Using Home Networking

What is a home network?

A home network consists of two or more computers connected together through your telephone line. Home networking software lets you share drives, printers, and a single Internet connection among the networked computers.

One computer is designated as the server . The server is connected to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Software is installed on the server and the other computers, called clients , to let them communicate with each other and share the Internet connection.

Setting up your home network

You can make a dial-up connection to the Internet, send a fax, or use your telephone set while you are using your home network.

Important

If you have more than one telephone line in your home, make sure that all the computers on your home network are connected to wall jacks that share the same telephone number.

Set up your home network by:

Connecting the computers to the network

Using the internal HPNA network adapter

Using external Linksys network adapters

Preparing the computers for the home networking program installation

Installing the home networking program on each computer

Connecting to the network

Your Gateway computer comes with either the HPNA network adapter already installed or the external Linksys network adapter kit.

Internal HPNA network adapter

To determine if you have an internal HPNA network adapter:

Right-click the My Network Places icon on your desktop, then select Properties . The Network dialog box opens.

If you have an internal HPNA network adapter in your computer, BCM HPNA 10Mbps NIC will be listed as one of the resources.

 

To connect your computer using the internal HPNA network adapter:

1. Plug the green end of the computer's telephone cable into the telephone jack with the green label on the HPNA adapter.

2. Plug the other end of the telephone cable into the telephone wall jack.

If the computer you are connecting needs to share the telephone wall jack with a telephone set or DSL modem, you need to use a telephone jack splitter (not supplied).

Connect the splitter to the telephone wall jack, then connect the computer's telephone cable or DSL modem cable to one splitter jack and the telephone set cable to the other splitter jack.

3. Connect other computers and shared devices to the network according to manufacturers' instructions.

 

External Linksys network adapters

To connect your computer using the external Linksys network adapter:

1. Turn on your computer and wait until Windows starts.

2. Plug one end of the computer's telephone cable into the HomeLink jack on the Linksys network adapter.

3. Plug the other end of the telephone cable into the telephone wall jack.

If you also need to connect a telephone to this telephone wall jack, plug the telephone cable into the Phone jack on the Linksys network adapter.

4. Plug the square end of the Linksys cable into the USB port on the Linksys network adapter.

5. Plug the other end of the Linksys cable into one of your computer's USB ports.

The Power LED on the Linksys network adapter turns green, and the Add New Hardware Wizard opens.

6. Insert the Linksys diskette into the diskette drive, then click Next.

7. Select Search for the best driver for your device (Recommended) , then click Next .

8. Select Floppy disk drives, then click Next twice to install the Linksys Phoneline 10M USB Network Adapter files on your hard drive.

9. Click Finish. The System Settings Changed dialog box opens.

10. Remove the diskette from the diskette drive, then click Yes to restart the computer.

11. Repeat this procedure for each computer on the network.

Important

As each computer is connected to the network, the Link LED turns green showing a valid connection.

 

Preparing to install the software

After connecting your computers to your home network, you need to set up the computers for the home networking program installation.

To prepare your computers for the home networking program installation:

1. Decide which computer will be the Server. This computer must have:

Windows Me or Windows 98 installed.

A modem or other high-speed access device to connect to the Internet.

An Internet Service Provider (ISP) account.

2. If there are any other home networking programs installed on the network computers, uninstall them using the program's instructions.

Usually, if you click Start , then select Programs , then the networking program, you will see an uninstall option in the menu. If the program does not have an uninstall option, uninstall the program using Add/Remove Programs located in the Windows Control Panel.

Important

If you do not use America Online to connect to the Internet, make sure that it is not installed on your computer. If it is installed on the computer, you must remove it prior to installing the home networking program. Uninstall the program using Add/Remove Programs located in the Windows Control Panel.

 

Installing the home networking program

After completing the procedures in the previous section on each computer, you are ready to install the home networking program.

Important

You must install the home networking program on the server first.

If you are installing the home networking program on a new Gateway computer and intend to use it as the server, go to "To install the home networking program on the server:".

If you are installing the home networking program on a new Gateway computer and intend to use it as a client, go to "To install the home networking program on a client:".

To install the home networking program on the server:

1. Place the System Application CD that came with your Gateway computer into the CD/DVD drive.

2. Select SyGate Home Network. The SyGate Home Networking 4.5 Setup program starts, and the Welcome dialog box opens.

3. Click Next. The Software License Agreement dialog box opens.

4. Read through the license agreement, then click Yes to accept the terms of the agreement. The Choose Destination Location dialog box opens.

5. Click Next twice to accept the default installation locations. The Installation Setting dialog box opens.

6. Select Server mode - this computer has a direct internet connection , then type a unique name for the computer in the text box.

Important

Each computer on the network must have a different name. The networking program uses these unique names to determine which computers are communicating through the network.

7. Click OK . If a message tells you that you have changed the computer's name, click OK .

The SyGate Network Diagnostics dialog box opens and prompts you to turn on your external modem if you are using one.

If you use America Online as your ISP, you will be prompted to sign on.

8. Click OK. The computer checks for an Internet connection. Once the Internet connection has been confirmed, the installation procedure is finished.

9. Click OK twice to restart the computer.

Important

When the computer restarts, it may take longer than usual because the system is reconfiguring itself for the new network.

Once the computer restarts, the SyGate Message dialog box opens prompting you to share files or printers.

10. Click OK . The Share Drive/Printer dialog box opens.

11. On the Local tab, click the drive or printer you want to share, then click Shared . The selected drive or printer moves into the Shared Resource list.

Repeat this step until all the drives and printers you want to share appear in the Shared Resource list. See To share drives and printers: if you want to add drives or printers later.

12. Click OK. The SyGate Manager icon appears in the taskbar and the SyGate Manager window opens.

If the SyGate home networking service does not start automatically, click the status button in the SyGate Manager window to turn on the service. The status button displays Stop when the service is active and Start when the service is inactive.

13. Click OK to close the Daily Internet Sharing Tip message box.

 

To install the home networking program on a client:

1. Place the System Application CD that came with your Gateway computer into the CD/DVD drive.

2. Select SyGate Home Network. The SyGate Home Networking 4.5 Setup program starts, and the Welcome dialog box opens.

3. Click Next. The Software License Agreement dialog box opens.

4. Read through the license agreement, then click Yes to accept the terms of the agreement. The Choose Destination Location dialog box opens.

5. Click Next twice to accept the default installation locations. The Installation Setting dialog box opens.

6. Select Client mode - this computer relies on the SyGate server to connect to the internet , then type a unique name for the computer in the text box.

Important

Each computer on the network must have a different name. The networking program uses these unique names to determine which computers are communicating through the network.

7. Click OK . If a message tells you that you have changed the computer's name, click OK .

The SyGate Network Diagnostics dialog box opens and prompts you to turn on your external modem if you are using one.

If you use America Online as your ISP, you will be prompted to sign on.

8. Click OK. The computer checks for an Internet connection. Once the Internet connection has been confirmed, the installation procedure is finished.

9. Click OK twice to restart the computer.

Important

When the computer restarts, it may take longer than usual because the system is reconfiguring itself for the new network.

Once the computer restarts, the SyGate Message dialog box opens prompting you to share files or printers.

10. Click OK . The Share Drive/Printer dialog box opens.

11. On the Local tab, click the drive or printer you want to share, then click Shared . The selected drive or printer moves into the Shared Resource list.

Repeat this step until all the drives and printers you want to share appear in the Shared Resource list. See To share drives and printers: if you want to add drives or printers later.

12. Click OK. The SyGate Manager icon appears in the taskbar.

Important

If there is a red slash over the SyGate Manager icon, see Troubleshooting.

13. Click OK to close the Daily Internet Sharing Tip message box.

14. Repeat this procedure on each new Gateway client computer.

 

Using the home networking program

After you have installed the home networking program on each of the networked computers, you can use the program to:

Share an Internet connection

Share drives and printers

The home networking program displays different menus on the server and the client.

To use the home networking program on the server:

The SyGate Manager opens automatically when the server is started.

If the SyGate Manager window does not open automatically, click Start , then select Programs , SyGate , then SyGate Manager . The SyGate Manager window opens.

Start/Stop initiates and cancels the SyGate Internet connection sharing functionality.

Dial/Hang-up initiates and disconnects a dial-up networking connection.

Resources provides printer and file sharing capabilities among the networked computers.

Online Help provides "how-to" instructions and troubleshooting procedures.

Advanced lets you configure the network, control network security, and manage Internet content (parental controls).

 

To use the home networking program on the client:

Right-click the SyGate Manager icon on the taskbar. The SyGate Manager menu opens.

Dial initiates a dial-up networking connection. (Grayed out when connection is already initiated.)

Hang-up disconnects a dial-up networking connection. (Grayed out when connection is already disconnected.)

Resources provides printer and file sharing capabilities among the networked computers.

SyGate Service : Online appears when the Internet connection is active. Offline appears when the Internet connection is not active.

Diagnostic runs a diagnostic program to make sure the network connection is working correctly.

Online Help provides "how-to" instructions and troubleshooting procedures.

About SyGate provides information about SYGATE ® .

Exit closes the menu and the program.

 

Sharing an Internet connection

Internet sharing program lets all computers on the network access the Internet at the same time using one Internet service provider (ISP) connection. The server is the only computer on the network that can share its Internet connection. The clients access the Internet through the server's ISP connection.

For the clients to share the server's ISP connection, the server must be turned on, but it does not need to be connected to the ISP. When a client runs an Internet browser such as Internet Explorer, the server connects to the Internet automatically.

Important

If you are using AOL as your Internet service provider, you must store your sign-on password before a client computer can access the Internet. If you do not have your AOL sign-on password stored, the server will wait for the password to be entered manually at the server, and the client will not be able to connect to the Internet.

You need to set up your browser connection on each client before you will be able to access the Internet from the client. The following example uses Internet Explorer as the Internet browser.

Important

If you are using AOL as your shared Internet service provider, you cannot use the AOL software on the client.

To set up Internet Explorer on a client:

1. Make sure the server is turned on.

2. Right-click the Internet Explorer icon, then select Properties from the menu that opens. The Properties dialog box opens.

3. Click the Connections tab.

4. Click Setup. The Welcome to the Internet Connection Wizard opens.

5. Select I want to set up my Internet connection manually , then click Next .

6. Select I connect through a local area network (LAN) , then click Next .

7. Click the Automatic discovery of proxy server (recommended) check box to clear it, then click Next .

8. If you want to set up an Internet e-mail account other than the e-mail account supplied by your Internet service provider, select Yes then click Next . Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Internet mail setup. When you are finished setting up mail, click Finish . Internet Explorer starts.

- OR -

If you do not want to set up e-mail account, select No, click Next , then click Finish . Internet Explorer starts.

Important

If you are using AOL as your shared Internet service provider, you cannot use the AOL software on the client. To check your AOL e-mail account from a client, open the Internet browser and go to www.aol.com .

 

To access the Internet from a client:

1. Make sure the server is turned on.

Important

If you are using AOL as your Internet service provider, you must store your sign-on password before a client computer can access the Internet. If you do not have your AOL sign-on password stored, the server will wait for the password to be entered manually at the server, and the client will not be able to connect to the Internet.

2. Open an Internet browser program, such as Internet Explorer. The client's browser connects to the Internet through the server's ISP connection.

 

Sharing drives and printers

The home networking program lets you share drives (for example hard drives, diskette drives, or CD/DVD drives) and printers among the computers connected to the network.

After the drives and printers on each networked computer are shared, you can access them as though they were attached directly to your computer. Then you can:

View a network drive

Open and copy files stored on other network computers

Print documents on network printers

Important

To share a printer among the networked computers, each computer must have the shared printer's drivers installed on it. Follow the instructions included with your printer to install the printer drivers on each computer.

To share drives and printers:

1. Make sure that Windows file and printer sharing is turned on and that you have installed the home networking program on each computer on your network.

2. On the server, if the SyGate Manager window is not already open, click Start , then select Programs , SyGate , then SyGate Manager . The SyGate Manager window opens.

- OR -

On a client, right-click the SyGate Manager icon to open the SyGate Manager menu.

3. Click/Select Resources . The Share Drive/Printer dialog box opens.

4. On the Local tab, click the drive or printer you want to share, then click Shared. The selected drive or printer appears in the Shared Resource list. Repeat this step until all the drives and printers you want to share appear in the Shared Resource list.

5. Click OK.

6. Repeat Steps 2 - 5 on all networked computers before going to Step 7.

7. On the server, if the SyGate Manager window is not already open, click Start , then select Programs , SyGate , then SyGate Manager . The SyGate Manager window opens.

- OR -

On a client, right-click the SyGate Manager icon to open the SyGate Manager menu.

8. Click/Select Resources . The Share Drive/Printer dialog box opens.

9. In the Share Drive/Printer dialog box, click the Network tab.

10. Click the + in front of the computer icon to expand the view.

11. Click the drive or printer you want to connect to, then click Use it. The selected drive or printer appears in the Used Resource list. Repeat this step until all the drives and printers you want to connect to appear in the Used Resource list.

12. Click OK.

13. Repeat Steps 7 - 12 on all networked computers. All the drives and printers you shared can now be accessed from any computer on the network.

 

If you want to un-share a drive or printer, use the following instructions.

To un-share drives and printers:

1. On the server, if the SyGate Manager window is not already open, click Start , then select Programs , SyGate , then SyGate Manager . The SyGate Manager window opens.

- OR -

On a client, right-click the SyGate Manager icon to open the SyGate Manager menu.

2. Click/Select Resources. The Share Drive/Printer dialog box opens.

3. On the Local tab, click the drive or printer you want to un-share from the Shared Resource list, then click Remove. Repeat this step until all the drives and printers you want to un-share are removed.

4. Click the Network tab.

5. Click the drive or printer you want to disconnect from the Used Resource list, then click Remove. Repeat this step until all the drives and printers you want disconnected are removed.

6. Click OK .

 

Using the network

After the drives and printers on each networked computer are shared, you can:

View a network drive

Open and copy files stored on other network computers

Print documents on network printers

Viewing network drives

After you share network drives, the drives appear on your computer as if they were local drives.

To view your network drive:

1. Double-click the My Computer icon. Both the local drives and the drives you have shared appear.

2. Double-click the icon of the drive that you want to view.

 

Opening files across the network

To open files across the network:

1. Start the program for the file you want to open.

2. Select File, then select Open.

3. Browse to the network drive that contains the file you want to open.

4. Double-click the folder containing the file, then double-click the file.

 

Copying files across the network

To copy files across the network:

1. Double-click the My Computer icon.

2. Browse to the file you want to copy.

3. Select the file.

4. Select Edit, then select Copy.

5. Double-click the folder where the file is to be copied.

6. Click Edit , then select Paste .

 

Printing files across the network

To print files across the network:

1. Open the file you want to print.

2. Select File, then select Print.

3. In the printer name list, click the network printer.

4. Click OK .

 

Troubleshooting

The computers do not seem to be "talking" to each other.

If you have more than one telephone line in your home, make sure all the computers on your home network are connected to wall jacks that share the same telephone number.

SyGate Manager (server service) will not start.

Shut down the server and all clients. Restart the server first, then restart each client.

Check network properties and make sure the network adapter program was not installed twice on the Server. If it was, then remove the second one.

Uninstall the SyGate program from each client, then uninstall the SyGate program from the server. Reinstall SyGate on the server first, then reinstall each clients. See Installing the home networking program for installation instructions.

The SyGate Manager Icon has a red slash through it on the client.

Shut down the server and all clients. Restart the server first, then restart each client.

The IP addresses need to be reset.

To reset the IP addresses:

1. Click Start, then select Run, then type COMMAND to get a DOS window.

2. Type IPCONFIG /RELEASE_ALL to reset all the addresses.

3. Shut down the server and all clients. Restart the server first, then restart each client.

 

SyGate is successfully installed, but I cannot browse the internet or I get a DNS Error when I try to browse the Internet from a client.

See To set up Internet Explorer on a client:. Follow the procedure to re-initialize Internet Explorer to use the SyGate Client Service.

Notices

Copyright © 2001 Gateway, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
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San Diego, CA 92121 USA

All Rights Reserved

This publication is protected by copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of it may be reproduced or transmitted by any means or in any form, without prior consent in writing from Gateway.

The information in this manual has been carefully checked and is believed to be accurate. However, changes are made periodically. These changes are incorporated in newer publication editions. Gateway may improve and/or change products described in this publication at any time. Due to continuing system improvements, Gateway is not responsible for inaccurate information which may appear in this manual. For the latest product updates, consult the Gateway Web site at www.gateway.com . In no event will Gateway be liable for direct, indirect, special, exemplary, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from any defect or omission in this manual, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

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