Network Setup on PC Workstation...................

 

 

The following instructions will assist you in setting up a peer-to-peer network to communicate with other PCs and (if you have the appropriate hardware and software) the c-Systems business computer.  You will need to know the screen number (in the upper right of the c-Systems main menu) AND you might need your Windows CD.  These instructions assume a network has never been set up on the PC.

 

1)      From the PC desktop, right click on the Network Neighborhood icon. From the resulting menu, choose Properties.

NOTE:  If your desktop does not have this icon, click on the START button at the lower left of the screen.  Choose Settings, Control Panel, Network.

 

2)      No matter which way you entered network properties, the screen in Figure 1 should appear.

 


 


Figure 1......Network properties

 

 

 

 

 

3)      Click on the ADD button and highlight the Client option.  Click the ADD button.   Under Manufacturers, choose Microsoft.  Under the Network Clients, choose Client for Microsoft Networks.  Click the OK button.  Screen will return to the network properties window.  See Figure 2 below.

 


 


        Figure 2.........Adding the Client for Microsoft Networks.

 

 

4)      Depending on how the computer was originally setup and the type of hardware, adding the Client for Microsoft Networks will usually also add a network adapter and the network protocols,  NETBEUI and IPX/SPX.  IF NOT, make sure all items are added as shown in Figure 3 on page 4.

 

5)      Use the table on page 3 to determine how to add each listed item.

 

6)      After all listed items are added to the network properties screen, there are a few setup items that need to be checked.

 

 

 

To set up this item                                 Do this in network properties

 

Client for Microsoft Networks                Click ADD.  Click Client. Click ADD.  Click

                                                                Microsoft (as manufacturer).  Click Client for

                                                                Microsoft Networks (as network client).  Click

                                                                OK  to return to network properties.

 

Network Adapter  (if not present)           Click ADD.  Click Adapter. Click ADD.  Click

                                                                 Novell/Anthem (as manufacturer).  Click

                                                                 NE2000 Compatible (as network adapter).  

                                                                 Click OK to return to network properties. 

                                                                 NOTE:  If network card has been set-up as Plug

                                                                 and Play, it will appear as either a REALTEK or

                                                                 a KINGSTON network adapter depending on the

                                                                 computer.

 

NETBEUI                                                Click ADD.  Click Protocol.  Click ADD.  Click

                                                                 Microsoft (as manufacturer).  Click NETBEUI

                                                                 (as network protocol).  Click OK to return to

                                                                  network properties.

 

TCP/IP                                                      Click ADD.  Click Protocol.  Click ADD.  Click

                                                                  Microsoft (as manufacturer).  Click TCP/IP (as

                                                                  network protocol).  Click OK to return to 

                                                                  network properties.

 

File and printer sharing for Microsoft      Click File and Print Sharing button about ¾

Networks                                                  way down the screen.  In the resulting box,

                                                                  check both boxes (I want to be able to...) then

                                                                  click OK to return to network properties.

 

NOTE:  There should be NO OTHER items in the list of network properties UNLESS you have a modem installed in the PC that connects to the internet.  In this case, you may also have a dial-up adapter, and TCP/IP à dial-up adapter.  Any other entries should be removed by highlighting the entry and pressing the REMOVE button.  See Figure 4 on page 4.

 

There is now some additional setup required.  Go to another workstation on which the network is functional and right click on Network Neighborhood.  In the resulting menu, choose Properties.  In the resulting window, choose the Identification tab at the top of the window.  Write down the Workgroup and Computer Description.  Click the Cancel button and take this information to the computer at which you are adding the network properties.  On that computer, enter Computer Name.  This will be TERM_XX (where XX is the terminal number on the c-Systems main menu recorded earlier).  If the terminal number is 12, the computer name would be TERM_12.  Next enter the Workgroup as recorded earlier in this paragraph.  Finally enter the Computer Description as earlier

 


Figure 3.......Proper settings in network properties.

 

 


recorded.  Use the TAB key to move between fields.  When all entries have been made, click the Configuration tab at the top of the window.  See Figure 5.

 

Your TCP/IP protocol properties must now be set.  Highlight  TCP/IP.  (If you have a dial-up adapter listed, click on the TCP/IP à Network Adapter).  Click the Properties  button at the middle of the page.  The TCP/IP Properties window will appear.  Click the button that says Specify an IP address.  This will make two additional areas available for entries.  In the IP Address section, type in 125.1.1.XX (where XX is the c-Systems terminal number previously obtained).  If the terminal number was 11, then the IP Address would be 125.1.1.11  Using the TAB key, move down to the Subnet Mask section.  In this section, enter 255.0.0.0  When complete, the TCP/IP properties should look like the example in Figure 6 on page 6.  When complete, click the OK button at the bottom of the window.  This should return you to the network properties.


Figure 4.......Additional items that will appear if a modem using the internet is present.  ONLY Dial-up Adapter and TCP/IP à Dial-up Adapter should exist in addition to items in Figure 3 above.

 

 



 Figure 5.......Setting the computer’s identification tab.  Entries in picture are for example 

 only and will probably differ somewhat on your system.

 

 

Now click the OK button at the bottom of the window.  Another window should appear that shows files updating (a percentage bar will progress as files are added).  Depending on how your system was setup, the screen may ask you to insert your original Windows CD at this time.  Several prompts may appear stating that ‘an older file will be loaded, do you want to keep the current file?’.....click the YES button at each of these prompts.  Once all the necessary files load, a prompt will ask if you want to restart your computer.  Answer YES.  Once the system reboots, a network password prompt should appear.  If it does not, STOP NOW.  If this prompt does not appear, the network WILL NOT WORK!

See Troubleshooting....when network login does not appear.

 

At the network prompt, you will be asked to enter a User Name and a Password.  The User Name should be sa001 and the Password should be six periods (......).  Once logged on, allow the system to stabilize for several minutes.  If you double click on Network Neighborhood, you should see all other PCs that are turned on and hooked to the network.  You should be able to click on any PC in Network Neighborhood and see the drives (displayed as folders) present on that remote PC.  If you cannot see the other PCs after five minutes, proceed to the Troubleshooting section of this manual.


 Figure 6........Setting the TCP/IP properties.

Network Troubleshooting

 

   There are basically only two things that can keep a network from working.  Either the hardware (cables, tees, terminators, connectors, network card, etc.) or the software (network setup, TCP/IP addresses, etc.) has a problem.  Of the two, hardware is the most common cause of network failures.

 

 

 

HARDWARE

 

There are two basic types of networks used by c-Systems.  One system uses an ethernet cable (similar to that used by TV cable companies), while the other uses CAT5 cable (usually a gray cable with RJ-45 ends....similar to a phone jack connection).

 

If your network uses the ethernet cable:

 

Does network adapter ACT light flash at least periodically?
 

Network software not setup correctly.
 

Setup network software as described in this document.
 

Problem Solved.
 
 

 


                                      NO                                                     

 

 


Normal condition.  Proceed to XX
 

Flashes rapidly for short period then slowly.
 
                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                  NO

Replace Network Adapter
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


                                                              Terminator

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                        Tee Connector

 

 

Network troubleshooting is a process of elimination.  First, the PC causing the network problem must be isolated, then the specific component that has failed needs to be determined.  The following procedure methodically eliminates each component until the faulty one is determined.  If your system has more than two workstations, each workstation can be eliminated using this procedure.  If your system only has one workstation, refer to the section titled SINGLE WORKSTATION PROCEDURE.

 

 

1)      Disconnect cable between PC #1 and PC #2.  Remove the terminator from PC #2 and install it on PC #1.  Does the rapid constant flashing stop?  If YES, then go to 2).  If NO then go to 3).

 

2)      Either the cable between PC #1 and PC # 2 is bad, the tee connector on PC #2 is bad, the network software on PC #2 is bad, or the network adapter on PC #2 is bad.  Install a known good piece of cable between PC #1 and PC #2, making sure to reconnect the terminator to PC #2.  If  the rapid flashing has now stopped, then the cable is defective.  If not, try replacing the tee connector on PC #2.  If the rapid flashing then stops, the connector was defective.  If not, removing and reloading the network software may be necessary, or a component of the software may be missing.  A procedure for testing the software is shown on page 10.  As a final resort, replacement of the network adapter card may be necessary.

 

3)      Remove the cable between PC #1 and the c-Systems business PC.  Reinstall the cable that runs between PC #1 and PC #2.  Make sure there is a terminator on PC #1 and PC #2.  If the rapid flashing has now stopped, there is a problem with the cable, the tee connector, or the network adapter on the c-Systems business PC.  If a problem exists with the c-Systems business PC, call c-Systems hardware support for assistance.  If not, then there is a problem with the tee connector, network software, or network adapter on PC #1.  Try replacing the tee connector on PC #1.  If this does not work, removing and reloading the network software may be necessary, or a component of the software may be missing.  A procedure for testing the software is shown in Figure 7.  As a final resort, it may be necessary to replace the network adapter card.

 

 

 

Testing network software

 

1)      To test your network software on a given PC, click the START button in the lower left corner of the desktop.  In the resulting menu, choose the PROGRAMS option.  In the resulting menu, choose the MSDOS PROMPT.  A black screen should appear with a C:\Windows prompt should appear.

2)      At this prompt, type ping localhost and press <ENTER>.  A screen similar to the one in Figure 7 should appear if the software is working correctly.  If the software does not test successfully, a screen similar to Figure 8 will appear.  If the software fails to pass this test, network may have to be reinstalled. 

 

 


 


Figure 7.....A successful ‘ping’ will return information similar to this screen.

 

 

 

 

 


Figure 8.....an unsuccessful ping will show a screen similar to this.