Windows Vista Security: Praxisorientierte Sicherheit für Profis

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Chapter 14: Setting Up Your Network

IPv6 developers also implemented IP Security (IPSec) into the proto-

col. IPSec lies within the IP network layer, and encrypts and authenti-

cates as an integrated part of the protocol by default. This eliminates

additional overhead in encoding and decoding packets using IPSec

functionality.

Configuring the IPv4 and IPv6 Protocols

Each network adapter configured on your computer has a separate IP addressing

configuration, which you can manage through the associated network connection.

The network connection for the first network adapter on the computer is named

Local Area Connection; the second network adapter is named Local Area Connec-

tion 2, and so on. Connections for wireless, dial-up, or broadband have the name

you assigned when you created the connection.

During installation of the operating system, the Setup program automatically

installed the necessary networking components for your computer if a network

adapter was detected. In addition to TCP/IPv4 and TCP/IPv6, Windows Vista uses

the following networking components:

Client for Microsoft Networks

Allows you to connect to Microsoft-based networking services. If you are con-

necting to a Windows domain, you are required to use this protocol.

QoS Packet Scheduler

Offers the capability to define which protocols and applications have prece-

dence in a situation where multiple applications or protocols request access to

the same network resources. This protocol gives you the ability to raise or lower

the priority of the requests made. Basically, the Quality of Service (QoS) Packet

Scheduler works as a traffic cop by allowing you to control the rate of flow and

prioritization of services available.

File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks

Allows other computers to connect to and access resources on your computer

when using Microsoft networking protocols. This feature also allows you to

access resources on remote machines connected to your network and on the

Internet.

Table 14-9. IPv6 packet example

Bit 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32

Version Traffic class Flow label

Source address information

Destination address information

Networking with TCP/IP

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Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper I/O Driver

Allows your computer to discover and locate other computers and devices on

the network. Also used to determine the available network bandwidth.

Link-Layer Topology Discovery Responder

Allows your computer to be discovered and located by other computers and

devices on the network.

Although you will probably use only IPv4 on your home or small-office network, you

should understand how IPv6 works and be able to configure the protocol. You can

manually assign IPv4 and IPv6 addresses using static IP addresses, or automatically

assign them using dynamic IP addresses. You configure the IPv4 and IPv6 protocols

in exactly the same way, with the following exceptions:

• IPv4 uses subnet masks, and IPv6 uses subnet prefix lengths.

• IPv4 uses both DNS and WINS for locating computers and devices on the net-

work, and IPv6 uses only DNS.

• IPv4 allows for automatic private IP addressing if a DHCP server cannot be

located, and IPv6 simply assigns the computer a local–local unicast (private) IP

address based on the MAC address of the network adapter.

On a per-network-connection basis, you can configure the networking protocols

used by completing the following steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2. In the Control Panel, click Network and Internet and then click Network and

Sharing Center.

3. In the Network and Sharing Center, click “Manage network connections” under

Tasks. This opens the Network Connections window.

4. Right-click the network connection you want to configure and then select Prop-

erties. This displays a Properties dialog box, as shown in Figure 14-11.

5. On the Networking tab, you can use the checkboxes provided to manipulate the

different protocols associated with the network adapter. You can turn the differ-

ent protocols on and off by clicking the checkbox associated with each protocol:

• If you are using file and printer sharing on your network, you must enable

both Client for Microsoft Networks, and File and Printer Sharing for

Microsoft Networks. The QoS protocol offers greater flexibility in the flow

of data by prioritizing the different requests made by the client.

• If you are using the IPv6 protocol for connectivity, you also must use the

QoS Packet Scheduler, which Windows selects by default. If you are not

using this protocol, you should disable it by unchecking the box associated

with this protocol.

• If you are using the IPv4 protocol for connectivity, you must leave the Inter-

net Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) box checked.