Network and Sharing Center Technical Reference

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Network and Sharing Center is your main portal into the networking components of the Windows operating system. It provides services to view, configure, and troubleshoot your network access. The Network and Sharing Center features in Windows Vista® and Windows Server® 2008 allow you to do the following:

• See the status of your network at a glance.

• See your network displayed graphically.

• Configure folder sharing to other computers on your network.

• Set up new connections to remote systems using virtual private networking (VPN) or dial-up networking.

• Configure and manage your wireless network connections.

This technical reference contains the following topics:

• What Is the Network and Sharing Center?

  • Network and Sharing Center Functionality and Navigation

  • Network Location Types

  • Sharing and Discovery

  • Network Diagnostics Framework

  • Network Map

  • Dialing Rules and Canonical Address Format

• How the Network and Sharing Center Works

• Network and Sharing Center Tools and Settings

  • Network and Sharing Center Tools

  • Network and Sharing Center Group Policy Settings

  • Network and Sharing Center Events

• Additional Resources for Network and Sharing Center