If you are like most people the number of digital devices around your home and your life is growing. Get a handle on it all urbanize and modernize your home by connecting all of it together with a simple home network.
With a few strategically placed whiz bang gadgets you will be able to
- Share a single internet connection with multiple computers, all on at the same time.
- Share a single printer
- Access a centralized collection of all your files, including digital pictures, MP3 or video files, and all of your documents and applications.
- Play games that allow multiple players, on your network or from out on the Internet.
In short, a home network can give everyone in the family instant access to information, entertainment, email, and online activities- all at the same time. Right now, sharing a high speed internet connection is the best reason to set up your own home network, whether you have a cable modem or DSL connection. Especially if you have a busy household, with a bunch of computers and users, it is a no brainer to want everyone to be able to use that superfast connection at any time.
Although, your kids would probably argue that gaming is a better reason to set up your home network. Game consoles like the xbox, PlaySTation2, and Nintendo GameCube are all network connectable. Play games basically against anyone, anywhere, when your game system is connected to the Internet through your basic network.
A home network is simply a collection of computers, printers, game consoles, or scanners, hooked together by a few select connection devices. Wiring is either through the existing wires in your house power lines or phone lines, designated cabling installed specifically for networking or by radio waves that share data tirelessly.
The only major question you will have to answer before putting together your home network is what type of platform is best for your needs. Which platform you choose will depend on exactly what your needs are. If what you want to accomplish is relatively simple like basic internet connection sharing, printing or file sharing- and if speedy data rates are not of the highest concern, wireless networking gear is probably the hottest thing going. Wireless gear today is based on what is called WiFi technology, called 802.11 that makes it all work. The latest, fastest version of WiFi sends data through the air at a rate of 54 Mbps a speed fast enough for most internet browsing and email.
Other available gear works by tapping in to your homes phone line or power line network, wither plugging into electrical outlets or phone jacks to connect up all the computers around your house. These platforms work well too, but they lack the simple convenience of wireless.
The fastest, burliest, home networks use a web of beefy data cables buried within your homes walls and need to be specially planned and installed. These Ethernet networks require years and yards of computer cabling as well as a complex knowledge of computers, networking , and configuration. For the average person, Ethernet is not really a do it yourself option. But if you were building a new house you would be best to hire a specialized contractor to build this type of structured wiring and networking capability into your new home.
For the do it yourselves, all you will need to get started is do is trek down to your local electronic store and buy what is called a router= the heart of your simple home network. A router does exactly what its name implies it routes signals and data to all the computers and devices on your network. To day, for under $100.00 you can buy a fully functioning router with a secure firewall built in and all of the switching capability you will ever need, all in one small box. Computers along your network connect to this little box with a wirelesscard or with a network cable and it in turn is hooked up to your cable or DSL modem.
The routers you buy at your local store will come with a home networking software kit, which makes installation and configuration relatively idiot proof. You will just load up a CD and walk through the setup via simple installation wizards. Leading gear makers like Linksys Netgear, Dell and HP all provide products where simple installation comes standard.
Get your digital home connected today- the technology is a snap!
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