Add Optional Networking Features

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You can use this procedure to install additional network features, such as network-aware applications and services that are not installed by default.

For security reasons, specific network features included with Windows are not installed by default. Install these features only if you need to use them, because they open additional network ports through the firewall, and increase the exposure of your computer to others on the network. The additional network features available include:

  • Internet Information Services (IIS), which includes a Web and FTP server
  • LPD and LPR Print services for printing to and from UNIX-based computers
  • RIP Listener, which supports Routing Information Protocol version 1
  • Services for NFS, which supports file sharing to and from UNIX-based computers
  • Simple TCP/IP services, which provide miscellaneous network features
  • Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), a common network management protocol
  • Telnet Client and Server, which are common protocols used to access remote computers
  • Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP), a non-secure file transfer protocol

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure.

To install optional networking features

  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

  2. Click Programs, click Programs and Features, and then click Turn Windows features on and off.

  3. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.

  4. In the Windows Features dialog box, select the check box next to the feature you want to install, and then click OK. You can select multiple features for installation.

    Windows installs the features you requested.

Additional considerations

  • You can uninstall a Windows feature by clearing the check box next to it, and then clicking OK.

See Also

Concepts

Introduction to Administering Network and Sharing Center
Best Practices for Administering Network and Sharing Center
Using Network and Sharing Center
Configuring Network and Sharing Center Features in a Managed Network