Tuesday, September 23, 2014

How To Set Up A Home Network

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By setting up a network between multiple computers, files, printers and internet connections can be shared. See more laptop pictures.

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NETWORKING 101

If you have multiple computers in your home, networking them is a great idea! There are several big advantages to setting up an in-home network:

If one of the computers has a printer attached, then the other computer can print to it over the network.
If one of the computers has certain files on it, someone on the other computer can access those files over the network rather than having to copy them onto a disk or memory stick.
If you like playing multi-user computer games that have network capabilities built in, then two people can play these games together over the network.
If you connect to the Internet with one of the computers, the other computer can use that same connection over the network. So one computer can connect to the Internet with a modem and the other computer will route its Internet traffic through that single connection.

Networking PCs has gotten easier and a lot less expensive, but it is still a little bit of a challenge. How Home Networking Works discusses the whole thing in detail, but see the next page to see some quick answers.

Buying home network hardware, like this hub, is one option for setting up a home network.

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Home Network Setup Options

One way to do it is to buy and install network cards in both machines if you computers don't already have built-in cards. You can go to an electronics store and get an inexpensive network card for $20 to $30 these days. You have to open the computer to plug the card in, and then install the driver software. You also have to purchase two network cables ($10 to $20 each) and a small hub ($30 to $40) to physically connect the two machines together. Once you get it all together, the two machines should be able to talk to each other.

This approach has two advantages:

The network will be very fast -- up to 100 Mbps, and at least 10 Mbps.
It only costs about $100.

It has two disadvantages:

You have to open the case and install a card if your computer doesn't come with a built-in card, which intimidates some people.
You have to run thick network cables around the house. If the computers are in the same room that's okay, but if they are on different floors it can be messy.

You can solve that second disadvantage by purchasing radio modems instead. They cost more but are very easy to connect to one another.

Another path you can follow is something like the Intel AnyPoint Network. Instead of using special network cables, you use your home's telephone wiring to connect computers together (this causes no interference when using the phone for normal calls -- your phone and the network share the same wire). In addition, you can buy a version of the Intel system that uses aUSB port, so installation is extremely easy. You can also purchase cards, which are faster.

The big advantage of the Intel system is the use of phone wiring. Simply plug all the computers in your house into phone jacks and they can talk to each other. You also don't need to buy a hub. The disadvantages include:

Higher prices (for the USB version)
Slower speeds (for the USB version)

However, installation takes just a few minutes.

Besides phone-line networking, you can also use power-line networking and wireless networking to connect your computers. Read How Home Networking Works to learn about the different approaches.

Once you install the physical network, the Windows operating system makes connecting your computers simple. You can use the Network Neighborhood feature to share files and printers. The Intel system comes with software to share an Internet connection, or you can use the version built into Windows 98 and later.

Check out the links on the next page for more home networking information.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Setting up a home network

Before you start: To decide what type of network to set up or to find out what hardware and cables you need, see What you need to set up a home network. That topic has information about the different types of networks (also known as network technologies), as well as hardware requirements for each type. To learn more about the overall process of setting up a network, see Start here to set up a home network in Windows 7.

Once you know what type of network you want, and you have the necessary hardware, there are four steps you might need to take:

Install any necessary hardware.
Set up an Internet connection (optional).
Connect the computers.
Run the Set Up a Network wizard (for wireless networks only).

Each of these steps is described in detail later in this article.

Start by setting up just one computer to make sure the network is working before you try to add additional computers or devices.

Note

The information in this article is written for people who have a broadband connection—usually DSL, cable, or Fiber Optic Service (FiOS)—to the Internet rather than a dial-up connection. However, you don't need an Internet connection to set up a network.

Install the hardware

Install network adapters in any computers that need them, or connect them to the computers. (Follow the installation instructions in the information that came with each adapter.)

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Set up or verify an Internet connection (optional)

You don't need an Internet connection to set up a network, although most people want to use their network to share an Internet connection. To set up an Internet connection, you need a cable or DSL modem and an account with an Internet service provider (ISP). For more information, see What do I need to connect to the Internet?

If you already have an Internet connection, you just need to verify that the connection is working. To do that, open your web browser and go to a website that you don't usually visit. (If you go to a website that you visit often, some of its webpages might be stored on your computer and will display correctly even if your connection is faulty.) If the website opens and you don't get any error messages, your connection is working.

To share an Internet connection

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Connect the computers

There are several ways to connect computers—the configuration depends on the type of network adapters, modem, and Internet connection that you have. It also depends on whether you want to share an Internet connection among all the computers on the network. The following sections briefly describe some connection methods.

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Ethernet networks

Wireless networks

HomePNA networks

Powerline networks

Turn on all computers or devices, such as printers, that you want to be part of your network. If your network is wired (Ethernet, HomePNA, or Powerline), it should be set up and ready to use. You should test your network (see below) to make sure that all computers and devices are connected correctly.

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Run the Set Up a Network wizard

If your network is wired, you will be connected immediately when you plug in the Ethernet cables. If your network is wireless, run the Set Up a Network wizard on the computer attached to the router.

Open Set Up a Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type network, click Network and Sharing Center, click Set up a new connection or network, and then click Set up a new network.

The wizard will walk you through the process of adding other computers and devices to the network. For more information, see Add a device or computer to a network.

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Enable sharing on your network

If you want to share files and printers on your network, make sure your network location type is set to Home or Work and that network discovery and file sharing are turned on. For more information, see Choosing a network location and Enable or disable network discovery.

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Test your network

It's a good idea to test your network to make sure that all of the computers and devices are connected and working properly. To test your network, do the following on each network computer:

Click the Start button , click your user name, and then, in the left pane, click Network.

You should be able to see icons for the computer you are on and all of the other computers and shared printers on the network.

Note

If you don't see icons in the Network folder, then network discovery and file sharing might be turned off. For more information, see Enable or disable network discovery.
It might take several minutes for computers running earlier versions of Windows to appear in the Network folder.

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