First, install Microsoft Network Client 3.0 on the computer that needs networking (hereafter referred to as MSCLIENT). During installation, enter the workgroup, computer name, and IP address for each machine, as well as the username and password, and select the model of the installed NIC from the list. If your NIC is not in the list, then you need the driver that came with the NIC, usually on a floppy disk, though it may also be on a CD. When it prompts you to enter the OEM disk, insert the NIC driver disk and then enter the proper path. Since different network systems require different NIC drivers, for MSCLIENT you generally choose the NDIS2 or MSCLIENT folder on the driver disk, such as A:\MSCLIENT. As long as it is correct, it will install automatically. As for network protocols, generally NetBEUI and TCP/IP are enough; installing too many will slow down the network. After installation is complete, MSCLIENT will automatically place the network startup commands into AUTOEXEC.BAT. After restarting the computer, you will find that the network starts automatically. When the system prompts you for a username and password, just enter the ones you set earlier. At that point, the network starts running. For example, if you want to view all the computers in the current workgroup, you can enter the NET VIEW command.
However, at this point everyone is still just a client, and there is no server yet; you must install a server before file sharing is possible. After installation, you can use the NETSHARE command to set the shared path. For example, set drive D as shared, and if necessary, you can also set a password to prevent unauthorized access. Once the server and sharing are set up, clients can access the resources on that computer. For example, the NET USE E: \\PC\C command redirects the shared drive (or folder) named C on the computer named PC to drive E:, and then the contents on the remote computer can be accessed just like on a local computer. But there is one more very important point: you must enable file and printer sharing in MSCLIENT. The way to do that is to use EDIT or another text editor to open SYSTEM.INI in the MSCLIENT folder, change the values of filesharing and printsharing under to yes, then save and exit, and you will be able to use file and printer sharing.
If you want to connect a computer using DOS with one using Windows, that is also completely possible. Since Windows 3.11 for Workgroups, Windows 9x, and Windows NT/2K/XP use a network called "Microsoft Windows Network," and it is compatible with Microsoft Network Client 3.0 under DOS, they can access each other very well, just like networking between DOS and DOS, or Windows and Windows. But note that if you want a DOS computer to access a computer using Windows NT/2K/XP, you must create a user account for the DOS computer in Windows NT/2K/XP, otherwise access will not be possible.
