{"id":7217,"date":"2002-05-23T13:26:00","date_gmt":"2002-05-23T13:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.practicallynetworked.com\/?p=7217"},"modified":"2022-11-09T13:27:33","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T13:27:33","slug":"windows-xp-networking-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.practicallynetworked.com\/windows-xp-networking-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows XP Networking Myths<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are lots of good sources for Windows networking information. And despite all the great web sites, Usenet news groups, books, friends, and colleagues available to help out, not everyone gets it all right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some common beliefs about Windows networking that just aren’t true. You’ll probably run into some of them as you look for help with your Windows XP network. Don’t let your troubleshooting get sidetracked by them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Misconception<\/strong>: Windows networking requires the NetBEUI protocol.<\/strong>

Fact: Nothing in Windows networking has ever required NetBEUI. All network functions are available using TCP\/IP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explanation<\/strong> : Windows 95 installs NetBEUI by default, so some people think that it’s required. You can remove NetBEUI and use a different protocol in Windows 95. All later versions of Windows install TCP\/IP by default.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do want to use NetBEUI, here are instructions on implementing NetBEUI in Windows 2000<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Misconception<\/strong>: The NetBEUI protocol isn\u00ef\u00bf\u00bdt available in Windows XP.<\/strong>

Fact<\/strong>: You can install NetBEUI from the Windows XP CD-ROM. See Windows XP Network Protocols<\/a> for details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explanation<\/strong> : NetBEUI is an unsupported protocol in Windows XP. That doesn\u00ef\u00bf\u00bdt mean that it won\u00ef\u00bf\u00bdt work. It means that Microsoft recommends not using it, and that they won\u00ef\u00bf\u00bdt provide technical support if you have problems with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Misconception: Windows 95 can’t read a shared disk on another networked computer if the disk uses the FAT32 or NTFS file system. Windows 95\/98\/Me can’t read a shared disk on another networked computer if the disk uses the NTFS file system.<\/strong>

Fact: The file system of a shared disk is irrelevant. Every computer knows how to read its own disk and make its contents available to other computers over the network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explanation<\/strong> : The original release of Windows 95 can’t read a FAT32 partition on its own<\/em> local hard disk<\/em>. Windows 95\/98\/Me can’t read an NTFS partition on their own local hard disks<\/em>. These restrictions don\u00ef\u00bf\u00bdt apply to networked disk access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Misconception<\/strong>: It isn’t safe to use TCP\/IP for file sharing on a local area network, because other Internet users will be able to see your files.

Fact<\/strong> : TCP\/IP is unsafe only when all<\/em> of these statements are true:<\/p>\n\n\n\n