Windows Vista Security: Praxisorientierte Sicherheit für Profis

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Chapter 14: Setting Up Your Network

choice of connecting directly to your workplace or using your Internet connection.

Direct connection requires a phone line and does not use the Internet. Of course, the

other choice requires you to have a connection to the Internet. Click your desired

option and enter the name of the server, or IP address. Give the destination a mean-

ingful name; select the security properties, which consist of Smart Cards, Sharing,

and Just Set Up; and then click the Next button. Enter your username, password,

and optional domain information and then click the Create button. To connect, click

the Connect Now button and you should connect to the VPN server.

Troubleshooting Common Problems on Small Networks

As with any type of technology, sometimes things just don’t work out the way you

want them to. This truth brings us to the troubleshooting portion of this chapter.

Learning about the different tools available to help identify and solve problems with

networking is paramount to successfully sharing resources locally or across the globe.

The first step to learning about troubleshooting falls into the theoretical arena with

the OSI model. See Table 14-10 for a list of the OSI model layers and their names.

The OSI model helps us break networks into different layers in terms of how they

correspond to the different applications and protocols we use to transmit data. Each

protocol works in different ways, and the OSI model helps us understand how they

function and what they do.

Using the Network Diagnostics and Repair Option

Windows Vista offers the ability to self-diagnose network connectivity problems

using Windows Network Diagnostics. This feature can help to identify problems

with network adapters and TCP/IP issues. If you do not have a cable properly con-

necting the adapter to the network, it will also notify you of this problem. The wiz-

ard goes through a simple set of tests to determine the problem, alleviating the need

to complete these tasks manually. However, if the wizard cannot fix the problem,

you must determine the problem yourself, as discussed in the other troubleshooting

sections of this chapter.

You can diagnose and repair network problems by completing these 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 left pane, under Tasks, click “Diagnose and repair.”

4. When Windows Network Diagnostics finishes testing your network configura-

tion, you’ll see a list of possible solutions, as shown in Figure 14-13. Follow the

instructions provided to try to correct the problem, or click a solution to have

Windows Network Diagnostics perform a troubleshooting task for you.