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Networking: Why should I?
How do I do it?

Do you have two or more computers at home or in your office? These days, many of you will answer yes. For example, in our home and home office, we have seven computers, seven printers, a print server, an external zip drive, an external CD-RW, a scanner and a cable modem. All of these are networked. Why?

First of all, don't let the term networking scare you. A network is not that difficult to install, nor is it very expensive, particularly if you do it yourself which this article and the several that follow will assist you in setting up.

The advantages of having your computers, printers, zip drives, external modems, etc. all 'talking' to one another are huge. With the advent of both cable and DSL 24/7 Internet connectivity, you and your co-workers can share a single Internet connection all at the same time. If one of your printers quits working, you can still print your documents, spreadsheets, email, and etc. to any other printer on the net. You've got 'bet your business' data that you want to back up daily. Only thing is that it would require seven floppy disks. Too bad that zip drive installed in your other computer isn't located in yours. If you were networked, no problem! Are you starting to see why networking has so many advantages? ...And I've just touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all of the opportunities and time-saving tasks that a network offers, be it in your office or at home.

OK, you've convinced me. Now, what do I need, how much is it going to cost and how do I do it?

Apart from all of the devices you want to network, you'll need three basic pieces of equipment:
  1. A network interface card (NIC for short) for each computer.
  2. One (or more) network hub, switch or router.
  3. Network cable.
NIC's cost between $20 and $80 each, depending upon the brand you purchase and where you buy them. If you go with 3Com, expect to pay upwards of $50 or more. On the other hand, one of the so-called 'off brands' that does exactly the same thing usually sells for around $20.

You've got primarily three choices when it comes to the device you use to connect everything together: a hub, switch or router. Your specific wants and needs will dictate which is appropriate for your environment. In fact, you may need more than one or a combination of them and I'll be helping you choose which is the right one for you in our next article.

In a nutshell, here is what each of these enables you to accomplish.

Hub: If more than two devices are to be networked, a hub is the central device into which all networks cables are connected. Hubs typically connect from 4-32 devices and can be "stacked" or "cascaded" together for more capacity.

Switch: Used to segment networks into smaller connected subnets. Networks can easily overload: switching them into separate subnets can enhance performance easily and inexpensively while preserving existing investments.

Router: Link local network to some form of remote network. Used for Internet access, LAN-to-LAN connections of a wide area (intranet), or high speed remote access for a user or a branch office over an ISDN line.

Each of these devices has between 4 and 32 ports. You must have one port for each computer you want to network. Hubs are the least expensive and the least sophisticated. Expect to pay as little as $60 (or even less) for 4-5 port hub. Switches and routers are more expensive. Once again, depending upon brand, number of ports and where you purchase will be the determining price factors. A Netgear 8-port switch sells for around $170 or less, while a 5-port is presently going for about $120. Routers are going for as little as $150.

Finally, you'll need some cable to connect everything together. You can purchase 'pre-made' cables in lengths of 6, 10, 25, 50 and 100 feet. If you need longer lengths or if you'll be passing the cable through walls, floors and ceilings, it will be necessary and/or easier to buy bulk cable, install it and then add a connector to each end. 25' pre-made CAT 5 (the preferred network cable specification) cables sell for around $10; 50' for $15. Bulk CAT 5 cable is available for about 12 cents a foot and the connectors go for 30 cents each or less in bulk.

One important factor to keep in mind when it comes to networking is the distance between a computer and the hub, switch or router. The MAXIMUM is 330 feet. I'll mention this again in forthcoming articles, but I wanted to point it out now just in case you're wondering as you begin thinking about setting up your network.

In addition to purchasing all of the above components separately, you can also buy networking kits that include everything you need: NIC's, a hub, cable and instructions. A two-computer kit that includes a 4-port hub and two 10' cables capable of transmitting data at 100MB/sec. sells for around $100.

You can purchase all of your networking needs from a variety of locations including local computer and electronic supply stores, but your best buys are probably on the Internet. The disadvantage to buying on the Net is the trouble returning the item if it isn't what you need or if it doesn't work properly. Purchasing from a local electronics or computer store may cost more, but you'll have the advantage of getting additional advice and technical support, so my suggestion is go local! Open the phonebook and check out both nearby computer and electronic stores. Call ahead and ask if they have a technician who can answer questions about networking. If they don't, find another place to buy if you think you're going to need more help than I'll be giving you in the next few weeks.

Again, networking is really quite easy and will be even easier with the forthcoming release of Windows Millennium (Windows Me) next month. For a preview of what to expect, click here.

While we're on the subject of networking, here's a brief overview of the two most prevalent network operating configurations. The first is what is known as peer-to-peer which is what Windows 95, 98 and Me use. In this environ- ment, which is very suitable for your home, home-office and small-business office needs, there is no specific server computer. All of the computers work together and aren't dependant upon one another. Any computer in a peer-to-peer environment can be designated as a server.

For example, if you have a zip drive installed in or connected to a specific computer, you can designate that computer as your 'zip-server'. The computer to which your cable or DSL modem is connected can be designated as your Internet server. Perhaps you've got Quicken or Quick Books on three machines, in a multi-user environment, with one of them being the machine on which all of the shared data is being stored. Call it your accounting server. Get the picture?

The other basic configuration is where one or more computers are configured as servers with all of the other computers designated as work-stations. Windows NT and Windows 2000 are examples of operating systems that use this type of configuration. It's more secure, more stable, but it costs a lot more money and is more difficult to administer and learn.

From my perspective, peer-to-peer works just fine for home, home-office and small businesses with up to 15 computers.

Now that you have a pretty good overview of net- working, it's time to begin planning and doing the math when it comes to where and how much. Get a tablet and a pencil and draw a diagram (called a schematic) of your home or office. Take a walk around and make sure you're happy with the present locations of your computers and printers. If you will be purchasing additional equipment soon, where will it go? Consider all the factors including future expansion. Plan accordingly. Put all the present and planned computers, printers, modems, zip, jazz, external devices (modems, scanners, CD-RW, etc.) in your schematic.

Once you're sure everything is where you want it or plan to put it, decide how you will connect them. In other words, are you going to be drilling holes through walls, floors and ceilings or just running your cables along the floor and around corners?

Next you need to decide where to locate your hub, switch and/or router. My suggestion is to locate these devices near to where your cable or DSL modem is or will be located or in the room where the majority of your computers are located. Add it to your schematic and then draw in the lines represent- ing the cables that will connect each computer to the hub or switch. With everything in place, get out the tape measure and measure all the distances between each computer and the hub or switch. Don't forget going up and down walls, up and around door entrances, etc. Add up the total measurements for each connec- tion and then add in an extra few feet to be sure. It's better to have more than you need than to come up short.

That's it for this first networking article. You've got some planning to do and probably a few questions which you can direct to me or a local network technician at your nearby electro- nics or computer store. In our next issue, I'll help you choose the correct hub, switch and/or router for your network and begin giving you some direction about how to setup your network operating system so every- thing is 'talking' together.

We, at Office Helper, appreciate the opportunity to bring you Everything Office. Don't forget to check out this week's great tip on our website.

Thanks!
Rich Poremba


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