TCP/IP Internet Configuration

TCP/IP is the suite of network protocols used for all Internet traffic. The TCP/IP protocol included with Windows NT is fully compatible for use on the Internet.

You install TCP/IP by using the Network option in Control Panel. Once TCP/IP is installed, you might need to configure the following parameters to operate correctly on the Internet:

• IP Address. The IP address configuration you specify by using the Network option in Control Panel is for your intranet use and will be assigned to the network card in your computer. Usually you have only one network card and IP address for intranet use, although you can have multiple network card and IP addresses. You can obtain an additional IP address for your connection to the Internet that uses Dial-Up Networking. The Dial-Up Networking IP address is usually randomly assigned by your ISP on each connection, but you might need to enter a fixed IP address in the Dial-Up Networking entry for your ISP.

• Default Gateway. If you connect to an Internet server through Dial-Up Networking, the default gateway configured through Dial-Up Networking is used.

• DNS. If the Domain Name System (DNS) configuration on your computer is for use on your intranet only, to efficiently access the Internet you might need to add DNS server IP addresses in the Dial-Up Networking entry for your ISP.

• HOSTS or LMHOSTS file. You can improve efficiency of connections to frequently accessed servers on the Internet by adding entries to your HOSTS file. In some cases, you can connect to a computer on the Internet by using its NetBIOS name; NetBIOS names are mapped to IP addresses in the LMHOSTS file. Windows NT consults these local files for name resolution before consulting a DNS server on the Internet.