Add a Windows 2000-based computer to your network
Published: August 15, 2006
If you have a computer running Microsoft Windows 2000, you can connect it to your home network and the Internet. After you add your computer to your home network, you'll be able to print to a printer on your home network (the printer will no longer need to be attached directly to your computer), and access your other computers and devices connected to your home network. You'll be able to share files, which means you can get data from any computer you connect to the network. You can even share one Internet connection among all your computers.
While Windows 2000 is fully capable of browsing the Web and sharing files and printers across a home network, it does not give you the advanced security features that Microsoft Windows XP does. Windows XP is designed to help protect you against Internet threats, so it makes using the Internet much more reliable and secure. For these reasons, consider upgrading to Windows XP to better protect your computer. If you cannot upgrade your computer to Windows XP, connecting it to the Internet through a Windows XP-based computer or through a wired or wireless router will add some protection, but not the level of security possible with Windows XP.
If you have a computer running Windows XP on your home network, you can use the Internet Connection Sharing feature on that computer to connect your Windows 2000-based computer to the Internet.
You can improve the security of your Windows 2000-based computers by following these guidelines immediately after you have connected your PC to the Internet:
To connect your Windows 2000-based computer to your network (the steps may vary slightly, depending on the software required for your network adapter)
1. | Shut down your computer, and install your network adapter. If you are installing a USB (Universal Serial Bus), CardBus, or CF card network adapter, you do not need to shut down your computer before installing the network adapter. |
2. | Start Windows, and log on as you normally would. |
3. | The Found New Hardware Wizard will appear. Click Next. 
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4. | The Found New Hardware Wizard asks you how you would like to find your driver. The driver is software Windows needs to communicate with your network adapter. Typically, it is included on a floppy disk or CD-ROM that came with your network adapter. Click Next. 
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5. | Insert the floppy disk or CD-ROM that came with your network adapter. If you are using a CD, select the CD-ROM drives check box. Then click Next. 
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6. | Windows searches for the driver. Once Windows finds the driver, click Next. 
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7. | If prompted, click Yes. Software that does not have a digital signature has not been officially tested by Microsoft. However, it's usually okay. 
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8. | Windows 2000 copies the files and installs the software for your network adapter. On the final page, click Finish. 
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9. | If prompted, click Yes to restart your computer. After your computer restarts, log on normally. |
If you are connecting to a wired network, you are ready to use your network and the Internet. If you are connecting to a wireless network, follow the instructions provided with your wireless network adapter to configure your wireless network connection.
