User manual GATEWAY NOTEBOOK

[. . . ] Gateway Notebook USERGUIDE ® Contents Chapter 1: Getting Help . 1 Thank you for purchasing our notebook!3 Getting help for Windows Media Center . 10 Copying and moving files and folders . [. . . ] Also connected to the router is a cable or DSL modem that provides access to the Internet. Cable/DSL modem Router Equipment you need for a router-based Ethernet network Important For best results, all Ethernet components should be either standard Ethernet (10 Mbps), Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps or 10/100), or Gigabit Ethernet (1000 Mbps or 10/100/1000). A mixture of components rated at different speeds will result in your network running at the speed of the slowest rated component. For a wired Ethernet network you need: · Two or more computers with Ethernet jacks · One router · One broadband Internet connection (optional) · Ethernet cables connecting all of the network equipment When buying your router, be sure the model includes everything your network needs, including: · Internet security features, such as a firewall, to protect your network from unwanted intruders · 4-port switch to eliminate the need for additional network hardware · DHCP server/dynamic IP address assignment to automatically configure network and IP addresses 45 CHAPTER 5: Networking Your Notebook Determining if an Ethernet card is already installed on your computer To determine if an Ethernet card is already installed on your computer: 1 Click (Start), then click Control Panel. The Control Panel window opens. 2 Click System and Maintenance, then click System. 3 Click Device Manager from the task list on the left. 4 Click the plus (+) in front of Network adapters. The Ethernet device installed in your computer is listed. If one is not listed, you must install one. Setting up wired Ethernet network hardware Making sure your broadband connection works Important If you do not have a broadband connection already installed, make the necessary arrangements with your ISP. Be sure to find out how soon after the installation the line will be activated. Broadband Internet settings differ from ISP to ISP. Before you begin setting up your network, you should contact your ISP for any specific instructions they have for setting up a network. Before you change anything about your home setup, make sure that your broadband connection is working correctly. To test the connection, log onto the Internet using your current setup. If the connection is not working, contact your Internet service provider. Installing Ethernet cards and drivers After you have determined the type of Ethernet you are using for your network, you need to install Ethernet cards and drivers on the computers that do not have Ethernet already installed. Use the documentation that comes with your Ethernet cards for instructions on installing the card and any required drivers. Plug your Ethernet cable into your computer's jack and the router or the cable or DSL modem at this point, if you have not already done so. Connecting network cables We recommend using category 5 (Cat 5), unshielded, twisted-pair cable (approximately 1/4-inch diameter with a thin outer-jacket, containing eight color-coded wires), and equipment compatible with this type of cable. This type of cable is equipped with RJ-45 connectors (like a large telephone jack connector, but with eight pins) on each end. Cat 5 cables are available in two different types; straight-through cables, used to connect computers to a router, and crossover cables, used to connect two computers. To determine which type of cable you have, hold both ends of the cable with the connectors facing away from you and with the spring clip on the bottom. For straight-through cable, the wires on both connectors are attached to copper pins in the same order (same colors, left to right). For a crossover cable, the wires on each connector are attached to the copper pins in a different order (different colors, left to right). Setting up a network using a router If you are setting up a network for more than two computers and you will be connecting your network to a high-speed Broadband Internet connection (cable or DSL modem), we recommend the use of a router. [. . . ] 3 Double-click the Documents or My Documents folder. The My Documents window opens and displays many of your saved personal data files. 4 Copy your personal data files to removable media or to another computer on your network. Finding other files Use Windows Find or Search to locate other personal data files. For more information, see "Searching for files" on page 12. You can often identify different data file types by looking at the file's extension (the part of the file name following the last period). [. . . ]