Network Switch

Joseph Nyamache asked:


Since Microsoft released Windows for Workgroups, networking has become quite easy and very commonplace for most home computer users.  Everything that is needed to set up a home network is built right into the computer’s operating system which was installed in the machine.  All you have to do is turn it on and set it up.  If you happen to have Windows 95/98 setting up a network is a snap!

A home network is, simply put, a made up of set of hardware and also a set of software that will allow computers to communicate with each other.  A home network enable File sharing or using the same printer or other input and outputs instead of buying one for each available computer.

A home network functions in almost the exact same way as that used by a private businesses when a LAN or Local Area Network is created.  Designations, or IP addresses, as well as some that are catchy phrases that humans will remember are called host names and they know who everyone is as well as where everything is. Let’s say that 10.1.1.5 or Computer Jack sends a file to 10.1.1.6 or Computer Jill.  The hardware and software must cooperate with each other in order to know where and how to send the file from Jack to Jill.

This idea is much the same as that used by the post office.  There is an address associated with each home.  A letter that is sent from one home is routed to another by using that address.  Putting the return address on the letter is very important so the person knows where to respond. Also, if the letter gets lost, it will be sent back to the return address.  If there is no return address it just goes to the dead letter office.   Home computer networks work in much the same way.

The routing data is also known as ‘an envelope’.  This surrounds the data or the words on the letter. A home network comes in two main types:  cabled and wireless. In a cabled network different wire bundles which are known as Ethernet cables with connectors on each end plug into either a network interface card, or NIC, in the printer, fax, computer or into a switch/router.  Hubs or switches are simplified devices that allow physical connections between the components of a network.

A wireless network operates in much the same way.   The main difference is that there is no need for cables.  Small devices known as transceivers send and retrieve information by radio signals. Let’s say that you want two computers within a home network to both be able to print on the same printer.  Where would you even start to do something like that?  You can make this happen in two possible ways.  In one set up, the printer is physically attached to one of the computers.  The alternate set up connects the printer to the network and not to any individual computer;

With this first arrangement, the printer is called local, but shareable.  It is possible to allow a remote computer to print to the locally attached device.  Computer-Jack then just shares the printer by using software of the hosting system, Computer Jill. In most typical cases nowadays, the printer has its own NIC.  It is then attached to a router or switch by way of Ethernet cables or a wireless transceiver.  Then each computer on the network is able to ‘see’ the printer as a device that the computer can use.

Scanners, fax machines and other computers operate in pretty much the same way.  Every device receives an address and a name.  Software on the device allows it to be configured so that its function is accessible to multiple computers on the same network.

Alex Smith asked:


The way that it used to be, is people generally had one computer in their home. World Wide Web access was based on dial-up modems which were connected directly with a serial cable on the home computer. No Local Area Network was needed. The fast progression of modern technology and the wide spread adoption of high speed internet connectivity at homes, necessitates that home appliances should be networked to facilitate online access and to also communicate and share information between them.

What I mean when I say home appliances is home computers, next generation game consoles, printers, scanners, network attached storage, etc. All of these “Appliances” need to share information amongst themselves over a network, but also need to have high-speed access to the Internet. To achieve that, you will need to set-up a home network. With a home based network you are technically building a local area network, which can be wired or wireless, that networked devices communicate between inside the home, and also share the same internet connection.

The base of the home network is your broadband router. This is most of the time an integrated wired or wireless device which allows you to build and setup a home LAN. This router also gives you the internet access.

Once you have your home network setup, you can connect your computers, laptops, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, servers, network storage boxes, etc. After you successfully connect all your devices to the router, you can share and distribute your files over the network, have LAN parties on game consoles, play online video games, and share pictures between computer.

Don Willson asked:


When I first started in computers, one of the most confusing things that I ran across was how to set up a home network. The differences between hubs, routers, Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) and cabling were a mystery to me. But after much trial and error and built-up experience I managed to figure things out and some of that information I will share with you now.

There are two basic types of networks that I’m going to talk about in this article first being the infamous ICS or Internet Connection Sharing. ICS is usually implemented by connecting multiple computers through the hub to a single computer. Let’s say we have three computers, Computer A, Computer B and Computer C. Computer A has enjoyed a high speed Internet connection and after a while, Computer B and C want to get in on the action! In order to implement ICS, we would have to connect Computers B and C to a hub.

A hub is basically a switch that allows any computer hooked up to it to communicate with any other computer hooked up to the hub. So with all three computers hooked up to it, we would set the network up on the computers to use ICS. Computers B and C would be told that they’re going to connect to the Internet through another computer that has a high-speed Internet connection. While Computer A would be configured to enjoy its high-speed connection as it did before.

Like this, Computers B and C would enjoy a relatively fast connection to the Internet as would Computer A. The problem here starts when all three computers are accessing the Internet at the same time. Computers B and C would enjoy a relatively fast connection to the Internet while Computer A would suffer some moderate slowdowns because it not only has to handle its own traffic but the traffic of the other two computers as well. The user on Computer A is going to get quite upset if Computers B and C decide to download files at the same time. Because downloading a file is such a data intensive process, demanding large amounts of data be transferred from the Internet as fast as possible, Computers A may suffer some severe speed problems because of the demand being put on it from the other two computers.

Unfortunately because of the fact that the hub does not have built-in firewall or any other such software that can protect the computers behind the hub Computers A must also be running Windows firewall in the background which provides an additional performance hit.

So although the ICS is the cheapest way to go, it is definitely not the speediest way to go. In fact, to be honest, I would only follow this route if the users of Computers B and C had something against the user of Computer A and want to get even!

The second type of setup that I’m going to talk about it is the router based set up. Nice thing about the router is that most routers are very intelligent. They have built-in firewalls, parental controls, can block sites or even allow users to have access to your network from the outside if they know the proper passwords and/or ports to connect through. No additional software is required that might add a performance hit and all three computers get configured the same way.

To hook up or router you simply plug a cable from your Internet connection into the router then plug the three computers into the router as well. When you set up your computers you tell networking software that all three will computers have direct access to the Internet. There is some setup involved with router as is usual with any complicated piece of hardware but usually it is very painless and if you follow the instructions, quite easy!

The nice thing about router set up is that once it is set, up all three computers enjoy the same speed advantages of being on a high-speed Internet. No one computer is impacted by the fact that someone else is downloading a file. In fact, all three can download a file at the same time and still enjoy impressive speed while doing so! Face it guys this is the network that you want to set up if your wife is on Computer A!

Routers tend to be a little more expensive than hubs but the advantages of having them a part your network far outweigh any price difference. So if you must go with ICS, then do so with pride! But personally, I would recommend spending the extra money to go the “router route”!

Alex Smith asked:


In the past, most people had just a single computer in their home and nothing else. Access to the Internet was based on dial-up modems which were connected directly with a serial cable on the home computer. No Local Area Network was needed. The fast progression of modern technology and the adoption of broadband Internet access connectivity at homes, necessitates that home appliances should be networked to facilitate online access and to also communicate and share information between them.

When I say home appliances I mean computers, game consoles, printers, data storage devices etc. All of those devices need to communicated between themselves over a LAN, but also need to have high-speed access to the Internet. To achieve that, you will need to set-up a home network. With a home based network you are technically building a local area network, which can be wired or wireless, that networked devices communicate between inside the home, and also share the same internet connection.

The heart of a home network is a broadband router. This is most of the time an integrated wired or wireless device which allows you to build and setup a home LAN. This router shares the internet connection with your devices.

Once you have your home network setup, you can connect your computers, laptops, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, servers, network storage boxes, etc. After you successfully connect all your devices to the router, you can share and distribute your files over the network, have LAN parties on game consoles, play online video games, and share pictures between computer.

Richard Leddy asked:


Todays Secret : Why big stores love home networks.

More and more of us are adding devices to our home networks, extra pc for the kids, xbox or wii, media sever to store all our music and photos. The ability to share music, photos and videos across all the pcs in your house has never been easier. Yet with all this growth a recent survey conducted by ABI Research, showed one in three consumers reported difficulty in setting up and maintaining their home network. 25% of all wireless devices are returned to the store simply because it was too hard to setup, and not a defective product. This notion is further enforced by Best Buy’s Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens who acknowledged that the complexity of installing a wireless network is evidenced by the fact that return rates on wireless networking devices drop to nearly zero when his installers do it. Really there are a lot of great network products out there but fortunately they do not always do a good job of explaining very simple to set up.

This is one of reasons that big stores love home networks , it seems complex and hard to set up. Its easy to get frustrated with it. So if you return a wireless router to the store how hard do they have to sell you on letting them ease your frustrations by having them install it for you.

Another reason they love home networks is the time it can take to set up a network. Usually there’s software to install, pc will need a reboot, add security passwords and need another reboot and we all know how long that can take. So if you have two pcs on your network the time needed is doubled, want to add a printer you can all use, time doubles again as more software is added to each pc and yet more reboots.

Final reason is maintenance. Want to add a new pc or printer they will gladly come out and spend more time adding the new device. If the network stops working do you know where to start troubleshooting?

Truth is home and small business networking is not that difficult if you have some technical knowledge. Setting up times and maintenance can be greatly reduced with the right software. With great software you do not even need the technical knowledge to get a mult device network running. Whenever I go to someones home to set up a network I show them them Network Magic. This software is by cisco one of the leading companies in business high tech networking. I explain how by using this software their network can be set up quicker, be more secure and easier to maintain

Setting up

Simply install Cisco Network Magic to each pc in your home. The Essentials version has licenses for upto 3 devices. The Pro version lets you connect upto 8 devices. Cisco Network Magic adds a level of simplicity to many of the most common setup problems encountered. These issues include enabling wireless security and discovering and adding each device to the network, whether wired or wireless. With Cisco Network Magic, you can instantly connect all of your devices to the network, without the usual difficulties.



Once your network is up and running, Cisco Network Magic makes it easy to see what is happening on the network through a Network Map which is a visual representation of of all the devices that are connected to your home network, as well as possible intruders. The map also provides additional details about those devices, including IP addresses, connection status, alerts about software updates, as well as easy access to any tasks related to each device. By utilizing the features of the map, you can view and control many aspects of your networked devices, without having to go to each device individually so no more running back and forth.



File and Printer Sharing

ABI Research has also found that more than 33% of home network owners said they use their network for file sharing, and 40% share a printer among multiple computers. Cisco Network Magic helps make the process a snap, with built-in file and printer sharing tools.



To share files with your other computers, simply click on “Share a Folder” and a software setup program known as a “wizard” walks you through the steps. If you want to see what folders are shared on one computer, or all of your networked computers, you can do that as well. Cisco Network Magic even puts a shortcut on your desktop, making it easy to access all the music, photos, videos and other files available on your networked computers. With multiple computers in a household, it becomes very cumbersome and expensive to outfit each one with its own printer. If you want to share a printer among multiple computers, Cisco Network Magic has an easy setup process. The program will make the printer available to all computers on the network, and will even automatically install the printer drivers on the different PCs for you.

Parental Controls

If you’re like millions of concerned parents, you worry about the content that your children are exposed to on the Internet. Perhaps you would also like to control when your children have access to the Internet. With the Internet Access Controls in Cisco Network Magic, you can do all of this and more. Access pic Cisco Network Magic offers controls that allow you to manage when and where your networked computers access the Internet. You can restrict Internet access to certain times of the day, making sure your kids are doing their homework and not surfing the web or chatting with their friends online. All of this can be done remotely, via a password-enabled tool so the controls you put in place stay there.



Computer Reports and Network History The reports feature of Network Magic offers a convenient way to keep track of what sites have been visited on your connected computers. The program can be setup to email a link to a detailed report each day, showing when the computer was online, the programs that were used (and when they were used) computer health status, each website that was visited, and the Internet bandwidth consumed by each computer. Network history shows you which computers and other devices have connected to the network, along with any intruders that may have attempted to connect.

Troubleshooting One of the most frustrating aspects of managing a home network is troubleshooting when one of your devices gets disconnected. Your computer’s operating system offers limited solutions for fixing a problem with the PC, and no help for reconnecting other devices like game consoles or Internet-connected TVs. Network Magic offers a variety of troubleshooting solutions for your network connection, as well as file and printer sharing. When your connection is lost, the Network Map will clearly show you where the break is. Click on the “Repair Connection” button from the map to have the software walk you through a step-by-step guide to fix your network connection. The “Troubleshoot Sharing” task will do the same when you have file and printer sharing problems. If your still having trouble after using Network Magic then its worth having someone come in and help you.

So why do I recommend Network Magic to my clients if it means less work and money? Because I would rather my clients only need to call on me as a last resort and to know that when I a working for them I’m not wasting their time and money on tasks that can be made simple and easy Top 5 Home Network Problem Areas 1. Wireless Network Connection 2. Printer Sharing 3. Troubleshooting 4. Connecting New Devices 5. Wireless Network Security I’ll add a sixth to that 6. Cost. Network Magic reduces all of these. Its a great price and is a one off fee, no yearly subscriptions like some software

Bonus Secret : Most times when your network is down a simple restart will get everything back just follow this procedure.



Shut down all the pcs and network devices

Shut down your router

Shut down the box provided by your cable company or phone ne for internet access

Wait 5 minutes and then start up the cable/phone box again

Wait five more minutes and start up your router

Wait 5 more minutes and startup your pcs one by one

For more secrets and to but Network Magic visit www.pcrepairsecrets.blogspot.com

Manbeer Singh asked:


Home networks are becoming more common. People want to be able to share a single broadband Internet connection to several computers in the house. There are many different devices that you can use to make up your home network. If you have never heard network terminology device names like router, hub, etc may seem confusing.

The purpose of most of these devices is to control how the network passes around information. This information is sent in the form of “packets”. I will refer to the term packet several times in this article. It simply means the data that the network is transporting. I will now explain the purpose of the major components of a home network.

What is a Hub

A hub is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of these ports will likely be labeled “Uplink”. This port allows you to connect multiple hubs together, if you run out of ports on your hub. If you do not have an uplink port on your hub, the hub cannot be easily extended if you run out of ports.

A hub is a device that attaches multiple computers on an Ethernet network. If you have a number different computers that you want to connect together, you could connect each to the hub. Any packet that is sent out by any computer on the network will immediately be transmitted to the other computers. Each computer will determine if the packet was really intended for it, and filter out packets that were intended for other computers.

You really should not use a hub in a modern home network. You should always use a switch in place of a hub. Switches will be discussed in the next section.

What is a Switch

A switch is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of these ports will likely be labeled “Uplink”. This port allows you to connect multiple switches together, if you run out of ports on your switch. If you do not have an uplink port on your switch, the switch cannot be easily extended if you run out of ports.

A switch serves the same function as a hub. It allows you to connect multiple computers together, so that they can exchange packets. However, a switch is much more efficient than a hub. A switch will only send Ethernet packets to the computer that the packet was intended for. Because of this you should always use a switch in place of a hub.

What is a Router

A router is a device that has several Ethernet ports on the back of the device. One of the connectors will be labeled WAN. You should connect the WAN port to the Ethernet connection on a broadband source, such as a cable or DSL modem. The other ports on the router can be connected other computers or switches/hubs that will share the WAN connection.

Routers allow you to share your broadband connection with multiple computers in your house. Rather than connecting your computer directly into your cable or DSL modem you connect the router to the cable or DSL modem. Now any computer that you connect to the router will have access to the Internet.

If you run out of ports on your router you can always connect an additional switch to the router. To connect a switch to a router simply connects the switch’s “uplink” port to one of the routers Ethernet ports. Of course, don’t connect to the router’s WAN port. The WAN port should only be connected to something such as a cable or DSL router.

Some routers come with additional features installed. Most routers also include a firewall. Firewalls are discussed in the next section. Some routers will also include a wireless access point (WAP). The WAP allows you to use wireless devices, such as wireless laptops, with the Internet.

What is a Firewall

A firewall controls traffic flow between your network and the Internet. A firewall can be either hardware or software. Windows XP SP2 or higher includes a software firewall. A hardware firewall is included with most routers.

A firewall is a very good idea. It can protect you from inbound virus attempts. By inbound virus attempt I mean other computers that will connect to your computer and attempt to infect your computer. You do not want to run a computer directly connected to the Internet, without a firewall. There are just too many other computers out there that can connect and infect you without you even noticing.

What is a Network Attached Storage (NAS)

A network attached storage device is s device that allows a hard drive to be shared across the network. This hard drive is NOT attached to any of your computers. It is simply made available by the NAS. This can be a convent way to add a hard drive that can be accessed by several computers on your network. The other common way to add a network hard drive is to simply share a folder on one of your computers. However, with the NAS, you do not need to keep one of your computers on at all times.

There are two types of NAS commonly available. The first type comes with a build in hard drive. The second accepts a USB or Fire wire external hard drive. The advantage to using a USB or Fire wire hard drive is that you can upgrade the hard drive if it ever were to become too small.

What is a Print Server

Just like you can buy a device to allow you to share a hard drive, you can do the same with a printer. A print server connects directly to your printer. Your printer is then shared to all of your computers on the network. This is convent because you do not need to leave the printer hooked to a computer, which must be turned on to print.

Conclusions

As you can see there are many different components. Perhaps the final component that I ave yet to mention is the cable. These components are connected together with CAT5 Ethernet cable.

Alex Smith asked:


Wireless home networks are  turning more and more popular these day. Wireless home networks are very attractive to internet users as the ease  of installation and practicality of being able to surf the net anywhere in the house. Some basic things about the wireless networks are to be known before attempting to start the  arrange wireless home networks.  To help you get the  improved understanding of wireless networking you can read up more about the wireless networking protocols.

To set up  a wireless home network you need to have broadband internet connection with a cable or DSL modem.  Plugging the desk top computer into modem is the most simple set up at home. You have a laptop and you need to connect laptop to PC which is connected to internet wirelessly , you can find the solution in this tutorial. You need  some hardware to make this possible. First you need to have a wireless router.  For your laptop computer a PC card-based network adapter and for your desk top PC USB wireless network adapter must be added. For obvious reasons, it is  suggested to choose the same vendor for all the additional hardware you buy.  check to the documentation that comes with your hardware for the installation process.

When you already have all the necessary hardware installed, you can start the set up. First you must unplug or turn off the DSL modem then connect the wireless router to the modem. You can check the documentation that came with your hardware for assistance. When you’ve set it up  your computer will wirelessly connect to your router. The next step is to  set up your wireless router. Your routers configuration page can be accessed  using Internet Explorer.

Most of the default settings there are rather safe left alone but there are some things that you need to configure. You need to choose a unique wireless network name or SSID, this will be the name of your network. You must make sure that the name selected by you is not used by anyone else around you. Provide a unique passphrase to your router such that it will use to generate some keys. Then the last step to do before you are done with configuring the router is configuring your administrative password.  Password must be chosen in such a way that it is not too short and not easy to guess.  Be sure to save every setting you’ve configured. The actual steps involved in configuring these settings  vary according to the kind of router you have.

The next step is to configure your laptop’s network adapter. It is simple to follow Window’s XP’s on-screen instructions for this one. Right-click the icon for wireless network in your task bar and click “View Available Wireless Networks” in the pop up menu that appears. The Wireless Network Connection window will show and there you will see the name you chose for your wireless network listed. Click Refresh network list in the upper-left corner if you don’t see your network. You will then be prompted to enter a key, this is the key that you wrote down in both the Network key and Confirm network key boxes. Click Connect. You will then see connection advacement as it connects to your network. When you’re already connected you can close the Wireless Network Connection window.  You’re done, you’ve set up wireless connection.

Joseph Nyamache asked:


Today, more than ever, home networks are easier and less expensive to set up. At times, however, the knowledge needed for building a network is not accompanied by any guidelines on how to secure them.  In some cases, the guidelines are simply ignored. No matter what the case, that is a data disaster just waiting to happen.

You may have a thing about being paranoid about security. That is an excessive amount of concern that should be tempered. However, you should have a certain amount of caution. Security is much like medical insurance. You may not need it very often, but when you do need it, chances are you need it badly. If you don’t have it you may face dire consequences.

Wireless home networks are becoming increasingly popular due to their lower cost and flexibility.  However, the wireless network is particularly prone to security issues. In theory, someone that has a wireless enabled laptop can just drive by your house, get into your space and tap into your network. It’s not too much of a problem if all they do is steal a little bandwidth. However, if they happen to be malicious and clever, they will be able to implant a virus into your home network without you even knowing it!

Using the Internet has similar risks. However, in a case like that you usually have to download an attachment from someone you don’t even know to get infected. This scenario is easy to avoid. As a rule of thumb, if you do not know who it is from, do NOT open it. It could be a hacker with a virus. However, in the case of a wireless home network, you do not have to take any action to get infected. Even though you may be following good Internet file sharing practices, you are still vulnerable.

Even if you have a cabled network, it is possible for someone to break in while you are away. Most of these incidents will revolve around stealing property. But by infecting a computer a disgruntled employee, an angry person or a party to a lawsuit may use this as a way of getting revenge. What a better way to get revenge than to have your computer crash!

The solution is typically the same in either type of network. Practice the same good habits you use for Internet data sharing and magnify them. You must make sure that each computer on the network has a password that is required in order to gain access to the system. Leaving a system unprotected to just save a few seconds of inconvenience at home will expose your entire network to unnecessary risk.

One thing you want to do is change the password on your router often. The defaults for most of the popular vendors’ products are known by just about everyone who has the necessary skills to do harm.  Make it harder for them to inflict damage by following this simple step. Configure your wireless router according to the manufacturers’ instructions in order to prevent unauthorized access. Today, all wireless routers use WAP to prevent drive-by’s from accessing your system.

Most adults today would be astounded by the amount of computer knowledge a teenager has. Most are well meaning, but some young people have not yet learned how to use a home network securely. Some young people can master the techniques, but they do not yet have the common sense or the wisdom to know how to put these techniques into practice.

Treat your home network in much the same way as you would treat your credit cards. You wouldn’t just hand you credit card out to a stranger would you? Moreover, you wouldn’t tell that stranger your password would you? You would be broke in no time! Do not provide physical access or pass out information to anyone that you do not want to have access to it. This is often a short step from having them access your money. It is an even shorter step to your valuable home network as well as your data!

Pradeep Singh asked:


With many homes now having more than one computer, home networks are becoming more and more appealing to the average PC user. Networking your computers together allows you to transfer files amongst the different computers at breakneck speeds, as well as share a printer or scanner or other peripheral.

Worldofcables ( Santa Clara) CA - A basic network (LAN or Local Area Network) consists of two computers that are linked in order to share resources (such as printers and CD-ROMs), exchange files, or allow electronic communications.

For this article, we will assume that your local cable or Phone Company has installed a broadband Internet connection on one of your PCs. If they haven’t, then that should be your first step.

Many new homes are being built pre-wired for Internet. This means that you have network cables running throughout your walls and coming out as jacks in the wall in various rooms. If this is the case then you will have an even easier time setting up your network. If not, that’s ok too, as cables can be neatly run under carpets, through attics, or along baseboards.

For the basic network, you will need the following in order to connect two or more computers together (see figure to left):

A broadband internet connection (such as cable modem or DSL)

One CAT-5E network cable for each computer

One CAT-5E network cable for modem

One network interface card for each computer

Note that more and more computers are offering a network card already built in, so check your computer for an Ethernet cable port before purchasing another card. For Cat – 5 E cable visit www.worldofcables.com.

Plan Your Setup

Next, you need to figure out how and where to run the appropriate length cables to fit your specific needs. We offer special flat Ethernet cables specifically designed for running along baseboards and the floor. This helps in keeping them out of the way and from people tripping over them.

Connect one end of a network cable into the back of your DSL/cable modem and the other into the “Internet” port on the back of the router. Connect a network cable in the back of each of your computers and into separate ports in the back of the router. You now have the start of a basic network.

Note that the purpose of the network router is to allow multiple computers to share one internet connection, without having to pay for a multiple-connection option from the internet service provider.

Most new computers will auto-configure your router and get you connected. You may have to configure your computer to turn on DHCP. This allows your router to differentiate between your different computers.

Enable DHCP

If you have a Windows based computer: Go to Start -> Programs -> Control Panel -> Network Connections. Right click on the connection and select Properties. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click properties. Select Obtain IP Address Automatically and Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically. If you are using a Windows 2000 machine you must then click Advanced and select DHCP Enabled and click OK. You may have to reboot for the settings to take affect.

If you have a Mac running OS 10.2: Go to System Preferences -> Network. Click on the TCP/IP tab. In the TCP/IP panel, change Configure Manually to Using DHCP. Delete any Domain Name Servers that are listed in the Domain Name Servers box. Click Apply Now.

If you have a Mac running OS 10.3: Go to System Preferences -> Network. From Show, choose Built-in Ethernet. Click on the TCP/IP tab. From Configure, choose Using DHCP. Delete Domain Name Servers. Click Apply Now.

Repeat the above steps for each computer on the network.

Setup Sharing

To allow for the other computers to share certain folders or printers:

If you are running Windows 2000/XP: Right click on any file folder and go to Sharing and Security… Select Share This Folder. Click OK. The other computers on your network can access anything you put in this folder. To share a printer, on the PC with the printer, go to Start -> Printers and Faxes. Right click on the printer you’d like to share and select sharing… Select Share this Printer. Click OK

If you have a Mac running OSX: Go to System Preferences (on the Apple menu) and click on Sharing. Select Personal File Sharing. The “Public” folder in your home folder will now be shared automatically. Use the address displayed at the bottom of the Sharing window to access this folder from other computers. Unlike Windows, Mac OSX does not allow you to share any folder you want. To share printers, select Printer Sharing. For more visit www.worldofcables.com

Otis Cooper asked:


If you have not decided already,you will soon want to network your two or more computers in your home. You want to be armed to the teach with knowledge of just what it takes to connect your computers to one another.

You first should decide which network is best your you. If your computers are in the same room,the Wireless network should not be considered.The wired by cable network should work just fine.

Computer that may be close to each other but cannot be seen may and have phone jacks close by can easily be networked with the HomePNA Network.While PCs that are far from each other can be connected with the powerline network,assuming wall outlets are nearby.

And when there are computers in different rooms and you want the convenience of moving the systems from room to room,the more expensive Wireless Network is the way to go.After you decide on the type of network that is best for you,knowing what components you’ll need to purchase will be a great help.Let’s take a look at each network and the components needed to get it up and running.

The WIRED ETHERNET NETWORK

If your computers are in the same room,the basic network kit can wire your systems together.Be sure to carefully open any kit or component you purchase and do not damage the box it came in.The purpose for this is to make it easy to return the component if needed.

Basic kits will have instructions and software for the network as seen as two NICs.Better known as Network Interface Cards,these NICs are installed in empty slots in the system unit.The PCI slot is where the card is installed and there are the USB adapters as well.The network will need cabling to connect the computers and the CAT 5 or Category 5 cable is the one to look for.

Ethernet networks come in two speeds,which are 10 and 100mbps or megabits per second.The wired network will also need a Hub or a Switch to direct traffic from each system.If you want fast traffic,and who don’t,you will want to connect a Switch instead of a Hub.If you want all PCs to connect to the Internet,most kits come with Special Bridging Software which links the systems together.

The WIRELESS HOME NETWORK

Wireless networks rely on radio frequency to transmit and receive data.Wireless network equipment will offer you the choice of both wired and wireless connections.

If your computers are in direct line of each other,the IR or Infrared frequency can be used.But most wireless networks now use the Radio Transceiver technology with computers being located just about anywhere.

You will need a Wireless Router to connect each PC to the network.Wireless NIC Cards must be installed in each computer in the network.When you purchase your wireless kit,take note of the indoor range.

As you can see when looking at the wireless Router,you have the option to wire your computers together should something go wrong with any wireless component.Take note of the difference between the wired nic and the wireless nic cards.

The POWERLINE NETWORK

The powerline network uses the electrical wiring in your home to transfer data to and from each computer.Present powerline networks run between 50kbps or Kilobits Per Second and 350kbps.

This network has a drawback in back it will have lots of electrical noise which will cause the network to lose speed.And other PC users can snoop in your computer if they know how.

This network will need a Router for data transfer and nic cards for each system.A Bridge will be needed for access to the internet.These Bridges can be used with your Router.

The PHONELINE NETWORK

The components you will need in the Home Network are close to that of the Wireless network.In most cases,the 10mbps speed network is fast enough for home users.

The computers are connected with a Switch,a gateway,or Router to share Internet access and to send data to each computer through the phone line network.This network is considered the easiest to setup.

Phoneline Network adapters are installed in each PC. The USB or Universal Seriel Bus port connection is the most commonly used adapter for Phoneline networks.To reduce line noise,a Phone Filter may be needed.If you plan to connect a phone and line in one phone jack.you will have to invest in a Line Splitter.Be sure each computer in the network are close to a phone jack.

The Phoneline Network is thought to be less expensive .more dependable and faster when compared with the Powerline network.

In a nutshell,all networks will need some type of adapter inserted in the computer.Each network will need a hub, switch,or router to transfer data.Windows 98,Me,and XP will have the needed software to make everything work together.Adapters and and other hardware will come with device driver software which enables the hardware to talk to the computer.

We have taken a brief look at the hardware needed to network two or more computers.Connecting the hardware was rather simple when we networked our computers using the wireless technology.Learn all you can about PC networking and you will be grateful in having this knowledge should you experience computer problems.

Since we have seen basic network components,its time to see how each component is installed and connected.Then we’re going to see how to move data from one machine to the other and share the internet using broadband with a DSL or a Cable modem.Remember to enjoy learning about your computer by performing as many tasks as you can without causing damage to your system.