Your first step to planning a network is to take inventory of the equipment and software already in your home. You want to make use of all available resources. Computers, printers, a scanner or camera—any and all of these may be put to use in your network.
Perhaps, for example, you use your computer to keep your checkbook and to surf the Internet. Your son also has a computer he uses for homework and games. Your spouse uses a notebook computer primarily for work and must often bring it home to complete daily work. Any of these computers, with minor alterations, can probably work on a network. After networking the computers, everyone can print to one printer; check on the homework, surf the Internet, and more. You also want to be reasonable in your expectations of these resources. If one of your computers is old and operates slowly, placing it on a network isn’t going to make the computer better. It might even slow the network down. You can always check to see if you can upgrade a computer’s memory, processor speed, or operating system; but compare the cost of an upgrade against the cost of a new computer before making any decisions.
Begin your inventory with a list of your computers. For each computer, write down the following.
You can always check your original invoice for the computer to find out the information for each item.
✦ Processor and memory
✦ Hard drive space
✦ Operating system (Windows 98, Windows XP, Mac OS 9, Linux, and so on)
✦ Attached hardware (CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD, Zip drive, network card, modem, and such)
✦ External hardware and peripherals (camera, printer, scanner, and so on)
After your inventory, consider whether you need to replace or upgrade any of your hardware. If, for example, a computer has an operating system below Windows 95, such as DOS or Windows 3.11, consider purchasing a new computer. If the computer uses Windows 95, find out what it takes to upgrade the computer or replace it. Once you have your computers and other hardware in order, you’re ready to consider the network.
Looking at resources to share.
You can share printers, CD and DVD drives, flash cards, modems, some applications, and more on a network. You can also add resources as you build your network. Using a network to share resources offers many advantages and a few disadvantages that you’ll want to consider before you build your network together.
Perhaps, for example, you use your computer to keep your checkbook and to surf the Internet. Your son also has a computer he uses for homework and games. Your spouse uses a notebook computer primarily for work and must often bring it home to complete daily work. Any of these computers, with minor alterations, can probably work on a network. After networking the computers, everyone can print to one printer; check on the homework, surf the Internet, and more. You also want to be reasonable in your expectations of these resources. If one of your computers is old and operates slowly, placing it on a network isn’t going to make the computer better. It might even slow the network down. You can always check to see if you can upgrade a computer’s memory, processor speed, or operating system; but compare the cost of an upgrade against the cost of a new computer before making any decisions.
Begin your inventory with a list of your computers. For each computer, write down the following.
You can always check your original invoice for the computer to find out the information for each item.
✦ Processor and memory
✦ Hard drive space
✦ Operating system (Windows 98, Windows XP, Mac OS 9, Linux, and so on)
✦ Attached hardware (CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD, Zip drive, network card, modem, and such)
✦ External hardware and peripherals (camera, printer, scanner, and so on)
After your inventory, consider whether you need to replace or upgrade any of your hardware. If, for example, a computer has an operating system below Windows 95, such as DOS or Windows 3.11, consider purchasing a new computer. If the computer uses Windows 95, find out what it takes to upgrade the computer or replace it. Once you have your computers and other hardware in order, you’re ready to consider the network.
Looking at resources to share.
You can share printers, CD and DVD drives, flash cards, modems, some applications, and more on a network. You can also add resources as you build your network. Using a network to share resources offers many advantages and a few disadvantages that you’ll want to consider before you build your network together.
Sharing a printer, for example, means you need only one printer for three or four computers. However, if everyone prints often, they may have to stand around waiting for their print jobs. Sharing a hard drive with other family members means all of those free gigabytes of space may fill more quickly than originally planned, but everyone has backups of their data. With your inventory in hand, discuss with your family the pros and cons of sharing one printer, one large hard drive, one modem, or any of the other available resources. Then, consider which resources you want to share and which resources may need to be purchased. As previously mentioned you can add resources as you build your network and as you see a need for them.
Listing steps for a workgroup network.
A workgroup or peer-to-peer network is one in which all computers on the network can pool their resources together. Each individual computer usually retains its control over files, folders, and applications; however, every computer on the network can use another’s printer, scanner, CD drive, and so on. Workgroup networks contain a small number of computers. Workgroups can be made up of 2, 5, or even 10 computers.
It is important to note that the more computers in the workgroup, the slower the network may run.Peer-to-peer is the actual name for a network in which all users share all resources, as previously described. Microsoft Windows calls peer-to-peer workgroup, so if you’re used to Windows, you’ll recognize that term. Peer-to-peer and workgroup mean the same thing. In this book, I mostly use the term workgroup, however.
If you choose to use a workgroup network, you should perform the following steps. Many steps are optional, depending on your networking choices, whether or not you want Internet access, and so on.
1. Learn the advantages and disadvantages of networking and decide exactly what it is that you want from your network.
2. Consider some guidelines about the network that you will present to your family.
3. Define your networking goals: budget, computer placement, computer contents, applications issues, and so on.
4. Decide what speed the network will be, considering your family needs and equipment limitations.
5. Choose the network topology and technology.
6. Choose cabling: traditional, wireless, power, or phone lines.
7. Buy the networking hardware. Depending on the choices you make, you could purchase a kit containing everything you need, or you may purchase individual pieces of hardware and cabling.
8. Install network cards.
9. Install networking hardware: cabling, hubs, or other hardware as needed.
10. Configure the networking software—protocol, clients, services, and adapters—on each computer.
11. Attach any non-Windows computer or portables to the network.
12. Set shares in each computer. Test the shares.
13. Access the network, test IDs, passwords, and so on.
14. Learn to find other computers on the network.
15. Set up printers and test connections.
16. Set up Internet access, if you want.
17. Set up e-mail, if you want.
18. Create an intranet, if you want.
19. Install and configure applications.
20. Work with files and folders.
21. Understand how to manage the network.
22. Add other elements to the network, such as multimedia equipment or chat applications.
Listing steps for a workgroup network.
A workgroup or peer-to-peer network is one in which all computers on the network can pool their resources together. Each individual computer usually retains its control over files, folders, and applications; however, every computer on the network can use another’s printer, scanner, CD drive, and so on. Workgroup networks contain a small number of computers. Workgroups can be made up of 2, 5, or even 10 computers.
It is important to note that the more computers in the workgroup, the slower the network may run.Peer-to-peer is the actual name for a network in which all users share all resources, as previously described. Microsoft Windows calls peer-to-peer workgroup, so if you’re used to Windows, you’ll recognize that term. Peer-to-peer and workgroup mean the same thing. In this book, I mostly use the term workgroup, however.
If you choose to use a workgroup network, you should perform the following steps. Many steps are optional, depending on your networking choices, whether or not you want Internet access, and so on.
1. Learn the advantages and disadvantages of networking and decide exactly what it is that you want from your network.
2. Consider some guidelines about the network that you will present to your family.
3. Define your networking goals: budget, computer placement, computer contents, applications issues, and so on.
4. Decide what speed the network will be, considering your family needs and equipment limitations.
5. Choose the network topology and technology.
6. Choose cabling: traditional, wireless, power, or phone lines.
7. Buy the networking hardware. Depending on the choices you make, you could purchase a kit containing everything you need, or you may purchase individual pieces of hardware and cabling.
8. Install network cards.
9. Install networking hardware: cabling, hubs, or other hardware as needed.
10. Configure the networking software—protocol, clients, services, and adapters—on each computer.
11. Attach any non-Windows computer or portables to the network.
12. Set shares in each computer. Test the shares.
13. Access the network, test IDs, passwords, and so on.
14. Learn to find other computers on the network.
15. Set up printers and test connections.
16. Set up Internet access, if you want.
17. Set up e-mail, if you want.
18. Create an intranet, if you want.
19. Install and configure applications.
20. Work with files and folders.
21. Understand how to manage the network.
22. Add other elements to the network, such as multimedia equipment or chat applications.
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