Determining a Client Connectivity Strategy

Determining a Client Connectivity Strategy

Determining how to connect clients to your network depends largely on where they are located and the type of network you are running. Those located within the corporate infrastructure can use a variety of network media, such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), Ethernet, or Token Ring; those outside of the corporate infrastructure need to use Routing and Remote Access or virtual private networking.

Windows Vista uses TCP/IP as its standard network protocol. For a Windows Vista–based computer to connect to a NetWare or Macintosh server, you must use protocol and network clients that are compatible with the server.

In the Properties dialog box for your network adapter, you can specify which protocols to install and enable. Windows Vista attempts to connect to remote servers by using the network protocols in the order specified in this dialog box.