Platinum Edition Using® Microsoft® Windows® XP

Joining an Existing Network

If you're adding a new computer to an existing network, most of the difficult configuration decisions have already been made, so your task is greatly simplified.

The first step, of course, is to install your network adapter as discussed earlier in this chapter.

Then, you must be sure that your computer has the necessary drivers to support the file sharing protocol used on the network. TCP/IP is installed by default. If the computers on your existing network use IPX/SPX as the primary protocol for file sharing, you'll need to install IPX/SPX by following these steps:

1.	View the Network Connections window, right-click the Local Area Connection icon, and select Properties.
2.	Click Install, select Protocol, and click ...