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Install additional network protocols or components

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 7

You can use this procedure to install additional networking components to Windows. Those components can be new clients, services, or protocols that are associated with one or more of your network connections.

By default, all of the clients, services, and protocols included with Windows that can be associated with a connection are already installed. Use this procedure if you have a third-party component that you want to add. If you removed a component from a connection, then you can use this procedure to reinstall it to the connection.

Important

Network protocols and components that were designed for earlier versions of Windows might not run successfully in Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2. Check with the software component vendor to verify compatibility with these operating systems before attempting to install the software.

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

To install an additional protocol or component

  1. Start Network and Sharing Center.

  2. Right-click the connection that you want to configure, and then click Properties. The network connection Properties dialog box opens.

  3. In the network connection Properties dialog box, if it is not already selected, click the Networking tab.

  4. Click Install. The Select Network Feature Type dialog box opens.

  5. In the Select Network Feature Type dialog box, select Client, Service, or Protocol, and then click Add.

  6. Do one of the following:

    • If the component is in the list, select it, and then click OK.

    • Otherwise, click Have Disk.

  7. Follow the instructions displayed to complete the installation.

Additional considerations

  • After you add a new protocol or component, it is automatically available for every network connection on the computer, including new connections that you create. Ensure that you configure each connection to use only those protocols and components that are required to create a network connection that functions correctly. For more information, see Enable or disable a network protocol or component.

See Also

Concepts

Configure Network Protocols and Components
Manage Network Connections