Add ... Microsoft ... Client for
Microsoft Networks ...OK.
Now back at the Network Configuration
window, you should see a tab at the top called Identification.
Select it and give your computer a unique name (each computer
must have a different name. It could be Bob, or Heather, or
Unit12, or WS55). Leave workgroup as workgroup.
Don't select OK yet.
Select the top Configuration tab and
select TCPIP and then the Properties button.
Give the computer a unique IP address.
These should be in the range of 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.255
(just changing the last number). The subnet mask must be
255.255.255.0
Now select OK. The computer will now
proceed with the installation. You may have to help it along at
times. You will have to restart the computer, and it will
gather files, but if all goes well, you will be completely
setup. If the logon script box comes up, your in good
shape. Just select OK without providing a password.
If you don't want that logon box to come
up each time you reboot, go back to the Control Panel ...
Network ... Configuration. On the configuration panel you will
find a box that has Client for Microsoft Networks selected.
Select Windows Logon instead.
File and Printer Sharing
If you intend to allow users to use resources on this
computer, like the printer, select the File and Print Sharing
button, and then indicate, by selecting, that you want to be able
to share your resources.
How
do I know the card and software is installed properly?
In Explorer, there are extra icons
present which are there to allow you to share or connect to other
computers. If they are present, you are probably setup okay.
How
do I connect the cables?
The connection is done through
either coaxial cable, in which case each computer must have a T
connector (usually provided with the card) and terminators for
the two ends of the line, or twisted pair cables which require
the purchase of a network hub. Which one you use depends on
your setup. Coax is the least expensive if there are only a fewer
computers.
I’m connected, now what?
To make each connection for
sharing a resource (drives, folders, printers) there is a two
step routine. First the computer that has the resource must offer
it to be shared. Next other computers must connect to that shared
resource.
How do I share a printer?
First you must have Printer Sharing
enabled. See above.
Next, while on the computer that has the
printer connected to it (already setup to print), either through
Settings or the My Computer icon, go to Printers folder.
Right click on the printer and select Sharing. Under the Sharing
tab, select Shared As and give the printer its network name. No
real need to bother with a comment or password.
Now go to any other computer on the network and go to the
Printers Folder. Select Add Printer and complete the Wizard.
Select network printer and in the network path type \\computer
name\printer name i.e. \\barry\hp
Indicate that it is to be the default
printer.
Finish the setup and the printer should
show up as an icon in the Printers Folder.
Try printing something. It should print
on the printer connected to the other computer. Of course, the
other computer has to be on.
How do I share a folder?
Here's you tutorial in File Sharing: File
Sharing Screen Cam
First you must have File Sharing
enabled. See above.
On the computer that has the folder, use
Explorer and right click on the folder that you want to share.
Select Sharing...
Select Shared As and decide on the access
type.
Add a password only if you feel one is
necessary.
Explorer will now show this folder as
shared by putting a little share hand on the folder.
Now go to any other computer in the
network, and while in Explorer, select the Map Network Drive
Button. This can also be accessed from the Neighborhood Network
It will offer you an available drive
letter, while you type in the computer and shared folder name in
the following fashion.
\\barry\heatherk
Notice that the name of the computer is
preceded by a double backward slash.
Note that WFW and Windows 95 are not case
sensitive, while WindowsNT is.
Now a drive letter will show up in all
drive boxes and all files in that folder will be available..
It will also show up in Explorer or File
Manager and you will be able to drag'n'drop, cut, copy or paste
to or from it as if it was a folder in the local computer.
In a like fashion you will be able to
share any directory, even the whole C: drive or any CD-ROM drive.
To share a CD-ROM in WFW you must add
/s in the line in autoexec.bat for the CD-ROM
driver.
i.e. c:\windows\mscdex.exe /s
/d:cdrom1 /l:d
You can even run programs from the
folder on the other computer, as long as all necessary dll's are
in the local computer or in that folder. You can install
programs from CD-ROM's on other computers including encyclopedias
which can be shared with numerous computers from one CD.
When you Map a network drive (Connect to
a network drive), you have an opportunity to select
"Reconnect at Logon".
When this is selected, the computer will
connect to that drive when it is booted up.
If a password was required, you will
have an opportunity to add it to the password list, so that you
don't have to retype it each time you connect. Not a good idea if
you don't want others, who use that computer, to have access to
that resource.
If this page is missing anything, please
let me know so that I can update the page.
Thanks
Barry
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