Network Your Computers

It may sound really difficult, but creating a local area network (LAN) is a simple and convenient way of linking two or more computers together in your home or small office. There are many benefits to having a LAN. With your network, you can share a broadband Internet connection, exchange files, and share a single printer between multiple computers.

Networking equipment

  

   The first tool you will need to build your LAN is a router. However, before you invest iAn any equipment, decide in advance whether you want a wireless or wired LAN. Overall, a wireless network is easier to install, but there is the risk that unauthorized users may intercept your wireless transmissions or gain access to your files. A wired network requires that you run Ethernet cable through the attic or walls of your home or office. However, it offers greater security.

   Both wireless and wired LANs require an Ethernet network interface card (NIC) to be installed on the primary computer. The primary computer should be the one that's connected to the Internet with cables. You must install a wireless access point on each of the other computers on your wireless LAN. However, to connect your wired Ethernet network, you must run a line of Ethernet cable from your router to the NIC on each computer you'd like to add. This can be difficult if you have computers throughout your house.

            

Sharing an internet connection

  

    If you have a broadband Internet connection, you can share it among multiple computers. The following steps are very common, but you'll want to make sure to follow your manufacturer's instructions:

• Disconnect your broadband modem from the Ethernet NIC on your primary computer and turn it off.
• Ensure that your router is disconnected from the power.
• Attach one of the Ethernet ports from your network router to the computer's Ethernet card.
• Then connect the "Internet" port to the port on your DSL modem.
• Power on your modem and wait two minutes.
• Reconnect your router to the power source and test your Internet connection. You may need to program your modem and router with your Internet log-in information to get them working properly.
• Once your equipment is properly installed and your Internet connection is active, turn on all your computers, modems and printers to continue with software setup.

Set up a network in Windows XP*

• Log into the primary computer on your LAN as an administrator.
• Click Start> Control Panel> Network and Internet Connections> Network Connections.
• Click Set up a small or home office network in the left pane. Tell the wizard to ignore any disconnected hardware on your computer.
• Click the box next to This computer connects directly to the Internet.
• Select your Internet connection, then name your computer. Name your network WORKGROUP if you will have Vista computers on your LAN. Decide whether you would like file and printer sharing to be on or off. If you are running Windows XP or Vista on your other computers, click Just finish the wizard. However, if your other computers are running an older Windows operating system, click Create a Network Setup Disk.
• Run the Network Setup Wizard on every computer on your network that's running Windows XP.
• Run the Set up a wireless router or access point on every computer on your wireless LAN that is running Windows Vista.
• Ensure that the network name is the same on all computers.

Set up a network in Windows Vista*

Windows Vista will configure your network automatically if it's wired. If its wireless:

• Click Start> Control Panel> Network and Internet> Network and Sharing Center.
• Select Set up a connection or network and click Set up a wireless router or access point.
• To add a Windows Vista computer to your wireless LAN, click Start> Connect on the computer you wish to add. Select your wireless LAN and click "Add".
• To add a Windows XP computer to the network, click Start and right-click My Computer.
• Select Properties. Select the Computer Name tab and click Change.
• Change the workgroup name to WORKGROUP and restart the computer.
• Once the computer reboots, click Start> Control Panel> Network and Internet Connections> Network Connections.
• Under Network Tasks, click View Available Wireless Networks.
• Select your LAN from the list and select Connect. As in XP, your network name must be the same on all computers.

Set up a network in Mac OS X*

To set up your wired Ethernet network in Mac OS X:

• Click System Preferences and select the Network icon.
• Select Automatic as the location and Built-in Ethernet. Click Advanced. Select DHCP and click Renew DHCP Lease. Click Apply.

To set up a wireless LAN:

• Go to the Applications folder.
• Click the Utilities folder.
• Double-click the AirPort application in the list. Ensure that the AirPort Base Station is selected and click Continue.
• Give your wireless network a name.
• Enter a secure password in the next window and make a note of it for future reference.
• Click I don't have a wireless network and I want to create one.
• Select a security protocol for connecting to the wireless network. The safest and most secure is WPA or WPA2.
• Select whether your computer is connected directly to a wireless router or to a broadband modem.
• Then select how your computer connects to your broadband Internet connection.
• Click Update.
• Run AirPort on the other computers you would like to put on you wireless LAN.
• Select your network in the pop-up window to connect.