This page covers both Windows95 and Windows NT4.
Networking with Windows95 and WindowsNT4 is usually
an easy job: Install the "Network Adapter", add "Protocol" and "Client"
and you are "talking" over the network. The possibility to define MULTIPLE protocols for a Network adapter (which is so
easy to setup due to Microsoft's NDIS support) is highly appreciated by everyone, who tried to
setup/configure multiple protocols on a DOS based systems or Windows 3.x-system: It was often impossible !
The same
is true for installing MULTIPLE Network Adapters: A very difficult (often impossible) task under DOS and Windows 3.x, also
a simple job under Windows 95 and Windows NT4.
The biggest challenge: IRQ-Resources Since
the days of the IBM AT systems, the design of the systems has changed dramatically:
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IMB AT |
Modern Pentium II |
Clock: Screen resolution: Memory: Disk: Floppy disk: available IRQ's: |
6 Mhz EGA typical 1 MByte 20 MByte 1.44 MByte 16 |
300 Mhz UVGA (1280x1024 / 1600x1200) typical 16/32/64 MByte 4 GByte 1.44 MByte (plus CD-ROM) 16
! |
In today's high-performance systems, we are still stuck with the limit of maximum 16 IRQ-lines , which is
turning into a serious problem on today's Multi-Media Systems with Sound-Boards and SCSI-controllers, in some cases no IRQ
is anymore available forcing to switch OFF something else (usually the second Serial-Port COM2, which is not used so often).
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Windows95: Check in the Control-Panel "System", tab: "Device Manager" the "Computer"-properties
to locate an unused IRQ. In my example, I did already install the second Network adapter.
But if this system
had a Sound-board (which usually takes 2 IRQ's) and a SCSI-adapter, no more IRQ would be available.
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Windows NT4: On Windows NT, check the "NT Diagnostics", Tab:"Resources".
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When installing a new network-board under Windows95, it will automatically create a binding of ALL
currently installed protocols to the new board:
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This screen dump is a "fake", because I had to make 2 screen shots to get the full info displayed. All
protocols have a Binding to all Network cards.
We should clean this up, keeping only the required bindings. |
When going to Multi-Network-Adapter/Multi-Protocol setups, it is best to draw it up to get an overview on
the goal to be achieved:
 In this example, I like to connect on different network cables: - connect to a Novell-Netware server via IPX protocol -
connect to a Windows NT system via NetBEUI-protocol - connect to the Internet using the Modem/Dialup-Adapter via TCP/IP.
(In
my example, I use 2 different network-boards, but it is also possible to install 2 identical network-boards, as long as they
are configured for different IRQ and Port-address. To avoid another mis-understanding: if both the Novell-server AND the
NT-system are on the SAME network cable, you can connect to them using ONLY ONE Network-adapter and BINDING multiple protocols
to this one Network adapter. Please look to this as an exercise)
Windows95:
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to delete a Binding, select the combination of Protocol->Network board and "Remove"
it. |
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The "cleaned-out" version on the "Network", containing now only the required Bindings.
We
can now also verify the Bindings by checking the properties of the components:
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IPX has a Binding to the 3COM for the connection to the Netware Server. |
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NetBEUI has a Binding to the NE2000 for the connection to the NT system. |
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The IPX-protocol has a Binding to the Client for Netware Networks. (I manually un-checked the
binding to the Client for Microsoft Network) |
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The NetBEUI-protocol has a Binding to the Client for Microsoft Networks. |
Lets now connect to these systems:
 The Netware server does show up in the "Network Neighborhood", but (it is part of the Microsoft
mystery of the "Browse-Master") the NT system did NOT show up in the "Network-Neighborhood", but I am able to connect to it by
running the "Run"-command: \\<server-name>, in my example: \\piijh.
WindowsNT4:
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Lets check the "Network" applet in the Control-Panel. |
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Since we like to connect to a Novell-netware server, we need in addition to the "Server"
and "Workstation" (required to connect to the NT-system) the "Client Services
for Netware". |
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We have the protocols: - NetBEUI to communicate with the NT-system -
IPX to communicate to the Novell Netware server |
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the 2 Network Adapters |
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The Bindings: Here we need to do the job. First, open (=expand the display) by clicking
on the "+" signs. |
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Then, select and "Disable" all not required Bindings. In this example: no need for the
IPX-protocol to have a Binding to the Server and Workstation, which is used for connection to the NT-system. |
Then, we are ready to connect and browse the network:
 Don't ask me why: But under Windows NT4, both the Novell-server(s) AND the NT-system (PIIJH) are
showing up in the "Network-Neighborhood" (each time, when NT is able to do a job not possible/available
on Windows95, I say to myself:" Do NOT forget, that Windows95 is only the little brother of the
big-boy NT ! ").
sandeep_sohal@lycos.com
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