computers network home

Nowadays computers unattached to a network are very rare. Setup your own computers network home is very easy and offer you a lot of advantages.

Instead of sharing one computer with 2 or 3 people; why not build a home network allowing everybody to browse the internet at the same time.

First I will introduce you to fundamental networking concepts then show you how to choose the components that are interconnected to form your home network.

Networking concepts

The basic definition of a network is: two or more computers linked together to communicate and share information. There are two types of network: cable networks that link the computers through a cable and wireless networks: are more suitable for computers network home. In a network there are three essentials components: connections, protocols and services

Connections

Connections include the hardware required to hook up a computer on the network.

• The network media: in the case of a wired network the network media is the cable that connects the computers. And in the case of a wireless network the network media is the air that you and I bread.

• Network interface card (NIC): is the hardware that attaches a computer to the network media. NIC can also be wireless

Protocols

Now, suppose two people trying to communicate, one is speaking Japanese and the other English, would they be able to understand each other? I doubt it.
They can not communicate because they don't speake the same language. It’s the same thing for protocols.

Protocols establish the rules on how computers talk to and understand each other. The most widely used networking protocol is : (TCP / IP: Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol).

Services

A service defines what a computer shares with the rest of the network. Computers may share different things such as: (printer, files, Email, internet connection, etc...) Most computers network home share the internet connection.

Components to build your wireless home network

In order to build a home network, some specific components are needed. You will need an Operating system like windows 2000 or XP, network interface cards (NIC), cables if it’s a wired network and an Access point if it is a wireless network.

Operating system

Operating system like windows 2000 or windows XP are more suitable to build a home network because they have built in networking features and components.

Network interface cards (NIC)

Also called LAN adapter, NIC functions as an interface between the computer and the network media.
Most of Today’s computers are sold with a network card already installed. Sometimes the NIC is integrated into the motherboard. But if your computer does not have a NIC you will have to buy one

Buy your network card here

PCMCIA network interface card are used in laptop computer. There three kind of PCMCIA:
• Some cards have an RJ45 connector built into the card
• Some used an extension cable to connect the RJ45 to the network media
• Some are wireless PCMCIA

Access point

Access points are equipments such as bridges or routers that allow interconnectivity between devices on the (LAN: Local Area Network). Wireless access point uses its antennas to communicate with the wireless devices in the LAN. I suggest you to buy your access point and your wireless PCMCIA network card together to avoid hardware compatibility problems.

buy this D-link access point with a PCMCIA network card

How to connect your home network equipments

your DSL modem will go into the RJ45 WAN port

How do the home network works

Conclusion

List of equipments needed to build wireless computers network home
• The access point which acts as a bridge between the wired LAN and the wireless network
• The wireless NIC which allows desktop workstation to connect to the access point
• Wireless PCMCIA cards that allow laptops to connect to the access point.

Everything for computers network home here

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