Since Microsoft released Windows for Workgroups, networking has become quite easy and very commonplace for most home computer users. Everything that is needed to set up a home network is built right into the computer’s operating system which was installed in the machine. All you have to do is turn it on and set it up. If you happen to have Windows 95/98 setting up a network is a snap!
A home network is, simply put, a made up of set of hardware and also a set of software that will allow computers to communicate with each other. A home network enable File sharing or using the same printer or other input and outputs instead of buying one for each available computer.
A home network functions in almost the exact same way as that used by a private businesses when a LAN or Local Area Network is created. Designations, or IP addresses, as well as some that are catchy phrases that humans will remember are called host names and they know who everyone is as well as where everything is. Let’s say that 10.1.1.5 or Computer Jack sends a file to 10.1.1.6 or Computer Jill. The hardware and software must cooperate with each other in order to know where and how to send the file from Jack to Jill.
This idea is much the same as that used by the post office. There is an address associated with each home. A letter that is sent from one home is routed to another by using that address. Putting the return address on the letter is very important so the person knows where to respond. Also, if the letter gets lost, it will be sent back to the return address. If there is no return address it just goes to the dead letter office. Home computer networks work in much the same way.
The routing data is also known as ‘an envelope’. This surrounds the data or the words on the letter. A home network comes in two main types: cabled and wireless. In a cabled network different wire bundles which are known as Ethernet cables with connectors on each end plug into either a network interface card, or NIC, in the printer, fax, computer or into a switch/router. Hubs or switches are simplified devices that allow physical connections between the components of a network.
A wireless network operates in much the same way. The main difference is that there is no need for cables. Small devices known as transceivers send and retrieve information by radio signals. Let’s say that you want two computers within a home network to both be able to print on the same printer. Where would you even start to do something like that? You can make this happen in two possible ways. In one set up, the printer is physically attached to one of the computers. The alternate set up connects the printer to the network and not to any individual computer;
With this first arrangement, the printer is called local, but shareable. It is possible to allow a remote computer to print to the locally attached device. Computer-Jack then just shares the printer by using software of the hosting system, Computer Jill. In most typical cases nowadays, the printer has its own NIC. It is then attached to a router or switch by way of Ethernet cables or a wireless transceiver. Then each computer on the network is able to ‘see’ the printer as a device that the computer can use.
Scanners, fax machines and other computers operate in pretty much the same way. Every device receives an address and a name. Software on the device allows it to be configured so that its function is accessible to multiple computers on the same network.
By: Joseph Nyamache
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Tags: Catchy Phrases, Designations, Ethernet Cables, Home Computer Networks, Home Computer Users, Home Networking, Host Names, Ip Addresses, Lan, Local Area Network, Most Home Computer Users, Network Functions, Networking System, Operating System, Post Office, Private Businesses, Return Address, Setting Up A Network, Snap, Wire Bundles
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Most homes do not have cabling for wired Ethernet connections. Devices in two different rooms can be connected using Ethernet bridging of two wireless Routers, Homeplug Powerline Ethernet or Ethernet over coaxial cable also known as MOCA. For smooth DLNA Media streaming from one room to other you need to have a home network with good bandwidth. Powerline Ethernet which uses exiting electrical lines is good to way to setup high speed home network.
This section provides information on Home Powerline Networking and demonstrates how to use Powerline Ethernet Adapters or Powerline Homeplug AV Adapters to extend Ethernet network anywhere in the house using existing electrical power line.
Home plug Power line is a good choice for home networking because
Home plug Power line uses existing electrical wiring inside the home. Homeplug Ethernet Adapters are easy to Setup Homeplug Powerline Ethernet provides good speeds (upto 200Mbps), therefore suitable for Media Streaming. Powerline Ethernet Adapters are easily available from major manufacturers like Netgear, Linksys and Zyxel.
In order to connect two sites in a home, you need two Power Line Ethernet Adapters, one Wired or Wireless Router and a Ethernet Hub or Switch. Following pictures shows home network setup of a PS3,Home Theater PC, Satellite Receiver,TV connected to Network Printer, Network Attached Storage and Internet through two Powerline Ethernet Adapters
Instructions to setup Powerline Home Ethernet AV Network
Follow the instructions given below to extend Home Ethernet Network using two Powerline Ethernet Adapters. Steps given here are generic and apply to most Homeplug networks.
Connect Powerline Ethernet Adapter to nearest wall power socket in both the rooms. In the picture one adapter is placed near wireless router and second is placed near Media Center where PS3,Satellite receiver are located.
Read the complete article with pictorial illustrations visit Power line home networking
By: Shan KTags: Electrical Lines, Ethernet Hub, Good Speeds, Home Ethernet, Home Network Setup, Home Networking, Home Powerline, Network Attached Storage, Network Printer, Pc Satellite, Pictorial Illustrations, Plug Power, Power Socket, Powerline Ethernet Adapter, Powerline Networking, Printer Network, Satellite Receiver, Speed Home, Wireless Router, Wireless Routers
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More and more of us are adding devices to our home networks, extra pc for the kids, xbox or wii, media sever to store all our music and photos. The ability to share music, photos and videos across all the pcs in your house has never been easier. Yet with all this growth a recent survey conducted by ABI Research, showed one in three consumers reported difficulty in setting up and maintaining their home network. 25% of all wireless devices are returned to the store simply because it was too hard to setup, and not a defective product. This notion is further enforced by Best Buy’s Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens who acknowledged that the complexity of installing a wireless network is evidenced by the fact that return rates on wireless networking devices drop to nearly zero when his installers do it. Really there are a lot of great network products out there but fortunately they do not always do a good job of explaining very simple to set up. Read more…
Tags: Best Buy, Business Networking, Complexity, Defective Product, Frustrations, Geek Squad, Good Job, Home Networking, Home Networks, Installing A Wireless Network, Music Photos, Networking Devices, Notion, Reboot, Robert Stephens, Security Passwords, Technical Knowledge, Wii, Wireless Networking, Wireless Router
