Home networks have become more popular in recent years, particularly
with the advent of affordable PC�s and broadband Internet connections.
If your household has multiple machines, why not connect them and share
resources? The benefits to be gained from sharing a printer or Internet
connection are plentiful, allowing anybody to print or browse the
Internet from any machine in the house. With the relatively low cost of
home networking equipment alongside wireless capabilities, there is
little reason not to set up your own network.
The first step is to decide whether a wired or wireless network would
be more suitable. Wireless networks are convenient as they are devoid
of unsightly cables, though can suffer from poor reception and in
general offer lower performance than their wired counterparts. You can
expect to pay a little extra for wireless equipment, though the
convenience can often outweigh the additional cost.
To set up a wireless network, you will need a wireless router and
wireless network cards for each machine you wish to connect to the
network. If you also want to share an Internet connection, you will
either need an external modem or a router with a modem built in. If you
are going the wired route, you will need a hub or switch, as well as
network cards for each machine and sufficient cabling to connect each
PC to the hub or switch. To set up a simple wireless network between
two machines, you shouldn�t need to spend more than around $75, with an
additional $15 or so per additional machine. A wired network will set
you back around $45 for two machines, though this is dependant on the
cabling necessary.
When looking for networking gear, you need to ensure that the cards
match the specification of the switch or router. Wired networks
generally come in 10/100Mbit form, though some newer equipment supports
a 10/100/1000MBit connections. For the majority of home users, the
former is perfectly adequate as well as being the cheaper option.
Wireless networks are a little more complex with differing speeds and
protocols available. Wireless-G (802.11g) equipment is amongst the most
popular available, and is fast enough for all but the most demanding of
home users. You should also bear in mind that the typical range of
Wireless-G is only around 150ft and can decrease even further depending
on the structures present between wireless devices.
You also have options when it comes to the network cards themselves.
Wireless devices come in a variety of forms, including PCI, USB and
PCMCIA. Although a USB device may be the most convenient, they often
have poorer performance than internal PCI cards, cost more and are
prone to accidental removal. Wired network cards generally come in PCI
format, though there are USB and PCMCIA models for laptops and so
forth.
Once you have the equipment to hand, you will need to install the cards
in each machine and set up your network. If you have a PCI network
card, begin by switching your PC off at the wall and removing the case.
As ever, an anti static wristband is preferred but touching a metal
part of the case should prevent potentially damaging static build up.
Locate a vacant PCI slot and remove the small screw holding the metal
backing plate in place. Next, insert the card itself applying a little
pressure to ensure that it sits firmly in the slot. Replace the screw
to hold the new plate in place and replace the cover to your PC. If it
is a wireless card, you may need to plug in an aerial at this point.
If you are using a USB or PCMCIA card then you may wish to refer to the
guide that came with your networking device. Often you will be required
to install the networking software prior to plugging the device in.
Next, boot up your machine and install the drivers from the CD that
came with your network card. Don�t worry about advanced settings for
now, as long as the card is installed and functioning then you can
configure it to match your network settings later.
If you went the wired route you need to switch on your hub or switch
and connect each machine using a network cable. If you are using XP, go
to Start � Control Panel � Network and Internet Connections � Set Up or
Change Your Home or Small Office Network. Follow the onscreen prompts
and Windows will take care of configuring your network card. You need
to create a network set up disk when prompted and run this on all
additional machines in your network as directed.
If you have problems with this or run an earlier version of Windows,
things are a little more complicated as you will have to configure the
network settings on each PC manually. To do this, go Start � Settings �
Control Panel � Network Connections. Right click on the Local Area
Network connection, click on Internet Protocol and click Properties.
Check the box that says �Use the following IP address� and fill in the
boxes. A typical example would be 192.168.1.1 as the IP address and
255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask. If one machine on the network is
directly connected to the Internet and you wish to share the
connection, you will want to use the IP of that machine as the Default
Gateway and Preferred DNS. Alternatively, if you are setting up the
machine that is connected to the Internet or will be using a router
then you can leave those boxes blank. Click OK and do the same for each
machine on the network, though you must change the last digit of the IP
address, so your next machine may be 192.168.1.2 for instance.
If one machine is directly connected to the Internet, you will also
want to enable Internet Connect Sharing. You can do this by going to
the Local Area Network Properties dialogue box as outlined above and
checking the appropriate box under the Sharing tab. Finally, reboot
each machine and they should connect to the network automatically. You
can now share resources such as printers by going to Start � Settings �
Printers. Next, right click on the local printer and select properties.
Under the Sharing tab, enable sharing and give the device its own name.
You should now be able to access this printer from other machines on
the network, though you will need to go through the Add Printer wizard
also found on the Printers dialogue box.
If you have gone the wireless route, things are a little different.
Many routers need to be set up in a very specific way, so I urge you to
consult your Install Guide that came with your device before
proceeding. Typically, you will want to plug your cable modem into your
router and then your router into your PC using either network or USB
cables. This is so that you can set the router up � once this is done
you can remove the cable to your PC and the wireless network should
become available to all the machines in your house.
When configuring your router as instructed by the manual, you may also
wish to change the name of the network, the Administrator password and
enable security settings such as WEP or MAC Address filtering. These
will stop unauthorised users gaining access to your network and having
access to your files, devices and Internet connection. If you use WEP,
you will be prompted for a key which you should write down as you will
need to use it to configure the wireless network.
Once you have set your router up, unplug it from your PC and restart
it. Meanwhile, go to Start � Settings � Control Panel � Network �
Wireless Network Connection and then Configure. Change the security
settings to match those on your router, including the WEP key if
applicable. Alternatively, you may be able to do this using the
wireless network card software you have already installed.
Now, each machine should report there being one or more wireless
network connections available. Open the dialogue box and select your
network, then click connect. You should now be connected and fully able
to share resources, access the Internet and so forth.
If there are any problems, you should always check physical connections
first then look at the network configuration. As long as each machine
has the same settings (albeit different IP if you�re using a wired
network) and is configured to use the same security as the router in
the case of a wireless network then it should work fine.
Home networks have become more popular in recent years, particularly
with the advent of affordable PC�s and broadband Internet connections.
If your household has multiple machines, why not connect them and share
resources? The benefits to be gained from sharing a printer or Internet
connection are plentiful, allowing anybody to print or browse the
Internet from any machine in the house. With the relatively low cost of
home networking equipment alongside wireless capabilities, there is
little reason not to set up your own network.
The first step is to decide whether a wired or wireless network would
be more suitable. Wireless networks are convenient as they are devoid
of unsightly cables, though can suffer from poor reception and in
general offer lower performance than their wired counterparts. You can
expect to pay a little extra for wireless equipment, though the
convenience can often outweigh the additional cost.
To set up a wireless network, you will need a wireless router and
wireless network cards for each machine you wish to connect to the
network. If you also want to share an Internet connection, you will
either need an external modem or a router with a modem built in. If you
are going the wired route, you will need a hub or switch, as well as
network cards for each machine and sufficient cabling to connect each
PC to the hub or switch. To set up a simple wireless network between
two machines, you shouldn�t need to spend more than around $75, with an
additional $15 or so per additional machine. A wired network will set
you back around $45 for two machines, though this is dependant on the
cabling necessary.
When looking for networking gear, you need to ensure that the cards
match the specification of the switch or router. Wired networks
generally come in 10/100Mbit form, though some newer equipment supports
a 10/100/1000MBit connections. For the majority of home users, the
former is perfectly adequate as well as being the cheaper option.
Wireless networks are a little more complex with differing speeds and
protocols available. Wireless-G (802.11g) equipment is amongst the most
popular available, and is fast enough for all but the most demanding of
home users. You should also bear in mind that the typical range of
Wireless-G is only around 150ft and can decrease even further depending
on the structures present between wireless devices.
You also have options when it comes to the network cards themselves.
Wireless devices come in a variety of forms, including PCI, USB and
PCMCIA. Although a USB device may be the most convenient, they often
have poorer performance than internal PCI cards, cost more and are
prone to accidental removal. Wired network cards generally come in PCI
format, though there are USB and PCMCIA models for laptops and so
forth.
Once you have the equipment to hand, you will need to install the cards
in each machine and set up your network. If you have a PCI network
card, begin by switching your PC off at the wall and removing the case.
As ever, an anti static wristband is preferred but touching a metal
part of the case should prevent potentially damaging static build up.
Locate a vacant PCI slot and remove the small screw holding the metal
backing plate in place. Next, insert the card itself applying a little
pressure to ensure that it sits firmly in the slot. Replace the screw
to hold the new plate in place and replace the cover to your PC. If it
is a wireless card, you may need to plug in an aerial at this point.
If you are using a USB or PCMCIA card then you may wish to refer to the
guide that came with your networking device. Often you will be required
to install the networking software prior to plugging the device in.
Next, boot up your machine and install the drivers from the CD that
came with your network card. Don�t worry about advanced settings for
now, as long as the card is installed and functioning then you can
configure it to match your network settings later.
If you went the wired route you need to switch on your hub or switch
and connect each machine using a network cable. If you are using XP, go
to Start � Control Panel � Network and Internet Connections � Set Up or
Change Your Home or Small Office Network. Follow the onscreen prompts
and Windows will take care of configuring your network card. You need
to create a network set up disk when prompted and run this on all
additional machines in your network as directed.
If you have problems with this or run an earlier version of Windows,
things are a little more complicated as you will have to configure the
network settings on each PC manually. To do this, go Start � Settings �
Control Panel � Network Connections. Right click on the Local Area
Network connection, click on Internet Protocol and click Properties.
Check the box that says �Use the following IP address� and fill in the
boxes. A typical example would be 192.168.1.1 as the IP address and
255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask. If one machine on the network is
directly connected to the Internet and you wish to share the
connection, you will want to use the IP of that machine as the Default
Gateway and Preferred DNS. Alternatively, if you are setting up the
machine that is connected to the Internet or will be using a router
then you can leave those boxes blank. Click OK and do the same for each
machine on the network, though you must change the last digit of the IP
address, so your next machine may be 192.168.1.2 for instance.
If one machine is directly connected to the Internet, you will also
want to enable Internet Connect Sharing. You can do this by going to
the Local Area Network Properties dialogue box as outlined above and
checking the appropriate box under the Sharing tab. Finally, reboot
each machine and they should connect to the network automatically. You
can now share resources such as printers by going to Start � Settings �
Printers. Next, right click on the local printer and select properties.
Under the Sharing tab, enable sharing and give the device its own name.
You should now be able to access this printer from other machines on
the network, though you will need to go through the Add Printer wizard
also found on the Printers dialogue box.
If you have gone the wireless route, things are a little different.
Many routers need to be set up in a very specific way, so I urge you to
consult your Install Guide that came with your device before
proceeding. Typically, you will want to plug your cable modem into your
router and then your router into your PC using either network or USB
cables. This is so that you can set the router up � once this is done
you can remove the cable to your PC and the wireless network should
become available to all the machines in your house.
When configuring your router as instructed by the manual, you may also
wish to change the name of the network, the Administrator password and
enable security settings such as WEP or MAC Address filtering. These
will stop unauthorised users gaining access to your network and having
access to your files, devices and Internet connection. If you use WEP,
you will be prompted for a key which you should write down as you will
need to use it to configure the wireless network.
Once you have set your router up, unplug it from your PC and restart
it. Meanwhile, go to Start � Settings � Control Panel � Network �
Wireless Network Connection and then Configure. Change the security
settings to match those on your router, including the WEP key if
applicable. Alternatively, you may be able to do this using the
wireless network card software you have already installed.
Now, each machine should report there being one or more wireless
network connections available. Open the dialogue box and select your
network, then click connect. You should now be connected and fully able
to share resources, access the Internet and so forth.
If there are any problems, you should always check physical connections
first then look at the network configuration. As long as each machine
has the same settings (albeit different IP if you�re using a wired
network) and is configured to use the same security as the router in
the case of a wireless network then it should work fine.