Windows 95 has the same networking capabilities as Windows for Workgroups, except it's 32-bit style. Setup is more helpful, and sharing folders or printers is more mouse-worthy.
Internet connectivity is available via Windows95's dial-up networking, which provides TCP/IP and Winsock, the software you need to connect to the Internet. You will need an account and any browser you might want to use.
To network between two computers without network cards, hook them up via serial or parallel cables. The client machine, generally a laptop, now has access to printers and any network resources the host computer calls its own.
To connect two Win95 computers with 10BaseT RJ45 connectors, wire a patch cable with 1=3,2=6,3=1, and 6=2. Connectors 4 & 5 not needed. Keep it short 10' or less.
This is the name that shows up for your computer in both your Network Neighborhood, and the Network Neighborhood for all others on your network. To change it, select START | SETTINGS | CONTROL PANEL | NETWORK | IDENTIFICATION | COMPUTER NAME. Change the name to what you want, and then click OK.
Today the most common wiring schemes are 10BASE2 and 10BASE-T. 10BASE2 uses thin coax and BNC connectors. 10BASE-T uses unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable with RJ45 connectors. Level 5 cabling can support transmissions up to 100 Mbps, while level 3 supports 16 Mbps. If you're going to the expense of running new cable, the best economical decision for the future is Level 5. 10BASE2 systems are connected in a bus topology, with the wire running from one computer to the next. 10BASE-t and 100BASE-T use the Star topology, with all of the computers attached to hubs, where additional hubs can be connected. Bus systems usually go down if any break occurs in the cable, while star systems usually lose a single system with a cable failure.
Are you on a Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, Windows NT, or NetWare network? WinPopup, a small messaging program, lets you send notes to other people on your network. It's a great little tool if, for example, the person you're trying to reach is on the phone. And unlike regular e-mail, WinPopup does what its name implies--it pops up on the recipient's screen, getting their immediate attention. It's like walking into their office and placing a yellow sticky note on their screen. If your system is set up for networking, WinPopup should already be installed. Just to be sure, however, choose Run in the Start menu, type WINPOPUP on the command line, and click OK. If you see the WinPopup dialog box appear, you're all set. If not, you'll need to install it. To install WinPopup, open the Control Panel and choose Add/Remove Programs. Select the Windows Setup tab, double-click Accessories in the list of components, and select WinPopup. Click OK to complete the installation.