A new Win Me wizard streamlines the networking process, letting you create mixed-technology networks with ease.
Windows Millennium Edition isn't a magic bullet for home networking configuration, but it can be a big help. Windows Me's Home Networking Wizard simplifies setup for single-technology networks (such as Ethernet, HomePNA, or wireless networks) and offers some support for mixed-technology home networks.
Shared Internet access isn't the only reason to network home PCs, but it's an extremely compelling motivation, particularly for homes that have broadband Internet connections. Other great reasons for home networking include printer sharing, file sharing (including MP3 files), and multiplayer gaming.
Windows Me doesn't take care of all your home network setup tasks. You still must install network interface cards (NICs) -- at least one in each of the PCs that will be on your network. Windows Me recognises a wider selection of NICs than previous versions, though, so you might not have to install drivers from the card or adapter manufacturer. You can add new machines to your network or otherwise change the configuration at any time, and with very little hassle, by running the Home Networking Wizard.
Note that when you use Windows Me's Home Networking Wizard to configure a network and then enable the Internet Connection Sharing feature, you're not using a peer-to-peer network, in which all computers are equal. Instead, the PC on which you initially run the wizard (which must be operating under Windows Me) is considered the server, and the other PCs on the network (which can run Windows 95, 98, or 98 SE) are considered clients.
Mixed-Technology Networks
If you needed (or just wanted) more than one type of networking interface technology, you used to have to buy expensive bridges or other devices to enable the networks to work together. Windows Me solves part of that problem by letting you manage multiple networks nicely from a single PC (the one we'll call the server). You must install a separate NIC in the server for each networking technology, which adds to your expense, but at least it's possible. Limitations in earlier Windows versions often made installing even two nics in one PC difficult.
Windows Me doesn't restrict the number of network adapters that can be supported simultaneously. If you want to access the Internet via systems networked with two (and no more than two) technologies, you have to go beyond the Home Networking Wizard to Internet Explorer's Options screen, but that's still pretty simple.
