Networking @ Home

Home networks are becoming increasingly more popular. All you need is 2 PCs or laptops and you have the foundations for a small network. Add a few more devices like a modem/router and a printer and you’re all set for accessing the Internet and working from anywhere in your home!

Types of network

Deciding on having a network in your home is the easy part, thinking of the type of network your going to have requires a little more consideration. To help you decide, there are 3 main types of network:

 

Wired

Wired networks are very stable, offer constant data transfer rates and are reliable. Every device is connected by a physical wire though, limiting the distance you can move your devices.

 

Wireless

A wire free network allowing you to access it anywhere in the home. Any devices that support wireless like Sony’s PSP or Microsoft’s XBOX 360 can also access the network, cable free.

 

Powerline

These devices fit into your plug sockets at home and allow the network to travel through your home's internal wiring. Just place one in a room where you want to connect a PC. Powerline adapters can also be wireless, allowing you to place one in the house and use it as a wireless access point.

 

 

Essential equipment

To allow your PC to connect to a network, you are going to need a Network Interface Card (NIC) in each PC. If you’re implementing a wireless network then these cards will need to be of the wireless variety.

 

To share your Internet connection you are also going to need an Internet connection and a modem/router, preferably with wireless functionality built in (802.11g or 802.11n). 802.11 is basically the name given to wireless/Wi-Fi technology.

 

So, the essential equipment for your network are:

• A PC/Laptop,
• A modem/router,
• A network card or a wireless dongle.

 

Wireless network name & security - Router setup

When choosing a name on the router for your wireless network, it really can be anything you want it to be! Your network name (SSID) should not reveal any information about who you are or where you live, as it can been seen by anyone in the area who scans for a wireless network. An SSID that contains your pets name or street address will easily identify you to potential hackers. Instead, choose an SSID that has no association with you and your family.

 

When choosing a password, it is important to make it as hard to guess as possible. The best way is to use a random combination of numbers and letters but that may be difficult to remember. Instead, you may want to use a combination of letters and numbers to create a word. For example, instead of typing in SEVENTYFIVE, you could type 53V3N7YF1V3.

 

Using resources on a network

Once you’ve got your network setup; you’ll want to start using it. The first thing to do is to share any folders that you want other people to see. If you want to protect the files from accidental deletion then you can make some folders read only, if the data is not important then you can allow anyone that accesses your network full read/write access to them. The next thing is to change the workgroup name on each of the PCs to the same name. This allows any shared resources to be visible over the network.

If you have a laptop that does not have a CD Rom drive then a CD Rom drive can be shared on a main PC for you to use. If you have a printer, then you can also share that too and print to it from any other wireless PC in the house. You will just need to install the printer’s software driver first on any machines that want to use the shared printer.

 

And finally, if you’ve got any multi-player games that you’ve been dying to play then now’s your chance! Just make sure that the game has been installed on both machines and your ready to go. This may involve you installing a network version of the game on the second machine or in some cases a second copy of the game may be required.

 

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Time Capsule™

The Apple Time Capsule is a wireless router with a USB port and an internal hard drive. This makes an extremely versatile piece of kit. Not only is it your wireless router, but it is also the place where everyone on the network can store their back-ups and attach other network devices. There are two models available, one with 500GB of storage and, if that isn’t enough, you can get a 1TB version. The Apple Time Capsule is also compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista.

If you own an Apple computer running OS X Leopard then you’ll be aware of a program called Time Machine. The Time Capsule is the perfect partner for that program as it allows you to schedule automatic wireless back-ups. The Time Capsule supports the latest wireless standard (802.11n) which makes it very future-proof and it’s also backwards compatible with the older standards so you can use it in conjunction with your existing gear. There are 3 Ethernet ports for connecting wired networked devices and a WAN to connect to the Internet. Apple states that the built-in hard drive is “server-grade”, so it should be extremely reliable.

 

The built-in USB port can be used to attach a printer, which can then be used by everyone on the network. If you want to add more than one USB device, attach a USB hub first then away you go.

 

If you are getting a new router or replacing an old one, this should be on your list to look at.

Click here to buy from PC World.

 

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Linksys WAG325N ADSL Modem/Router

At first glance the Linksys WAG325N ADSL modem router looks like a sophisticated radar array. But don’t be intimidated because beneath the three distinctive antennae is a powerful and easy to use wireless router.

Using the latest technology this high-speed ADSL2+ modem makes the most of your broadband, providing a fast, ‘always on’ connection to the Internet. All the PCs in your home could use it for Internet access and it can act as a hub for up to four wired PCs and plenty of wireless computers, allowing everyone on the network to share files, storage and printers.

 

It’s really simple to setup and the slim-line design means it can be positioned lying down or on its side. Also, because it’s wireless you don’t have to worry about running cabling throughout your home.

 

By employing the very latest Wireless-N (802.11n) technology, the WAG325N ensures the fastest data rates and the best signal coverage so you can enjoy uninterrupted Internet access virtually anywhere in your home.

 

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Devolo dLan Wireless extender Starter Kit

If you're looking for an easy solution to your networking dilemmas then look no further. The Devolo dLan uses your existing mains power wiring to send and receive network traffic, making it just as safe as a wired network but without all the extra cables.

Setting it up is straight forward. Plug the adapter into any plug socket and then, using the supplied Ethernet cable, connect it to your modem (or router). Plug the other extension adapter into another plug socket in a different room and finally install the software. That’s it! The second extension adapter can be used as a wired or wireless access point and you can purchase more adapters separately if you have other areas in your house that need an access point.

 

If you have dead spots or a weak wireless signal in any rooms in the house then this wireless extender kit is a great solution. You don’t need to worry about thick walls or how far away you are from your wireless router. Devolo kits also support all the major wireless security protocols; WEP, WPA and WPA2 so you can be sure it will integrate fully with your existing network.

 

Click here to buy from PC World.

 

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Belkin Wireless Networking Adapter

If you want to connect your old computer to your router and it does not have a wireless card then there is a simple solution at hand. A wireless networking adapter (sometimes called a dongle) can be placed into an available USB slot giving you access to your shared files and Internet connection in minutes.

Belkin offer a wireless networking adapter that is sleek, easy to install and is compatible with modern networking standards as well as backwards compatible with the older 802.11b standard.

 

Before you plug the adapter into your computer, you may need to install the supplied software first, unless your operating system supports wireless networking like Windows XP (SP2) or Windows Vista. The beauty of this little device is that it also works with Windows 98 (SE), so even your decade old machines can still keep up with the times. Once the dongle is installed you will be able to search for wireless networks and easily connect to them.

 

Click here to buy from PC World.