After a Windows operating system is installed or after you install TCP/IP, it may be nec...

After a Windows operating system is installed or after you install TCP/IP, it may be necessary to configure TCP/IP for network communications. In this project, you learn from where to configure TCP/IP in Windows XP/Vista/7, Windows Server 2003/Server 2003 R2, or Windows Server 2008/Server 2008 R2. Also, in this project you learn a different path to starting the Network and Sharing Center in Windows Vista/7 and Server 2008/Server 2008 R2. To learn from where to configure TCP/IP in Windows XP or Windows Server 2003/Server 2003 R2:

1. Click Start and click Control Panel.

2. Click Network and Internet Connections from the Category View, and then click Network Connections.

3. Right-click a live connection, such as Local Area Connection or Wireless Network Connection and click Properties.

4. In the Connection Properties dialog box, click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties.

5. Notice that you can select Obtain an IP address automatically or Use the following IP address. If Obtain an IP address automatically is used, then a DHCP server can assign an IP address to the computer. However, if there is no DHCP server on the network, then using this selection results in the operating system automatically assigning an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) IPv4 address. If instead, you select Use the following IP address, then you can configure a static IP address along with the subnet mask and default gateway address. Also, notice on the General tab that you can select to automatically obtain the DNS server address or to specify a preferred or alternate DNS server.

6. Click Cancel in the Internet Properties (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box.

7. Click Cancel in the Connection Properties dialog box.

8. Close the Network Connections window and any other open windows.

To learn from where to configure TCP/IP in Windows Vista/7 or Windows Server 2008/ Server 2008 R2:

1. Click Start and click Control Panel.

2. In Windows Vista or Server 2008, ensure Classic View is selected and double-click Network and Sharing Center. Or in Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2, set View by to Large icons or Small icons, and click Network and Sharing Center.

3. In Windows Vista and Server 2008, click Manage network connection in the left pane of the Network and Sharing Center window. In Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2, click Change adapter settings.

4. Right-click the network connection you want to configure, such as Local Area Connection or Wireless Network Connection and click Properties (refer to Figure 9-13). (The connection you select should be an active connection, and not one that is disconnected.)

5. Under This connection uses the following items, notice that Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) are typically installed by default in these operating systems (refer to Figure 9-8).

6. Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

7. Ensure that the General tab is selected (see Figure 9-14). Notice that you can select Obtain an IP address automatically or Use the following IP address. If Obtain an IP address automatically is used, then a DHCP server can assign an IP address to the computer. However, if there is no DHCP server on the network, then using this selection results in the operating system automatically assigning an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) IPv4 address. If instead you select Use the following IP address, then you

can configure a static IP address along with the subnet mask, and default gateway address. Also, notice on the General tab that you can select to automatically obtain the DNS server address or to specify a preferred or alternate DNS server (see Figure 9-14).

8. Click Cancel in the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties dialog box.

9. In the Connection Properties dialog box, click Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and click Properties.

10. In the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) Properties dialog box (see Figure 9-15), notice that you can select to automatically configure the IPv6 address or you can statically configure it. Also, you can automatically obtain the DNS server address or type in preferred and alternate DNS server addresses.

11. Click Cancel in the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) Properties dialog box.

12. Click Cancel in the Connection Properties dialog box.

13. Close the Network Connections window and any other open windows, such as the Network and Sharing Center window.