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 need not be considered. The wired by cable network would
work just fine.
Computers that may
be close to each other but cannot be seen may and have phone jacks close by can
easily be networked with the Home PNA 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 required.
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 Serial 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
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, it’s 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.
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