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Nick Spohnholtz here with a guide on creating a home network guide including: connecting computers, different types of networks in your home, and miscellaneous.
Note: The configuration and setup is on Windows XP.
With a home network, you can get the resources of all your PCs without having to physically move from PC to PC.
Please note that my previous wireless guide, Wireless, Securing and all you need to know, is: 0 as this guide is: 1
Making Computer to Computer Connections
Because a home network technically requires two or more computers, the simplest home network consists of two PCs and some sort of connection between them (usually a kind of wire). Most home networks consist of wired Ethernet or wireless (802.11b, Wi-Fi, or 802.11g based) networking. You can also create a connection between two PCs by using a parallel cable, a serial cable, a modem, or other similar methods; such a connection is called a direct cable connection, but it is technically a network. And if its in your house, it qualifies as a home network.
Direct Cable Connection
Direct me networking cable connections cant compete with Ethernet based wired or wireless network performance, but theyre simpler to set up. You dont have to install network adapters in any of your PCs. They use existing ports on your PCs. In XP, any connection in XP modem, wired network, wireless network, direct cable connection, or whatever is considered a network connection. You create direct cable connections in XP the same way that you create any other connection.
Using Infrared
Infrared networking is a relic. Its an early specification for wireless exchanging data. Infrared is being squeezed out of the PC market by a new technology called Bluetooth, which offers faster speeds, nondirectional connection capabilities, and other features.
Infrared require two or more PCs or other devices that have infrared ports. (Infrared ports are small reddish black windows). To connect devices via infrared, the infrared ports of each device need to be lined up. The safest method of ensuring that an infrared connection is made is to make sure that the infrared port of the devices is aiming directly at the other devices infrared port. Like direct cable connections, you set up infrared connections in XP just as you would in most other network connections.
Basic Network Types
Powerful home networking technologies are a little complicated, but not really difficult. All modern home networking types are based on TCP/IP, the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol that makes the internet possible. If youre setting up a new home network, you will probably be working with at least one of these network types. Each of these types, which I describe below, requires a single compatible network adapter in each PC. This adapter then interfaces with the network.
Ethernet Networking
The most common networking type is wired Ethernet networking, which typically offers speeds of 100mbps. A more recent version, called Gigabit Ethernet, offers speeds up to 1,000Mbps. (1Gbps)
In its simplest configuration, two PCs can interface directly by using a single crossover Ethernet cable. However, this setup isnt typical. You normally provide some sort of central hub or switch, a physical device to which Ethernet equipped PCs connect by using Ethernet cabling.
Wired Ethernet networking is the fastest networking connection available. Its downside is the cabling itself. Ethernet cabling can be unsightly in a home, and hiding the cable in walls can be invasive and expensive. Moreover, if you want to network two machines that are physically separated by great distances, Ethernet isnt always a great solution. But when your PCs are all in the same room, or at least nearby, its often the best way to go.
Wi-Fi Wireless Networking
One of these, Wi-Fi, also known as 802.11b, has been accepted as an industry standard and has been hugely popular in recent years, though a more recent version, 802.11g is much faster and can be made more secure. 802.11b Wi-Fi offers speeds up to 11mbps, though that bandwidth is shared among any devices attached wirelessly. Newer wireless technologies such as 802.11g now offer speeds up to 54mbps. (Ethernet based networking is capable of offering each device the full 10, 100, or 1,000 Mbps of bandwidth.)
(More on wireless in next thread)
Home Phoneline Networking
Before wireless networking became affordable to average consumers, other networking technologies were created for consumer needs. One based on phone line technology, has also evolved to offer high speed solutions that rival Ethernet. This networking type is HomePNA (Home Phoneline Networking Alliance).
HomePNA networking adapters look like Ethernet adapters but offer a standard phone jack connector. To network PCs in this manner, you must first install the adapter into your computer (if it is an external adapter) or connect it to your computer via the USB port (if it is an external adapter). Then plug the phone cable into any available wall jack. Most adapters also offer a second jack connector so that you can connect a telephone; HomePNA networking does not interrupt normal telephone service. HomePNA is a practical alternative to Ethernet if you already have phone jacks where you need them. But it is far less common than other home networking schemes.
FireWire Based Networking
Some newer PCs include an IEEE 1394, or FireWire port, which was popularized by Apple Mac computers. Normally used to connect digital camcorders and external storage to PCs, FireWire can also be used for networking purposes. Standard FireWire offers up to 400mbps of bandwidth, which makes it an excellent networking candidate. Even better, a newer version of FireWire, dubbed GigaWire, or Firewire 800, offers much faster 800mbps speeds.
Using Hubs and Switches
Wired Ethernet cabling forms the basis of most home networks; though many people also add other networking types; especially wireless, to the mix at some point.
As I said, its possible to use a special crossover cable to connect two PCs via Ethernet. However, this type of connection does not allow room for your network to grow. It isnt very flexible or reliable. Its more typical to place a special piece of networking hardware, typically a hub or switch, at the center of your network. These devices connect two or more PCs and physically form your network. You need one Ethernet
cable running between the hub or switch and each network adapter (typically one per PC). For example, if you want to connect three PCs to the network, you need three Ethernet cables.
Both hubs and switches are plug and play and play when used with modern operating systems such as Windows XP. Simply make the physical connections and allow XP to use its default networking configurations, and your network will be up and running. The two main reasons to create such a network are to share an Internet connection and to share local resources such as files and printers. (Sorry, that will be in my next guide)
Hubs and switches offer a range of Ethernet ports. Typically, they use four, five, or eight ports, but other sizes are available, and you can expand your network at anytime by adding another hub or switch and connecting them.
Working with Hubs
Hubs have historically been much cheaper than switches, but they lack one crucial feature. Instead of providing each PC with the maximum bandwidth afforded by Ethernet, hubs share that bandwidth among all the PCs on the network. This can result in much slower speeds. Today, hubs are becoming more hard to find.
Using Switches
Switches are basically more advanced hubs. They offer the full Ethernet bandwidth (typically 100 or 1000mbps) to each connection, making them more desirable than hubs. And because switch prices have dropped dramatically, theres no compelling reason to choose a hub over a switch. Note: switches are sometimes marketed as routers or home networking routers. These devices often include an integrated wireless access point, or the capability to add one later.
Residential Gateways and Routers
With more people signing up for broadband Internet access such as a cable modem or Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), the market for hardware devices that connect to these connections and create home networks has literally exploded. Such devices are typically called residential gateways or residential routers. They are designed to interface a home network with the outside world of the internet. They offer an outbound Ethernet connection for the broadband connection, several Ethernet ports for your home network, and more often than not, an integrated wireless access point for wireless connections. Theyre like switches with additional functionality.
Connecting a Home Network to an External Network
You can connect a home network to an external network such as the Internet in two ways:
Using a PC as the gateway, your internal home network uses a hub or switch to connect each PC. One PC acts as the internet gateway and thus has two network adapters, one for the Internet network and one for the broadband (or dial-up) connection. Such a network requires a simple switch, router, or hub. I do not recommend this approach for security reasons.
Using a Residential Gateway, your internal home network uses a dedicated residential gateway that acts as both the internet gateway and the internal network hub. This approach is more secure than the one above. Therefore, I recommend that you physically separate your PCs from your broadband connection by placing a residential gateway/router between them.
The next guide will be Sharing an Internet Connection.
Thank you everyone!
Nick Spohnholtz
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Great job covering all the basics!
That should give your readers a better understanding of the core elements of home networking and the internet.
Looking forward to the next one. Keep it up!
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lol..np...
tomorrow!!!!!???..lol...looking forward to reading it
Creating Your Home Network: 1
Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by nickspohn, Sep 17, 2005.
