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Set Up a Home Network, Part 1

by Greg ChapmanProtected by Copyscape. Do not copy.

Sharing was once something you did with everything, just like Mom told you to. Even if you hated your little brother, she still made you share your toys with him. Later you learned there were some things that are never appropriate to share: disease, debt, and some opinions. Those rules are still true, but to the greater extent, sharing computer resources is a good thing. And what better way to share than to network!!

This four-part series of articles gives you the basic information (and sometimes a little more) you need to get started with networking at home. While you may spend a little money getting the network going at the beginning, you'll realize a savings in time and money in no time at all. With a network, you no longer need to worry about how you'll move a file from one to machine to another. You don't have to worry about whether it fits on a floppy (this kind of file sharing is often referred to as `sneakernet'). And you won't even have to have a printer hooked to each computer anymore.

To get started, think about what you need to build a simple network between two computers. The parts required are:

  1. Network hub;
  2. Category 5 network cables (you need one for each computer);
  3. Network adapters (commonly called NICs, and again, one for each computer).

Now, if you have done any studying about home networking at all, you're probably wondering why I haven't prescribed parts for a wireless LAN, `phonenet' or an AC (uses existing house wiring) network. The answer is simple; these technologies are still fairly new, not too reliable, slow and definitely not for the beginner when there are problems. Added to the fact that the standard physical network architecture is currently based on the parts list above and is still pretty affordable, it just makes more sense to proceed with the same ideas and techniques that most of the world's networks rely on.

Most how to articles for home networking leave the network hub out of the picture as it's not necessary for a network that has only two computers using a crossover cable. But sometime next year, you might have yet another computer at home. Rather than retire your old computer, you'll give it to the kids, and they'll want to have a printer or to be able to play network games. A network without a hub means that you'll be buying them their own printer, and the network games will be out of the question. Get the hub now and use it. Your life will be much easier, and the kids will be much quieter.

I won't specify a particular brand for your network hardware, as there are many different opinions on what brand to buy. Me? I'm cheap so I look for price tags first. It's not like we're building the network for Microsoft…nor can we afford to. Instead of looking for brand, I recommend looking for kits from which you can build your network.

When looking at home networking kits, I like to live simply so PCI devices are `Da Bomb!' That means you'll be looking for a kit containing 10/100 NICs (network adapters), a 10/100 hub and Category 5, 10/100 ethernet cables. Not only will you be getting the fastest standard networking features available but you'll also be getting the ease of Plug `n' Play that comes with PCI devices.

For example, Linksys (www.linksys.com) offers this kit:

Model No.: FENSK05 Package Contents:

  • 2 EtherFast 10/100 LAN Cards with Wake-On-LAN Capabilities
  • 2 Wake-On-LAN Wires
  • EtherFast 10BaseT/100BaseTX Dual-Speed 5-Port Hub
  • Hub AC Power Adapter
  • 2 Category 5 Network Cables (15' each)
  • Internet LanBridge software package from Virtual Motion
  • Program Disks
  • User Guide and Registration Card

Hey!! That's a nice kit. What's it cost? A quick search at several online computer stores shows this kit is available for about $100.00. This is paying off already because even the cheapest printers cost about the same amount of money. We'll fix those pesky kids and stop using the `sneakernet' at the same time!

Once you have the kit in your hot little hands, you're going to be itching to install the pieces and make all the connections. That's a good plan with only one tiny exception. After you open the box, put down that screwdriver and read the documentation! I can't stress this point strongly enough. Networks can be simple, but if you fail to read the documentation, you'll probably miss one vital piece of information or another early on. This does not lead to an enjoyable networking experience. Hours of network game playing can be lost to not reading the installation documentation. Hair falls in clumps from your head, ulcers form, your pants get too small, and you become frustrated. As Ms. Stewart might say, "That's not a good thing!"

Follow the instructions for installing your new NICs carefully. Once you've completed the installation process and have the cards working using the manufacturer's setup and diagnostic program, come back to this series of articles. In fact, print them out ahead of time. You're going to want them when it's time to install network protocols, clients, and services.

Okay, go install your NICs, connect the cables to the hub, and come back!

Got Those Cards Installed?

Good! When you restarted your computer, Windows probably went nuts upon discovering the new hardware (your NICs), asked for the driver disk, and loaded a bunch of things from the Windows installation disks. That's okay, but you may need to do a little cleaning up at this point.

First you have to make sure you're ready to build this network correctly. First, right-click My Computer and choose Properties from the menu. Click the Device Manager tab and see if you've got an entry for Network Adapters. Make sure the listed network adapter doesn't have a red X or an exclamation point next to it. If it does, refer back to your network kit documentation to see how to resolve any conflicts. Otherwise, click Cancel and we'll move on.

Okay, that was a little fun with hardware. Next time, I'll tell you how to set up the software so your network works the way you want (not the way Windows thinks you want).

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