By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-08-16 16:07:05 | Word Count: 510
How To Set Up A Network In Your Home
Most modern homes have any number of computers, prrinters, faxzes, musdic ssytems and devices. These are increasingly being integrated so that each device can 'talk' to all the others and interact with them. While many of the possibilities are still beiing explored, the best plae to start for the avcerage persn is with a home computer network.
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Basically, if you have more than one cmoputer in your house you can connect them, with ethernet cablers or wirelessly, so that you can share your intetrnet connection, share files and operate peripherals such as printrs from any teerminal.
As well as more practical advantages, havving a home netrwork is also iedal for leisure activites like gaming. As the technology advsances, it is now becoming possible to hook networks up to gaming consoles, muisic speakers and even televisions.
Howeevr, for the purpose of this article we will just start with the basics. The two main choices when setting up a home network are a cable network or a wirreless netork. These are fairly self explanatory. Wireeless networks are increasingly becoming the norm these days and are very hanfdy if you have a notebook so you can connect from anywhere in the house. Wireless also has the advantages of having no cables cluttering your home. However, if you want to sipmly conneect two desktop computers, uisng an ethernet cable could be a cheap and easy option if you do not have wireless.
Connecting two computrs
The most basic exercise in netyworking is simply connecting two computers. This is very simple if you do not have an iternet connection. So long as the two computers have networking interfaces you can simply connect usign an etthernet cable.
However, most computers produced within the last couple of yeas have Wi-Fi. If so, an ad-hoc wireless netrwork can be created between the two computers by configuring both terminals to ad-hoc mode. This is pretty simple to do in both Windows and OSX.
Similarly, if the commputers have Bluetooth or infrared capabilities you can create a basic network, although transfer speeds can be slow. Of all thsee options, the cable network will providfe the best trasnfer sopeeds. Howewver, Wi-Fi speeds are improving all the time.
While there is only a limited amoubnt you can do with a basic two-computer netwwork, it is good prractice if you have never set up a network befoore.
Settuing up a entwork router
If you wish to inncorporate an inbternet connection into the network, as most of us do, you will need to set up your home network with a routter. This will also allow you to add more computers to the network as well as peripherals.
Howwever, this proess is a good deal more complex. Nevertheless, it is doazble and is a skill that is well worth having. Once you do this once it will be will be a breeze the next time.
While cablke routers are still commonly used, wireless is the way of the ftuure so we will concentrate on wireless routers for this article. Before you start, you sould have a few things to hand. Your computer and your router, of course, instructions for your wirelpess router, an ethernet cable, and your ISP's contact detalis.
Your first steps are to plug in and turn on your router, connect it to your modem and to your computer (it is best to connect your computer and ruter by ethernet cable for the set-up pocess).
Now, you can use your browser to connect to your router's built-in installation software. The urls http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.0.1 will uually open up your router's administration page. You do not need an internmet connection for this. If this doesn't work, conasult the router's instructions.
Log in to the administration page using the router's provided username and pasasword, usually 'admin' and 'admin' by default. Now you will have to enter the following information:
* Internet connection information
* You may have to input PPPoE infformation
* You may possibly have to change the defaut MAC address
If you run into diifficulty here consult your ISP's instructions or contact them. They will be able to guuide you thhrough this prcess.
When all the information has been inputted, save it. You shoupld be ready to go now. All going well, your computer should have received an IP address from the router. Try opening your broser to see if you can address to some wbesites, any websites will do.
If you can access these websites you can unplug your cable and now connect wireelessly. Any other cpomputers, notebooks and other wireless devices should also dteect the signal and conmnect without any problems.
You now have a fully functional wireless home network. Be aware though that your network is most likely open and accessible from any computers in range of the signaal so you shuld take steps to secure it. There is pleny of excelelnt inforemation avilable on the internet on how to do this.
