Configuring Windows 2000 Professional to Work in a Peer-to-Peer Workgroup

The information in this article applies to:
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

SYMPTOMS
Windows 2000 Professional may have problems communicating with other computers running Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows 95/Microsoft Windows 98 in a peer-to-peer workgroup. These issues might include problems connecting to a shared folder or a shared printer, or problems browsing with Network Neighborhood in Windows 95/Windows 98 or My Network Places in Windows 2000. Before the installation of Windows 2000, the former operating system may have been communicating effectively with the other workgroup computers.
CAUSE
TCP/IP is the default network protocol in Windows 2000. Early versions of Windows 95/Windows 98 install the NetBEUI and IPX/SPX-Compatible Transport (Nwlink) protocols as the default protocols. Configuration settings from a Windows 95/Windows 98-based computer are not retained unless you perform a straight upgrade. Because of this, the Windows 2000 installation might not have a common protocol with the existing computers on the network, preventing connectivity. Also, browsing the network does not work properly without a common protocol.

After you establish connectivity with the following process, you need user accounts that match on the Windows 95/Windows 98-based computers and the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer. If the user name is not recognized in the Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database on the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer, you cannot gain access to the shared resources.
RESOLUTION
Configure the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer to communicate with the existing Windows 95/Windows 98 peer workgroup. First, check the configuration of the Windows 95/Windows 98-based computers in Network properties:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Network.

3. Review the items on the Configuration tab. Note the settings for Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks, the network adapter, modem devices, and protocols such as NetBEUI, IPX/SPX-Compatible Protocol, and TCP/IP.

Note that peer-to-peer workgroup computer typically have NetBEUI for local LAN communication and TCP/IP for Internet connectivity.

4. Click the Identification tab and note the workgroup listed in middle box. This is the workgroup name that the computers need to have in common.

5. Click Cancel.

To change the network settings in Windows 2000:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-Click Network and Dial-up Connections.

3. Double-click Local Area Connection. On the File menu, click Properties.

The defaults are Client for Microsoft Networks, File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks, and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Modem settings are separated with a connection in the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box.

4. The protocols need to match those on the Windows 95/Windows 98-based clients in the workgroup.

Click Install, click Protocol in the Network Component box, and then click Add. Click the necessary protocol, and then click OK. You may be prompted for the Windows 2000 Professional CD-ROM to install the appropriate files.

5. Click Close.

6. On the File menu, click Close.

7. Change the workgroup from Workgroup to the appropriate workgroup name. In Control Panel, double-click System.

8. Click the Network Identification tab. Note the current workgroup name (the default is Workgroup).

9. Click Properties. In the Workgroup box, type the workgroup name that matches the Windows 95/Windows 98-based computers, and then click OK.

10. Windows 2000 responds with a "Welcome to the Workgroupname workgroup" message. Click OK. You then receive a "You must reboot this computer for the changes to take effect" prompt. Click OK.

11. Quit any running programs and restart the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer.

12. Validate connectivity with other computers.

After the connectivity issues are resolved and the computers can browse each other on the common protocol in the common workgroup, you can set up common user accounts.

For Windows 98, follow this process if user names do not exist:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Users.

3. Click Next.

4. In the Add User dialog box, type a user name (preferably one-word names such as JDoe for John Doe), and then click Next. Then, type a password for the user account. Type the password again to verify it. Or, you can leave the password fields blank. The user name and password need to be identical on the Windows 98-based computer and the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer. Click Next.

NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive in Windows 2000 Professional.

5. Select any personalized settings for the account, and then click Next. Click Finish.

For Windows 95, follow this process if user names do not exist:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Passwords.

3. Click the User Profiles tab.

4. Click Users can customize their preferences and desktop settings. Click to select the Include desktop icons and Network Neighborhood contents in user settings and Include Start Menu and Program groups in user settings check boxes. Click OK to save the settings. Restart Windows 95 when you are prompted to.

5. When the computer restarts, you are prompted to log on. Type a user name and password. For example, type a user name of JDoe for John Doe. You can leave the password blank. The user name and password need to be identical on the Windows 95-based computer and the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer.

NOTE: Passwords are case sensitive in Windows 2000 Professional.

After you have a user name and password set up on the Windows 95/Windows 98-based computer, create the same user name and password on the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer:
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click Users and Passwords.

3. Click the Advanced tab. In the Advanced User Management section, click Advanced.

4. Click the Users folder. The current users appear in the right pane.

5. On the Action menu, click New User.

6. In the User Name box, type the user name you created in Windows 95/Windows 98. Type the same password (case sensitive) in the Password and Confirm Password boxes, or leave them blank if you left them blank in the Windows 95/Windows 98 user account.

7. Click to clear the User must change password at next logon check box. You may want to click to select the User cannot change password check box so that users do not change the passwords at a later time. Click Create.

8. If you receive an error message indicating that the password does not meet the password policy requirements, make the password longer (such as eight characters, and perhaps use numbers also). After you type a longer password, click Create again.

9. Create a user account for each of the users that log on to the network from Windows 95/Windows 98-based computer, and one for the user of the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer. Then, click Close. Review the user accounts that you created and then close the Local Users and Groups dialog box. Click OK in the Users and Passwords dialog box to close it.

You should log on to the Windows 2000 Professional-based computer with a user account that has typical user privileges for normal work. Only log on as an administrator when you are performing specific administrative tasks. This limits the damage that a computer virus can accomplish under the user's security permissions.