Networking Your Home




	This page was last edited on: Friday, May 23, 2008 03:41:05 PM

I am going to start off by explaining what a network is. A network is two or more computers linked together so they can communicate. If you are reading this document your are on the world's largest network, the internet. The advantage of a network is that you can share programs, files, and even hardware like printers.

To start off, let me list what is going to be needed to network computers in the easiest and most popular way. You are going to need all of the following items:

1. A Network Card for each computer

2. A HUB (If you are planning on networking a cable modem (for optimum online) you will need a router instead of a HUB, (wherever you see the word HUB replace it with the word ROUTER)

3. RJ45 network lines (standard network lines, looks like a giant phone line; for each computer to the HUB)

4. Any of these Windows Operating Systems: Windows 95/98/2000/ME (If you aren’t using windows you probably don’t need to be reading this anyway)

5. Windows 95/ 98/ 2000/ ME CD (For what ever operating system you have)

It doesn’t cost that much to build the network. If you look on the internet you can find some good deals on all of the hardware you need.

Once you have all of your hardware you can install the network cards, following the direction provided by the manufacturer. When that is done you can decide on a good place to keep the HUB, and then connect the network lines to the network cards (NIC cards), and to the HUB. You have now finished all of the hardware work, all that is left is to configure each PC.

The hardware was easy enough to setup, the software part which is just as easy. Turn your computer on and go to "My Computer "-> "Control Panel" -> "Network". Click on "File and Print Sharing". Next check both boxes, and Click "OK" to that message box. On the top of the network box you will see a tab which says "Identification". Click on that tab and it will show you the current name of your computer, and the workgroup it is in. The workgroup can be changed or left the same, as long as all of the computers match. Now comes the fun part, you get to name the computer ANYTHING you want (As long as each computer has a different name). Once that is done click OK. This will begin installing drivers for the network and will ask for your Windows CD. Once that is done it will ask you to reboot your computer.

Next go into "Network Neighborhood" on your desktop ,and you should see all of the computers you have configured. The software configuration is done, all that is left is for you to put stuff on the network.

Ok, here is how you put something on the network. If you right click on a folder you will now see a sharing… option, click on that. Next click on "Share as". The share name is the name which will show up on the network. You can then select from three options:

1. Read-Only - The person can only use the files in the folder, they can’t change them or delete them.

2. Full - The person will be able to treat the folder as though it is on their computer and do anything they want with the files in the folder.

3. Depends on Password - You can define two passwords if someone puts in one they will have read-only access, if the person puts in the other they will have full access. \

To see the folders you share on the network go into "Network Neighborhood", double click on the computer with the shared folders and you should see every one of the shared folders listed there.

The last thing to discuss is how to share a printer. It is the same as sharing a folder, except you have to install the printer on the computers which will be printing through the network.

Go to a computer which has a printer connected to it. You are going to have to open up your printer folder, to do that go to the "Start" button which is in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen next to "Settings"->"Printers". Right click on the printer and go to "Sharing" again. Click "share as" and then put the name of the printer in on "shared name". Continue this for each printer.

Now you can install the printer on the other computers, over the network. Double click on "Add new printer" -> "Next" then "select network printer" ->"Next" -> "Browse" -> "Entire Network -> (The workgroup you selected) -> (Computer Name which the printer is physically attached to") -> Then the printer. Click on next, then click on "Next" and it should start to print a test print page.

NOTE: The PC has to be on that the printer it is physically attached to.

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