home networking basics

7/29/2019 Home Networking Basics

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Topics coveredWhat is Home Networking?

The reasons for setting up a Home Network.

Types of Home Networks and choosing yourtechnology.

Buying and installing the hardware.

Configure the system and get the hardwaretalking to each other.


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Home Networking

Share a single printer between computers.Share a single Internet connection with all the

computers in your house.Access shared files on any computer in your

house (Pictures, MP3s, Documents & Data).Play games that allow multiple users at

different computers.Send the output of a device such as a DVD

player or Webcam to your other computer(s)

The technology that connects computers and

other electronic devices that allow you to:


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Types of Home

NetworkingSneaker Net The use of Diskettes, CD-

R/CD-RW and USB thumb drives.

Inexpensive, but inconvenient especially whenthe computers are not on the same floor.

Link computers through the phone lines.

Link computers through the power lines.

Link computers wirelessly by WIFI.

Link computers through wires by Ethernet


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HomePNA networking


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HomePNA 2.0 or

Phone Line Networking

HPNA, PhoneLine or HomePNA networkingoperate over the existing copper telephone wires inyour home without interfering with voice or DSLcommunications.

Typical speeds of10Mbps can be achieved.HomePNA 3.0 will push the speed up to 100Mbpswhen it is released.


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Networking


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Networking

Based on the concept of "no new wires.

Convenient. There will always be an electrical outletnear a computer. Not every room has a phone jack.

Computers connect to one another through any poweroutlet in the building.

Cheapest method of connecting computers in differentrooms, because it requires no new wiring, and thenetwork adds no cost to your electric bill.


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WiFi Networking


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WiFi is the wireless way to handle networking.It is also known as 802.11 networking, or

wireless networking.The big advantage of WiFi is its simplicity:

you connect computers anywhere in your home or

office without wires.The computers connect to the network using radiosignals, and can be up to 100 feet apart.

WiFi NetworkingWiFi Networking


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The radios used in WiFi are similar to the radiosused in $5 walkie-talkies, with the ability to

transmit and receive.

They convert the digital 1s and 0s into radio wavesand back into 1s and 0s.



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There are currently three different WiFi systems:

The 802.11b and 802.11g standards transmit at

2.4 GHz, while the 802.11a standard transmits at5 GHz. The higher frequency allows higher datarates.



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There are two coding techniques:

The 802.11a and 802.11g, known as orthogonalfrequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), provide higher

data rates

The 802.11b, which is called Complementary CodeKeying (CCK).



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WiFi has the ability to change frequencies:

802.11b cards transmit directly on any of three bands.

The 802.11a and 802.11g split the available radiobandwidth into dozens of channels and frequency hoprapidly between them.

The advantage of frequency hopping is that it is much

more immune to interference and allows dozens ofWiFi cards to talk simultaneously without interferingwith each other.



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802.11b can handle up to 11 megabits per second,although 7 megabits per second is more typical, andmay fall back as low as 1 or 2 megabits per second ifthere is a lot of interference.

802.11a and 802.11g can handle up to 54 megabitsper second, although 30 megabits per second is moretypical.



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EthernetNetworking


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Ethernet is the most common networking system.

The equipment needed for an Ethernet-based networkcan be as simple as two network interface cards (NIC)and a cable, or as complex as multiple routers, bridgesand hubs.

It is this versatility that makes it so useful to businesses.We will focus on the basics for creating a home network

using this method.

For this demonstration, a typical four-port Router with aWAN (wide area network) for a Cable or DSL modem will

be used.

EthernetEthernet NetworkingNetworking


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Ethernet has many advantages:

Fastest home-networking technology (100 Mbps). Can be inexpensive if the computers are close to one

another. Extremely reliable. Easy to maintain after it is set up. Virtually unlimited number of devices that can be

connected. A great dealof technical support available.



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Disadvantages:

If you have more than two computers, you'll needadditional equipment.

Can be expensive if wiring and jacks need to beinstalled.

Set-up and configuration can be difficult.

Technical jargon and the number of options can beconfusing.



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Ethernet is available in two speeds:

10 Mbps and 100 Mbps.

Most NICs are capable of operating at either speed, butyou should check to be sure before purchasing.

Get cards capable of the 100 Mbps data rate.

You will need a NIC card for each computer.

EthernetEthernet NetworkingNetworkingBuying and installing the hardware.Buying and installing the hardware.


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There are two different ways to connect Ethernet

cards:

Coaxand Cat 5cabling.Coax was once the more popular of the two, but today justabout everyone uses Cat 5 because it is easier toconfigure.

Cat 5 has a cable that looks a lot like a telephone cable.You run one cable from the router to each computer.



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The hub or routertakes the signal

from each computerand sends it to all ofthe other computersand devices in your

home.



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Follow the manufacturers installation guide for eachof the NIC cards and the Router

Because of the large number of possibleconfigurations in an Ethernet network, you likely willnot have any type of automated installation software.

This means that you may have to manually configureall the options.

If you have problems, the best source of informationis probably the manufacturer of your NIC cards.



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EthernetNetworkingConfiguring the systemEasy Networking

There are several "home-networking kits" available,and they often include an installation CD that makesconfiguration very easy.

Windows XP comes with a "Network Setup Wizard" thathelps with network configuration.

There are also contractors who will set up a network inyour home for a fee.

The software or contractor will take you through each stepof naming the computer, sharing files, sharing printers and

sharing an Internet connection.


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However, if you have problems, or if your kit does not includea configuration program, you'll need to know how to set yournetwork up manually.

You also need to understand a manual setup if you plan todo-it-yourself.

To assist you with setting up your network, we'll discuss thefollowing tasks:

Naming the PC Sharing files

Sharing printers

Security

Sharin an Internet connection

EthernetNetworkingConfiguring the systemEasy Networking


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EthernetNetworkingConfiguring the systemNaming the PC

Once you have the hardware installed, you are ready toconfigure your network.

The first configuration step is naming the PCs in thenetwork. Before your computer can become part of anetwork, it has to have a name and a workgroup.

Each computer in your home network needs to have adifferent name, and they all need to be in the same

workgroup.


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Here's how you can name your PC and create a workgroup:1. In Windows XP, click the Start button (bottom left hand corner)

and select the Control Panel.

2. If not already in the "Classic view", select the Classic view option(upper left corner of the window - you can switch between theclassic view and the category view).

3. Click on the "System" icon.

4. Select the "Computer Name" tab.5. You will see that the computer has a "Full Computer Name" and

a "Workgroup". Click the "Change" button to change them.6. In the first box, enter the name you wish to give the computer.

You can name it anything, but each computer in your home musthave a its own unique name.

7. In the second box, enter the name you plan to use for theworkgroup -- make sure all of the computers have the sameworkgroup name. You may want to write it down to make sure

that you enter the exact same workgroup name on eachcomputer in your home network

Ethernet Networking


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1. In Windows 98/ME, move the mousepointer over the Network Neighbourhood

icon on the desktop and click the rightmouse button once.

2. Select Properties from the menu. TheNetwork Properties window will pop up,

listing information about the networkadapter(s) and protocols installed on thatcomputer.

Easy Networking


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Easy Networking

Naming the PCWindows 98/ME

3. When the windowopens, click the

Identification tab. Youwill see three boxes.

4. In the first box, enterthe name you wish to

give the computer. Youcan name it anything,but each computer inyour home must have

a its own unique name.

Easy Networking


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Easy Networking

Naming the PCWindows 98/ME

In the second box, enterthe name you plan touse for the workgroup-- make sure all of thecomputers have thesame workgroupname. You may want

to write it down tomake sure that youenter the exact sameworkgroup name on

each computer in yournetwork.


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File Sharing

Windows XPMicrosoft recognized the growing popularity of homenetworks and first implemented Internet Connection Sharing(ICS) in Windows 98. This feature (much improved) is also

available in Windows XP.

ICS lets you connect one computer to the Internet bywhatever means (modem, DSL, ISDN or cable) and share

that connection with any other Windows 98/ME computer onthe network. Though simple in theory, the first implementationof ICS proved problematic for many users. Windows 98 v.2improved ICS, and Windows XP makes it even simpler.


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File Sharing

Windows XP1. In Windows XP, click the Start button (bottom left hand corner)and select the Control Panel.

2. If not already in the "Classic view", select the Classic view option(upper left corner of the window - you can switch between theclassic view and the category view).

3. Click on the "Network Connections" icon.4. Right click on the icon under the "LAN or High Speed Networking"

option. Select Properties from the menu that appears.5. You will see that the computer has a "Full Computer Name" and a

"Workgroup". Click the "Change" button to change them.

6. Select the "Advanced" tab.7. Click on the "Allow other network users to connect..." option.8. Follow the directions in the dialog that appears.


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1. Go to the Control Panel and double-click Add/Remove Programs.

2. Select the Windows Setup tab and open the Internet Tools option.

3. Enable the Internet Connection Sharing component by clicking on the

box next to it and then clicking on OK.

4. Once the ICS components are installed, the ICS wizard will pop up.

Follow the prompts and keep clicking Next. If your Internet connection

is not already configured on this computer, the wizard will open the

Internet Connection Wizard (don't get these two wizards confused!) sothat you can set up an Internet connection. Simply follow the prompts.

When you're done, you'll be returned to the ICS wizard.

5. The ICS wizard will gather some information and prompt you to insert a

3.5-inch diskette. This diskette will then be used to configure the other

Windows 98/ME computers on your network for Internet access.

By default, the ICS componentsare not installed on yourcomputer. You only run ICS on thecomputer that is actuallyconnected to the Internet:

File SharingFile Sharing

Windows 98Windows 98


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While file and printer sharing are still relatively easy oneither operating system, Internet-connection sharingusing only software can be a good deal trickier.

In most cases, if you are sharing a high-speedconnection with several computers in your home (andespecially if you are doing it wirelessly) it is easier topurchase a wireless hub/router and let it do theconnection sharing for you. Lynksys' or Netgear'swireless hubs/routers are inexpensive, very easy to setup and also have the added benefit of providing ahardware firewall to protect your network.

File SharingFile SharingWindows 98Windows 98