Setting up Networking

This isn't intended to be an exhaustive set of instructions on networking, but it should be enough to get you up and running if your situation is something fairly common. Our instructions assume you have two or more local computers sharing connections with each other and with the Internet through a router, connected to a DSL or cable modem.


USING DHCP

The fastest method of setting up networking is to use DHCP, a feature that automatically attempts to identify your computer's network setup and configure the computer to use it.

If you Have BeOS 5

•   Open Network Preferences, click on "Settings" and select the DHCP option.
  
•   Click on the "Services" tab and put an "x" in the FTP Server x-box, and if you want to provide Telnet services, put an "x" in that x-box as well.
•   Assign a username and password, and write them down for reference.
•   Click Done, Save, and Restart Network. Rebooting is not necessary.

If You Have ZETA

If you have a recent version of BeOS, go to Network Preferences, delete the existing profile that's there, and just step through the profile wizard, choosing the DHCP option when prompted. Afterwards, click "Edit" to open up your new profile, go into the Services section, assure that the "FTP" option is enabled, and enter a user name and password. Click Apply to save your changes, and you're all set!

If you an earlier version of ZETA such as RC2, do the following:

•   Open Network Preferences, click on "Interfaces" and select the DHCP option.
  
•   Click on the "Services" tab and put an "x" in the FTP Server x-box, and if you want to provide Telnet services, put an "x" in that x-box as well. Then assign a username and password, and write them down for reference. Save and restart BeOS networking. Rebooting is not necessary.
  
•   Click Set, Apply, and Restart Network.

USING A SPECIFIC IP ADDRESS

If the DHCP approach fails to get you connected, you may need to input the specific information about your network manually.


Information to Gather

•   The IP address of your router (probably something like 192.168.0.1)
  
•   The primary and secondary DNS address of your Internet Service Provider
  
•   The domain name of your Internet Service Provider (ISP)

What to Do

•   Run your BeOS Network preferences
  
•   Input your ISP's domain name, primary DNS address, and secondary DNS address
  
•   Click on Settings, and enter your router's IP address as the "Gateway Address."
  
•   Enter 255.255.255.0 as the Subnet mask, unless you have information to the contrary
  
•   Enter an IP address for your BeOS machine. Make it similar to your router address. For example, if the IP address of your router is 192.168.0.1, make your BeOS machine's address something like 192.168.0.9. Write it down for reference.

USING FTP TO TRANSFER FILES

Under BeOS, files are transferred in using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). If you plan to transfer files from another computer, follow these steps.

•   Now, go to another computer on your network and run an FTP program. For Windows, CoffeeCup FREE FTP works great and costs nothing.
  
•   Create a new connection, which normally asks for a label (whatever wording you want), the IP address of the computer you want to connect to (the one you wrote down), and the username and password (the ones you wrote down). If you want, you can also specify a starting directory path for the machine you're using and the one you're connecting to. For the BeOS machine, you might want to have it initially point to /boot/home/. Then save your newly created connection.
  
•   Try connecting to the other machine using your new connection. If you have any trouble, odds are very good the problem is due to a mistyped entry somewhere. Your user name and password must be exactly the same as you entered in your BeOS network setup. Remember to pay close attention to upper and lower case when entering your username and password.

MORE NETWORKING SETUP INFORMATION

If you need additional information on BeOS 5 networking, the full documentation for network setup, including dial-up networking, basic local area networking, and gateway Internet connections can be found online at this location.

Updated networking advice and quick tips are also available on our web site at http://www.tunetrackersystems.com/quicktips.html#networking.




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