How to Enable Dial-Up Networking Server Capabilities

You can use the Dial-Up Networking Server component to share network resources with others who connect to your computer from remote locations. This article describes how to configure your computer to be a Dial-Up Networking server or client.

There are five steps in configuring your computer to use Dial-Up Networking. These steps are:

• Configure your computer's modem
• Install the Dial-Up Networking and Dial-Up Networking Server components
• Configure your computers' Network properties
• Enable the server
• Dial a server (for a client connection)

Configuring Your Computer's Modem

To install and configure a modem, follow the manufacturer's installation instructions that are included with your modem.

Install the Dial-Up Networking and Dial-Up Networking Server Components

To install the Dial-Up Networking component, follow these steps:

1. Double-click My Computer.
2. If there is a Dial-Up Networking folder in My Computer, Dial-Up Networking is already installed. Skip to the "To install the Dial-Up Networking Server Component" section. If there is no Dial-Up Networking folder, continue with these steps.
3. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
4. On the Windows Setup tab, click Communications in the Components box, and then click Details.
5. Click to select the Dial-Up Networking check box, and then click OK.
6. Click OK.

To install the Dial-Up Networking Server component, use the following steps.

Windows 95

NOTE: These steps assume that you have already installed Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95.

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
2. On the Install/Uninstall tab, click Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95, and then click Add/Remove.
3. Click Add/Remove.
4. Click to select the Dial-Up Networking Server check box, and then click Continue.

Windows 98/Windows Me

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
2. On the Windows Setup tab, double-click Communications.
3. Click to select the Dial-Up Networking Server or Dial-Up Server check box, and then click OK.

Configuring Your Computers' Network Properties

To share resources by using Dial-Up Networking, both computers need to use the following network components: The common protocol can be either NetBEUI or IPX/SPX-compatible.

In addition, the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks feature must be enabled on the computer that is to be the server. To verify that this is enabled, click File and Printer Sharing in Network properties.

Verifying Network Settings

To make sure that your computers are using the proper network settings, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click the Network icon.
2. Examine the list of installed network components. If any of the necessary components that are listed above are not installed, click Add to install them.

Verifying the Computer Name

After the necessary components are installed, click the Identification tab in Network properties and verify that the computer name is valid. It must be a unique name that is no more than 14 characters long and does not contain spaces or any of these characters: Also, make sure that the workgroup name is the same on both computers.

Enable the Server

To configure a computer to be a Dial-Up Networking server, follow these steps:

1. In My Computer, double-click the Dial-Up Networking folder.
2. On the Connections menu, click Dial-Up Server.
3. Click Allow Caller Access.
4. If you want to require remote users to enter a password when they connect to your computer by using Dial-Up Networking, click Change Password, and then type the password you want to use.
5. Click OK.
6. To allow others to use resources on your computer, you must share those resources. To read information about sharing resources, read the following topics in Windows Help and then share the resources you want other to be able to use:
   "Use a Network"
   "Sharing a folder or printer"

Your computer and shared resources can now be accessed by Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, and Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5 clients.

Dial a Server (for a Client Connection)

For additional information about configuring Dial-Up Networking to dial a Dial-Up Networking server, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

For additional information about the Dial-Up Networking Server component, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: