I don't know how microsoft did it, but configurting your network in Windows 2000 and Windows XP is FAR easier than in Windows 98. There are more features available to you, but the interface is simpler.
Windows XP Note: NetBEUI is no longer installed on your hard drive by default. To proceed with this tutorial, you will need to copy the following files from your XP CD on to your hard drive
#1) copy nbf.sys into the %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ directory
#2) copy netnbf.inf into the %SYSTEMROOT%\INF\ directory
Everything we do on this page will take place in your network properties, also known as your 'Network and Dialup connections'. This is where we will tell windows how to communicate with your new network. One way to get to your network properties is to go to your desktop, right click on ‘network neighborhood’ and click properties (Network Neighborhood is in your start Menu for Windows XP). You can also reach it from the Start Menu. Select 'Settings' and then 'Network and Dialup Connections'.
Right click on the network connection for your local area network. The following three items should be present. Make sure each one is check. This is called 'binding' software to your network card.
1) Client for Microsoft Windows
2) File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Windows
3) NetBEUI
If you do not have these components, use the ‘install' button to add them.
You are finished configuring your network! Now you need to configure your computer name and workgroup.
Computer Name and Workgroup
The 'computer name' is the name that computers on your network will see your computer as. A workgroup 'groups' your computers together and helps them find each other. Right click on the 'my computer' icon on your desktop and click 'properties'. Select the Network Identification tab. This screen shows your current computer name and workgroup. If you need to change it, click the properties button. Make sure you are part of a WORKGROUP and not a domain.
Enabling shares on Windows 2000 and XP
To get the network neighborhood (network browser) working, you MUST enable at least one file or printer share on your computers. (see Network Browsing explained )
Create a new folder on your hard drive and call it ‘shared’. Right click on this folder and select ‘Sharing’ from the menu that appears. Select “Shared as” and give the share a name or leave it as it is. This share defaults to full control for the user group 'everyone'. This means that anyone that can log into this computer will have access to this share.
When trying to access a network drive or printers share on a Windows 2000/XP computer from a Windows 95/98/ME computer, you may receive an IPC$ dialog box like the one above. If you do, then you need to configure security on your Windows 2000/XP computer.
When Windows 95/98/ME tries browsing the Windows 2000/XP computer, it first must log in. The username Windows tries is the name that you logged into Microsoft networking with. When your Windows 98/95/ME computer booted up, you saw a screen like this:

You must create that name in Windows 2000/XP security to allow that user access to the Windows 2000/XP shares.
Creating a Windows 2000
From the control panel, double click the admin tools icon. Next, click the Computer management icon. This will bring up a screen like the one below. From here, open the Local Users and Groups tree and add a new user by right clicking on the 'Users folder' and select 'Add new user'.

Create a user name that MATCHES the user name used to lon into your Windows 98/98/ME computer. I would sugges assigning a password to this ID. I have sometimes had trouble in the past using blank passwords. You should also UNCHECK the 'User must change password' line and CHECK 'password never expires'.

This ID will default into the USERS group. This should be enough security to access files and print shares.
Now, the next time you see that IPC$ / Enter network password thing, you can use the password speficied in the user profile you just created!

make sure

1. all computers are allowed complete access to each other. (check your firewall settings)
2. you have run the newtowrk wizard and all computers are on the same workgroup.
3. Lol make sure all the cable are plugged in correctly.

And thats about it, i would suggest you restart all your computers after running the wizard