Network Advice

[Don Harvey]

Before I start this, thought it best to ask people that know. My network
now has a mix of 3 XP Pro machines, 1 Win ME and still 1 Win98SE with a
Linksys 8 port router and DSL. Before XP Pro, I used Netbeui, and TCP/IP.

I found that Netbeui does not come automatically installed, but is available
on the CD. I note that Netware is installed.

The question is can I safely delete the Netware protocols. And what about
just using TCP/IP alone (wondering how difficult to use just that)

The network is functioning fine, but I wonder if the additional protocols
have a tendency to slow down the network.

Thanks for any ideas or advice.

[Rob Schneider]

Don Harvey wrote:
> Before I start this, thought it best to ask people that know. My network
> now has a mix of 3 XP Pro machines, 1 Win ME and still 1 Win98SE with a
> Linksys 8 port router and DSL. Before XP Pro, I used Netbeui, and TCP/IP.
>
> I found that Netbeui does not come automatically installed, but is available
> on the CD. I note that Netware is installed.
>
> The question is can I safely delete the Netware protocols. And what about
> just using TCP/IP alone (wondering how difficult to use just that)
>
> The network is functioning fine, but I wonder if the additional protocols
> have a tendency to slow down the network.
>
> Thanks for any ideas or advice.
>
>

NETBEUI is not Netware protocals. Novell networks traditionally require
IPX protocols. If you needed them, you would know.

NETBEUI is a Micorsoft network protocol. TCP/IP is an open
non-proprietary protocol which is now ubiquitious. You don't need it.

My advice is: unless something broken, don't make any changes. I don't
think you'll be having any network slow down due to multiple protocols,
especially which such a small number of machines.

[Don Harvey]

Thanks Rob,

I think you are right. Network is working ok as it stands. I seems to take
more time when connecting to the xp pro server to run this app, but after
that fast. I did delete the key to stop XP checking for scheduled events,
but did not seem to help.

I am glad I asked before messing around. I also received the following from
my language support group.

<quote>
Do NOT remove the Netware protocols (IPX/SPX). Believe it or not, XP
uses this for printer/file sharing! It cost me $35 and about 6 hours on
the phone to find that out! And it all started because I removed that
protocol from a new XP machine... {'-)
<end quote>


"Rob Schneider" > wrote in message
...
: Don Harvey wrote:
: > Before I start this, thought it best to ask people that know. My
network
: > now has a mix of 3 XP Pro machines, 1 Win ME and still 1 Win98SE with a
: > Linksys 8 port router and DSL. Before XP Pro, I used Netbeui, and
TCP/IP.
: >
: > I found that Netbeui does not come automatically installed, but is
available
: > on the CD. I note that Netware is installed.
: >
: > The question is can I safely delete the Netware protocols. And what
about
: > just using TCP/IP alone (wondering how difficult to use just that)
: >
: > The network is functioning fine, but I wonder if the additional
protocols
: > have a tendency to slow down the network.
: >
: > Thanks for any ideas or advice.
: >
: >
:
: NETBEUI is not Netware protocals. Novell networks traditionally require
: IPX protocols. If you needed them, you would know.
:
: NETBEUI is a Micorsoft network protocol. TCP/IP is an open
: non-proprietary protocol which is now ubiquitious. You don't need it.
:
: My advice is: unless something broken, don't make any changes. I don't
: think you'll be having any network slow down due to multiple protocols,
: especially which such a small number of machines.
:

[Harry Ohrn]

I agree that if the network is working fine there is no sense in mucking
with it. But I don't agree with the statement that IPX/SPX is required for
XP to share printers or files. I have 7 systems running a combo of Windows
XP, Windows 2003, Windows 2000, Windows 98 and Linux Redhat 9. I am only
using TCP/IP and everything is working nicely.

--

Harry Ohrn - MS MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"Don Harvey" > wrote in message
.com...
> Thanks Rob,
>
> I think you are right. Network is working ok as it stands. I seems to
take
> more time when connecting to the xp pro server to run this app, but after
> that fast. I did delete the key to stop XP checking for scheduled events,
> but did not seem to help.
>
> I am glad I asked before messing around. I also received the following
from
> my language support group.
>
> <quote>
> Do NOT remove the Netware protocols (IPX/SPX). Believe it or not, XP
> uses this for printer/file sharing! It cost me $35 and about 6 hours on
> the phone to find that out! And it all started because I removed that
> protocol from a new XP machine... {'-)
> <end quote>
>
>
> "Rob Schneider" > wrote in message
> ...
> : Don Harvey wrote:
> : > Before I start this, thought it best to ask people that know. My
> network
> : > now has a mix of 3 XP Pro machines, 1 Win ME and still 1 Win98SE with
a
> : > Linksys 8 port router and DSL. Before XP Pro, I used Netbeui, and
> TCP/IP.
> : >
> : > I found that Netbeui does not come automatically installed, but is
> available
> : > on the CD. I note that Netware is installed.
> : >
> : > The question is can I safely delete the Netware protocols. And what
> about
> : > just using TCP/IP alone (wondering how difficult to use just that)
> : >
> : > The network is functioning fine, but I wonder if the additional
> protocols
> : > have a tendency to slow down the network.
> : >
> : > Thanks for any ideas or advice.
> : >
> : >
> :
> : NETBEUI is not Netware protocals. Novell networks traditionally require
> : IPX protocols. If you needed them, you would know.
> :
> : NETBEUI is a Micorsoft network protocol. TCP/IP is an open
> : non-proprietary protocol which is now ubiquitious. You don't need it.
> :
> : My advice is: unless something broken, don't make any changes. I don't
> : think you'll be having any network slow down due to multiple protocols,
> : especially which such a small number of machines.
> :
>
>

[Don Harvey]

Thanks Harry,

Yes, I thought that was rather strange, but I am not that well versed in all
the network settings. I have 3 machines, 1 new with xp pro installed, and
the other 2 which I upgraded with xp pro in addition to 1 Win ME and 1
Win98SE. Just now getting into the network settings.

Think I will go slowly until I am a little more confident with XP.


"Harry Ohrn" > wrote in message
...
: I agree that if the network is working fine there is no sense in mucking
: with it. But I don't agree with the statement that IPX/SPX is required
for
: XP to share printers or files. I have 7 systems running a combo of Windows
: XP, Windows 2003, Windows 2000, Windows 98 and Linux Redhat 9. I am only
: using TCP/IP and everything is working nicely.
:
: --
:
: Harry Ohrn - MS MVP [Shell/User]
: www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
:
:
: "Don Harvey" > wrote in message
: .com...
: > Thanks Rob,
: >
: > I think you are right. Network is working ok as it stands. I seems to
: take
: > more time when connecting to the xp pro server to run this app, but
after
: > that fast. I did delete the key to stop XP checking for scheduled
events,
: > but did not seem to help.
: >
: > I am glad I asked before messing around. I also received the following
: from
: > my language support group.
: >
: > <quote>
: > Do NOT remove the Netware protocols (IPX/SPX). Believe it or not, XP
: > uses this for printer/file sharing! It cost me $35 and about 6 hours on
: > the phone to find that out! And it all started because I removed that
: > protocol from a new XP machine... {'-)
: > <end quote>
: >
: >
: > "Rob Schneider" > wrote in message
: > ...
: > : Don Harvey wrote:
: > : > Before I start this, thought it best to ask people that know. My
: > network
: > : > now has a mix of 3 XP Pro machines, 1 Win ME and still 1 Win98SE
with
: a
: > : > Linksys 8 port router and DSL. Before XP Pro, I used Netbeui, and
: > TCP/IP.
: > : >
: > : > I found that Netbeui does not come automatically installed, but is
: > available
: > : > on the CD. I note that Netware is installed.
: > : >
: > : > The question is can I safely delete the Netware protocols. And what
: > about
: > : > just using TCP/IP alone (wondering how difficult to use just that)
: > : >
: > : > The network is functioning fine, but I wonder if the additional
: > protocols
: > : > have a tendency to slow down the network.
: > : >
: > : > Thanks for any ideas or advice.
: > : >
: > : >
: > :
: > : NETBEUI is not Netware protocals. Novell networks traditionally
require
: > : IPX protocols. If you needed them, you would know.
: > :
: > : NETBEUI is a Micorsoft network protocol. TCP/IP is an open
: > : non-proprietary protocol which is now ubiquitious. You don't need it.
: > :
: > : My advice is: unless something broken, don't make any changes. I
don't
: > : think you'll be having any network slow down due to multiple
protocols,
: > : especially which such a small number of machines.
: > :
: >
: >
:
:

[rms]

Maybe the "experts" mean that if you want XP to connect to print servers
that are on Novell,then you need Novell's protocol. That sort of makes
sense to me, but I don't think it applies to you since you didn't report
any Novell boxes in your network.

Leave it all alone, I would say. If you must do anything, start a
little project to get your network as it is not configured documented.
IP addresss, domain names, workgroup names, share names, server names,
DHCP configuration, permissions, etc. By doing this you'll find things
that you can improve. Improve only after doing the analysis and
understand how it's all setup.

You never know ... you may have some sort of emergency which requires
you to restore everything. In those situations, knowing how to do it
will be worth something.