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How to Setup a Home Network
Setting up a home network of 2 or more computers may seem very complicated. More technically difficult beyond the ability of the average person. However it is not as hard as it looks. Just like any task it will a lot easier if you take it step by step. 1.) Why do you want a home network (what advantage will it be to me.) 2.)What do I need and 3.)How do I do it ? 1.)Why Do I Want a Home Network. With a home network there are many advantages. You can network 2 or more computers running any windows based operating system( Windows XP,2000,Me,98 or 95) on the same network. Sounds to good to be true , but it is. The advantages of of a home network are 1.) You can share files ,CD Burners, DVD's, Printers, Scanners, etc between different PC's in the house. Thus you only need 1 of everything instead of 2 or more of each. (A great cost savings .more than making up the price of setting a network up.) 2.) You can share an internet connection with the other PC's in your network and 3.) Add a new dimension to multiplayer gaming. 2.) What Do I Need ? To set up a home network you at least the following a Ethernet (10/100) card for each PC and a Hub or a router if setting up a network of more than 2 PC's. Also you would need a Category 5 (Cat 5) cable to connect the PC's to the Hub. (Or you can use a TWISTED PAIR (Yellow) Cat 5 cable if you are connecting just 2 PC's together). A Cat 5 cable looks like a Fat telephone cable. So do not confuse the 2 . There are basically 3 kinds of Home Networks available and are listed below. The first and most common is the Ethernet wired 10/100 network. Whereas each PC is connected to the network via a Cat 5 cable between them and network hub. Cat 5 cable comes in many different lengths. You can even purchase them in 100' and 250' rolls so you can cut it to the exact length you need. You will need to purchase Cat 5 connecters to put on each end too. The advantages of Ethernet wired network is better, faster data transmission with no interference. And it is easier to connect up. The disadvantages are you may need to do some drilling through walls to install the cable if the PC's are in different rooms. Ethernet cable can be run up to 1500' before your communications quality suffers. Ethernet kits which include PC Cards, Cables and a HUb are available at stores like Walmart, Staples, etc for around $75. PC cards alone are around $20 each , Hubs start at about $40 each and are made by Netgear,Dlink,Intel to name a few. Cat 5 cables cast about $6 each for a 10' length. The next version is the type that uses the electric line in your house to supply the actual wiring of your network without the pain of drilling holes going from room to room in your house. The disadvantage is its more susceptible to interference thus cutting down on your data transfer rate. Kits with everything you need are available for around $100 The last version is the wireless network. Is the most expensive but involves no drilling and gives you the convenience of not having your PC's stuck in one place. (GREAT FOR LAPTOPS). Wireless HUbs cost around $80 and wireless PC cards cost around $60 each. You can also have a combination of this with a wired Ethernet network. So you can link together PC's that are close by and use wireless for your laptop and PC's that are too far away to make wiring them directly impractical. Now about sharing the internet connection, particularly broadband (Cable,DSL,etc) service. You can connect your multiple PC's to the internet via 2 methods. One is to use INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING. Whereas one of your PC's is the Host and the other PC's connect through your computer.( Your computer must be on for this to work) . The other is to use a Hub or a Router to share a broadband modem. The advantage of this is that the PC's can connect to the internet without the need of having the other PC's in the network being on . To share internet connection and files and devices you will need either 2 Hubs and 2 PC cards for each PC (Unless you are using INTERNET CONNECTION SHARING in that case only 1 of each is needed) . Or you can purchase a Router that will allow direct connection to the internet for each PC as well as sharing files at the same time. Hubs are about $40 each routers start at $100 each. In addition routers offer a hardware firewall (To keep out hackers) for better network security. How Do I Do it. First, If you believe setting up a network is beyond your ability then DON'T. Pay someone who knows what he is doing to set it up for you. It may cost a few bucks but, it save you a lot of grief in the end. (At Thompson's Computer Center we normally charge $80 plus the cost of the hardware needed) Windows XP and Windows ME makes it easy with the software setup via their NETWORK CONNECTION WIZARD. These will take you step by step on setting up your PC's. One suggestion with home networking . More memory helps too so when you are installing your PC card. It would not be a bad idea to install some extra memory too. The sites listed below will give the full step by step skinny on how set up and configure your network. That's all for this month . Next month we will discuss about Photos how to download them into your PC. Set them as background, email them and print them. If you have any question or suggestions. Please email or phone us. Power Guide to Home Networking. (You will need Acrobat Reader to use This Link. If you do not Click Below) Adbobe Acrobat Reader Download
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