Vista Tips and Tricks (Part 3)

The Network Map (LLTD) and Multiple Local Group Policy Objects (GPO's)

The Network Map in Vista is a pretty cool feature.  When you go into your Network and Sharing Center window, there is a link at the top that says “View full map”.  This will show you all the PCs and devices on your network, including switches and gateways.  Vista does this using Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) which allows your Vista system to make calls and perform device discovery to determine the topology of a network.  In fact, there are variety of devices that have LLTD included besides Vista, like your XBOX360. 

But one device that doesn’t have it by default is your XP systems.  That’s why they may not be showing up in your network map.  The trick to get it working is to install the LLTD Responder from Microsoft.  Search for Knowledge Base article KB922120 and those XP machines should start showing upon the map.

Multiple Local GPO’s.  In Windows 2000/XP systems you were given a single local Group Policy Object (GPO) to configure.  The settings allowed you to configure your system in a more convenient and safer way than with Windows 95/98 systems that required registry edits to modify the deeper aspects of the system.  But a single GPO can be frustrating when you want to disable some features for one local user, but not for others.  Vista allows you to create multiple Local GPO’s for an environment that doesn’t have Active Directory in place.  So, if you are using Vista at home, at a school or library, as a kiosk machine, you can take advantage of these policies.  The trick is in finding the settings to create multiple policies.  It isn’t as easy as you might think.  To start with, open up an MMC console and add the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in.  The Group Policy wizard will begin.  Select ‘Browse’ and a dual tabbed Computers/Users dialog opens (as shown in Image 1).  From here you can select individual users to configure or you can use the Administrators/Non-Administrators policies.

Read parts one and two:

Vista Tips and Tricks - Part 1

Vista Tips and Tricks - Part 2

Read the rest of the series:

Vista Tips and Tricks - Part 4

Vista Tips and Tricks - Part 5