Using Samba, Second Edition

Setting Up Windows 95/98/Me Computers

The Windows 95/98/Me operating systems are very similar to each other, and as far as this chapter is concerned, it is possible to treat them with a common set of directions.

Setting Up the Network

Samba uses TCP/IP to communicate with clients on the network, so you will need to make sure there is support for TCP/IP on each Windows client. Unlike Unix operating systems, Windows does not necessarily have support for TCP/IP installed. However, when Windows is installed on a computer with a network card or a network card is added to a system already running Windows, TCP/IP support is installed by default, along with the Client for Microsoft Networks, which supports SMB file and printer sharing.

To make sure both services are installed on your Windows system, double-click the Network icon in the Control Panel to open the Network dialog box, as shown in Figure 3-3.

Figure 3-3. The Windows 95/98/Me Network dialog

You should see at least the Client for Microsoft Networks component installed on the system, and hopefully a networking device (preferably an Ethernet card) bound to the TCP/IP protocol. If there is only one networking hardware device, you’ll see the TCP/IP protocol listed below the device to which it is bound, as shown in Figure 3-3.

You might also see “File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks,” which is used to make the system into a server. ...