Windows Vista Was Made to Network

Aside from finally finding a use for the right button on the mouse, almost all the advancements in the Windows platform over the last 15 years have been made in the area of networking. Back in Windows Version 3.1, network software was an expensive add-on product—an afterthought—cumbersome to install and manage. Not so anymore! Networking is built right into the heart of Windows Vista so that Windows is hardly even happy without a network attached.

Okay, I’m exaggerating. But the truth is, Windows Vista’s personality does change for the better when it’s connected to a network, and the change depends on the type of network to which it’s attached. In this chapter, I show you how to use Windows Vista networking and share tips for making the most of whatever type of network you have.