| Setting up Your Home Network | | | | step-by-step instructions. |
| As society and technology change, it's becoming | | | | Network Configuration |
| common for homes to have more than one | | | | Whether the network signals travel through wires |
| computer. When an existing computer is a few | | | | or through the air, network resources must still |
| years old, parents will often take advantage of | | | | be shared so that other computers can access |
| today's lower prices, purchase a new computer, | | | | them. If you are running Windows XP or MacOS |
| and pass the old one down to the kids. | | | | X, all you have to do is connect your computers |
| Suddenly, there's a need for a home network, so | | | | and high-speed modem to the router, and |
| all computers in the house can share an files, | | | | Internet connection sharing should just work like |
| printers and an Internet connection. Fortunately, | | | | magic. If not, restart the cable modem, router, |
| setting up a basic home network is not rocket | | | | and the computers (in that order) and see if that |
| science. To start, you'll need a router which | | | | does the trick. If you can't access the Internet |
| becomes the central point of your network. Most | | | | from one or more computers on the network, |
| office and electronics stores offer home | | | | consult the manual that came with your router. |
| networking kits with a router, ethernet (network) | | | | One nice side benefit of having a router is that |
| adapters and CAT-5 networking cable. | | | | they have firewalls built in to the hardware. |
| If your computer was assembled in the past five | | | | Firewalls protect you by hiding your computers |
| years, it probably already has an ethernet | | | | from network attacks, but still allow you to surf |
| adapter. Check the back of the system unit for a | | | | the web and handle email. So after installing a |
| port that looks like a telephone jack, but slightly | | | | router, you can turn OFF the Windows firewall |
| bigger. | | | | and any other software-based firewalls you may |
| If you don't have an ethernet adapter, you can | | | | have running. |
| purchase one (about $20) and install it yourself. | | | | Sharing Files and Printers |
| You can also use a special ethernet adapter that | | | | Sharing files and printers on a Windows network |
| plugs into a USB port, if you can't stand the | | | | is also pretty painless. To share a printer, go into |
| thought of opening your system unit to install an | | | | the Printers section of the Control Panel, right-click |
| ethernet adapter. | | | | the icon for the printer that needs to be shared, |
| Wired or Wireless Networking? | | | | and choose Sharing from the resulting menu. By |
| You'll need to connect each of your computers to | | | | assigning a name to the shared printer, the owner |
| the router with a cable, or go wireless. If you | | | | allows other computers on the network to access |
| want to use wireless connections, you'll need a | | | | the printer by browsing using their Network |
| wireless router and a wireless adapter for each | | | | Neighborhood (or My Network Places) icons. |
| computer. Most laptops have a wireless adapter | | | | Access can be restricted to only some |
| built in, most desktop models do not. If you need | | | | computers or users through the use of the |
| a wireless adapter, you can purchase one that | | | | Security or Permissions options on the Sharing |
| installs inside the system unit, or get a USB-style | | | | screen. |
| adapter. | | | | The same concept applies for shared file and |
| Having a wireless network eliminates the need to | | | | folders on a network. For example, if you want |
| string unsightly cables all around the house, but it | | | | to share a collection of MP3 files on a home |
| can also create a security risk. Wireless networks | | | | network, just browse to the folder using the My |
| are often configured by default to allow access to | | | | Computer icon, right-click the folder name and |
| any computer that attempts to connect. So an | | | | choose Sharing. After assigning a name to the |
| Evil Hacker driving by with a laptop (or even your | | | | shared resource and setting Permissions other |
| neighbor) might be able to tap into your Internet | | | | computers on the network can access that |
| connection or poke around your hard disk. | | | | resource via Network Neighborhood or My |
| Fortunately, wireless security encryption is easy | | | | Network Places. |
| to set up. See my article Wireless Security for | | | | |