Configuring your Windows workstation is easy. There are just a few simple steps and you should have your computer up and running
Note: This tutorial is for the Windows XP Operating System with a Classic Start Menu. If you are running an older version of Windows your setup will be similar, but you may need to consult your Windows documentation first.

Configuring Your Connection

1. From the Desktop go: Start → Settings → Control Panel. From here open up the Network Connections panel.
2. In the Explorer window you should see a list of your current network connections. If you do not see one you, may need to create one (Windows is very good about creating connections; if you cannot see one it may mean that there is a problem with your device setup). Open the connection that you wish to configure, there is, most likely, only one, but choose the one that displays your NIC information in the Details portion of the Task Pane when it is selected.
3. You should see a window very similar to the one below. This gives you the basic statistics about your current connection.
   
   The Windows Connection Status Dialog
4. Click on the properties button on the bottom left of this dialog to enter the dialog below. This dialog shows the basic configuration of this connection. In here you can change the device which you use to connect, add/remove protocols, or configure protocols. Click on the item labeled: "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)", and then click on Properties button directly below.
   
   The Windows Connection Properties Dialog
5. You should now see the window that is below. This window contains the options that we want to configure. If you have a working DHCP server on your network (most cable/DSL routers have them) then you do not need to do anything but make sure that you are obtaining your IP Address and DNS information automatically by selecting the appropriate radio buttons. If you are planning on statically configuring your network then you will either want to enter the information supplied by your ISP, or enter private network IP address. If you are entering private network IP addresses, then you will want to enter one similar to the one below. Your IP address should be a set of 4 numbers separated by periods, the first two numbers should be 192 and 168 (these are reserved for private networks). The next number can be anything from 1 to 255, but you must keep it consistent between machines. The last number will also be between 1 and 255, but will be different from machine to machine. In the field titled "Subnet mask", enter 255.255.255.0 (it should automatically default to that). You will only need to enter a "Gateway" if you have WAN access. Most gateways will have a default IP Address of 192.168.1.1, so make sure that none of your computers use the same IP address. To verify your gateway's IP address you will need to consult your product documentation.
   
   The Windows Protocol Properties Dialog

Setting up a Workgroup/Changing your Computer's Name

A Windows network is divided into sections called Workgroups; which is a way to distinguish different clusters of devices within one network. For the easiest browsing experience you will want to make sure that all of your computers belong to the same workgroup. To change the workgroup of your computer follow these steps:

1. From your Desktop go to Start → Control Panel → System.
2. Click on the "Computer Name" tab. Here you should be able to see both your computer's name and the workgroup that you computer belongs to. If you wish to change either of them, simply click on "Change" to open a dialog. Once you are satisfied, click OK; you may be prompted to restart your computer.

Sharing Files/Folders/Devices

To share your devices simply right-click on the item, and click on the option that says "Sharing..." (it may say "Sharing and Security"). Follow the prompts, and, if all goes well, you should be able to access those resources on another computer by browsing the network.
Note: You will not be able to see a computer that is not sharing anything. If you have any doubt about it being connected, ping the IP address.

Connecting to other computers

There are two main ways to connect to shared folders on another computer. The easiest way is to go to your "My Network Places" folder and click on the "Add a Network Place" button at the top left of the screen. This will open up a wizard that will walk you through the steps of connecting to a network place. The first choice that the wizard will ask you to make is between "MSN Communities" and "Choose another Network location." Always choose the "Choose another Network location" option. When you click next from here, you will be presented with the option to enter the address of the location you are connecting to. If you don't know it, click the browse button and locate the computer you are trying to connect to. When you have chosen a folder to connect to, click next. Then finish the wizard. You will then have a Network location permanently located in your "My Network Places" folder.

The other method of connecting to a computer on your local network is much faster, but it requires that you know the IP address or computer name of the computer you are attempting to connect to. Simply open up Internet Explorer and type the following into the address bar: "\\[computer]", where you substitute the IP address or computer name for [computer]. This will open up a window containing all of the shared folders on the computer.