CYBER NOTES October, 2005 by Dave Benore
A Little About Computer Networks
If you have two or more computers, they can be networked—in business or in your home. What is networking and why would one want to do that in his home?
Networking computers simply means tying two or more of them together in some way that allows them to “talk” to each other. Why would one want to do that? There are several reasons.
1. Networked computers can share an Internet connection—even simultaneously—so you only have to pay for one connection for multiple computers.
2. Networked computers can share a printer so each computer does not need its own.
3. Networked computers can share files with other computers on the network. This means that one can work on a desktop and later take a laptop out on the patio and do more work on the same file. Neat?
4. One computer can easily serve as a backup for files on another computer. (Remember, hard drives can go bad without warning so having your files backed up on another drive or media can be very important.)
The two most commonly used ways to network computers in a home is by; 1) Ethernet using “twisted pair” wiring, and 2) wireless, using radio wave. Neither is very expensive. Two computers can be networked for under $120 in materials. Two more can be added to the network for less than $30 in materials, each.
Ethernet systems use wire between computers. The wiring can be in a wall or even along the floor. Ethernet systems are the fastest available and perfectly secure against “snooping” by outsiders.
Wireless systems, often called Wi-Fi, are the most convenient to set up because there is no wiring. However, they are not as reliable because the radio transmitters can go bad. They are not as secure either, although methods do exist to provide security against “snooping” by outsiders. These methods involve encrypting the radio transmissions between computers. Some methods are better than others so several methods of security protection may be used at the same time.
If you may be interested in networking for your home, consult an expert before buying anything. There is a lot to learn in this field. If you are well versed in computer technology you can set one up yourself but you will have to “read the manuals” first. Good Luck!
