Home and small office networking tools overview

Network Setup Wizard
The Network Setup Wizard makes setting up a home or small office network easier than before. After the network hardware is installed and your computers are connected together, run the Network Setup Wizard. If you have an Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) host computer, run the wizard on the host computer first, and then run the wizard on the rest of the computers. (These are called the client computers.) After you answer some basic questions, the wizard configures the computers to operate correctly on the network, and enables File and Printer Sharing if it is appropriate to do so.

Wireless Network Setup Wizard
You can use the Wireless Network Setup Wizard to set up a wireless network. You must first install the appropriate hardware on each computer or device (for example, install a wireless network adapter on any computer or device that does not have one). Then you can run the Wireless Network Setup Wizard.

For more information about the Wireless Network Setup Wizard, see Setting up a wireless network.

New Connection Wizard
With the New Connection Wizard, you can easily create Internet, dial-up, virtual private networking (VPN), incoming, and direct connections.

The New Connection Wizard replaces the Internet Connection Wizard found in earlier versions of Windows.

Local area connections are automatically created when a network adapter is installed in the computer. After installing the network adapter, you can configure it to access the Internet or communicate with your home or small office network. For more information, see To make a local area connection.

Residential gateway
A residential gateway is a device that connects multiple computers to the Internet using a single Internet connection. The client computers rely on the residential gateway to provide Internet access. Security is enhanced when you use this configuration because only the residential gateway is visible to the Internet. Any communication from client computers to the Internet must pass through the gateway, a process that keeps the addresses of client computers hidden from anyone on the Internet. Client computers are protected because they cannot be seen from outside the network.

The residential gateway also manages network addressing. The gateway assigns itself a permanent address and provides Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to client computers, assigning a unique address to each client, which enables the client computers to communicate with other computers on the network.

Windows Firewall
Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) offers small networks that are connected to the Internet the added security of firewall protection. Windows Firewall is enabled by default to help protect all Internet and network connections. You can also download and install a firewall of your own choosing.

Network Bridge
Network Bridge simplifies the setup and configuration of small networks with mixed network media types, such as Ethernet, home phoneline network adapter (HPNA), wireless, and IEEE 1394 devices. Each media type creates its own network segment. You can create a single subnet for the entire home or small office network by using Network Bridge across mixed media segments.

When the Network Setup Wizard is run, it detects if there are multiple network adapters installed in the computer. It then asks if you want to create the Network Bridge. Network adapters that are connected to the Internet, such as an Ethernet adapter connected to an external DSL or cable modem, should not be added to the Network Bridge.

Discovery and Control
Discovery and Control is a UPnP technology that enables client computers to remotely access and configure an ICS host or an Internet gateway device. For more information, see Using Internet Connection Sharing with Internet Gateway Device Discovery and Control and Using Internet Gateway Device Discovery and Control.

Note

To start the Network Setup Wizard, click Start, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Setup Wizard.