Home Networking Home
Once there was a time when the nerd, the techie or the person fascinated by and skilled in using computers was far ahead in everything digital. But the average person keeps catching up. And even in the area of home networking, ordinary computer users are becoming more adept.
Once most homes only had one computer if that. Now there are millions of homes with multiple computers. But until home networking came along, those computers in the same premises were simply individual units. Now they can be networked, they can be hooked up and they can talk to one another as well as to the world.
Why have a home network?
There are many reasons but saving money and being practical spring to mind. By linking the computers in your home, you are able to share files. Just think about student A working on an assignment and wanting some help from Parent A. Rather than drag the parent to the student’s computer or printing the assignment and handing it to the parent, the files can simply be exchanged between computers via the home network. Too easy.
The same goes for games, music and videos. Any and all of these can be sent from one computer to another within the household. And of course with many computers, you don’t need many internet connections with just the one servicing all machines. Then the home network aids use of other devices such as printers and scanners. One network saves time and money and makes tasks online so much quicker and easier.
Essential equipment
Now just having multiple computers is obviously required but to make them work together, to form a home network you need two other items.
- A router
- Appropriate software
You can use of the two most popular systems which are [a] a wireless network or [b] an Ethernet network and the router works with either set-up. The router directs the traffic around your network. And just because you are a home network where you know all the other users, you still need protection from Internet nasties. Most routers have a firewall protection system or you can add it from one of the several software security packages.
How does it look?
If you have an Ethernet network you will need to connect the various computers by cable. Modern houses are built with digital equipment built into the walls but if that’s not the case where you live, remember you will need cables going from room to room. How will that look? That’s where the wireless option might look better. Not as fast perhaps but easier on the eye.
And once everything is connected, all that remains is for you to configure your computers. This means enabling them to talk to each other. There are user manuals and web sites to explain this or you could get a ‘nerdy’ friend to give you a hand. But once your home network is up and running, every computer in your home will be in sync and remember, the family that networks together, stays together.