Manage IP addresses on the network with Windows 98!
If you use the TCP/IP protocol on your Windows 9x network, there
are three ways you can manage your IP addresses: static
addressing, autoconfiguration addressing, and a Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. Here's a brief look at each
method.
Static addresses
Static IP addressing involves manually setting an IP address and
associated information in the TCP/IP Properties page of Control
Panel's Network applet on each computer. This is generally useful
only for very small networks, where few devices move around or are
added or removed.
One of the biggest drawbacks to this method is that an
administrator needs to keep a definitive list of which address is
assigned to which host on the network, including network-attached
printers and print servers, routers and switches, servers, and
computers.
Windows 9x "out of the box" doesn't provide much protection from
users who might alter the carefully configured TCP/IP properties.
However, static addressing is widely used and works well under
controlled and documented conditions.
Autoconfiguration addressing
IP autoconfiguration addressing is a feature that allows Windows
98 to determine an IP address. While this is a good alternative to
static IP addressing, there are a couple of drawbacks:
IP autoconfiguration addressing was introduced in Windows 98. If
you have Windows 95 computers on the network, you'll have to
upgrade them to either Windows 98 or Windows 2000, which also
supports autoconfiguration addressing.
IP autoconfiguration addressing works well only where a single IP
subnet is sufficient. The addresses that are selected by the
computers fall within a network reserved for this purpose.
A benefit of this configuration for a small network is that when a
DHCP server is introduced, no further computer configuration is
necessary. The DHCP server is automatically discovered when it's
activated.
DHCP server
The big brother to static and autoconfiguration addressing is the
DHCP server. This service is usually set up on an NT server in a
Microsoft network environment, and it dynamically allocates IP
addresses and associated configuration information to
clients--Windows 9x computers--as they connect to the network.
This centralized method is desirable for many admins and provides
the flexibility in addressing topology that the autoconfiguration
method lacks. However, you don't necessarily have to implement an
NT server to achieve this flexibility, especially if you
administer a smaller network.
Search the Internet for free downloads of this software that will
run on a Windows 9x computer. In addition, check out some features
of dial-up routers that are targeted at the small network market
for their built-in implementations of DHCP servers.
Lock your Windows Me taskbar in place!
Have you ever accidentally moved or resized your taksbar and then
had to waste valuable time and energy moving it back to its
original size and location? Windows Me contains a feature that
enables you to lock your taskbar in place so that you won't be
able to accidentally move or resize it.
Right-click on the Windows Me taskbar and then choose Properties.
Select the Advanced tab, and in the Start Menu And Taskbar list
box, scroll to the bottom and beneath the Taskbar heading, uncheck
the Enable Moving And Resizing option and click OK. Your taskbar
is now fixed in place and won't move.
Quickly clear the Start menu in Windows XP!
If you're new to XP, you'll immediately notice that the Start menu
is quite a bit larger than in previous versions of Windows, mainly
because it's more customizable than ever before. Windows XP
dynamically updates which programs appear in the left pane of the
Start menu depending on the programs you use most frequently. In a
previous tip, I showed you how to pin your favorite programs to
the Start menu for quick and easy access, but if you'd like to
keep the programs you use most often a secret from the coworkers
or family members who also use your computer (or you don't want
your boss to know you're playing Solitaire all day long) you can
clear the left side of the Start menu as well.
All you need to do is right-click on an empty section of the Start
menu's left pane and select Properties. Select the Start Menu tab,
and then click the Customize button. On the General property
sheet, in the Programs panel, click the Clear List button, and
then set the Number Of Programs On The Start Menu to 0. Keep in
mind that you aren't deleting the programs from your system, or
even from the Start menu itself (they'll still be available off
the All Programs submenu). They just won't appear in the left pane
of your Start menu anymore.
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