Windows 95 Networking: The Issues

If the real-mode network is running when you start Windows 95 Setup, the appropriate network client is installed automatically. This is the recommended method for installing networking support in all cases. When Setup detects existing network components, it installs the appropriate supporting software automatically and moves the configuration settings to the Registry, wherever possible.

If Windows 95 Setup detects that NetWare networking components are present, it installs the new protected-mode client, Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks, plus the supporting protected-mode protocol and adapter drivers. Client for NetWare Networks is not installed automatically, however, if Setup detects VLM running with NDS support. To maintain the existing real-mode client and support configuration, you must run Setup in Custom mode and manually select the NetWare client. For more information, see Chapter 9, "Windows 95 on NetWare Networks."

Microsoft recommends using the 32-bit, protected-mode networking components wherever possible. With protected-mode networking components, all configuration settings are stored in the Registry, so you do not have to maintain configuration files such as AUTOEXEC.BAT, PROTOCOL.INI, or NET.CFG. The protected-mode networking components also allow you to take advantage of the many related benefits such as:

• Performance and reliability
• Peer resource sharing capabilities
• Use of system policies for administrative control, remote administration of the Registry, and use of the network agents, such as Network Monitor and Remote Registry service, available in the ADMIN\NETTOOLS directory on the Windows 95 compact disc

If you must run a real-mode client, networking settings are required in AUTOEXEC.BAT, plus a NETSTART.BAT file might be required to start the network during system startup. Configuration settings are maintained in PROTOCOL.INI or a similar file, depending on the particular network.