setup home network

For many, the concept of setting up a home network just seems too complicated. After all, there are so many wires, and you have to do things to the computer! Actually it's not that hard, and after reading this article you should have a basic understanding, and perhaps you will be able to put together the rest of the puzzle on your own. So are you reading to learn the basics of setting up a home network? Alright, let's go!

First of all, you will need to make sure that all of your home computers are prepared for the connection. This means you will need to look at the back below the IO plate. Do you see a network capable jack? A network jack should not be confused with a standard phone jack of course, and believe it or not this is a common mistake. For the record, a phone modem has two jacks, one for inbound connections and one for outbound connections. A network adapter has one large connection.

If your computers do not have these, then you will need to start out by heading to your local electronics store and choosing a few Network Interface Cards(NICS), and installing them in the open PCI slots. Note that each computer will only require ONE network card, though later on you might find use for multiple cards.

If you want to use a wireless network at home then you will need to buy an appropriate wireless card for each machine that will be utilizing this service. For laptops you will want to purchase PCMCIA cards, and for desktops it would be prudent to get PCI cards. Believe it or not though, we no longer live in the nineties and there are alternative ways to connect.

One of these ways is through the use of USB network cards. These devices plug in just like Bluetooth or flash drives, and will be able to receive a signal from the router. It would be best to purchase USB keys that are the same brand as the router you will be using.

Once you have determined what type of network interfaces you will be using, it is time to set up your network. The best place to start is with the router setup disc. This will walk you through the process of setting up the network, unless of course it did not come with a disc. If this is the case, then you will need to set up your router manually by logging into it using your web browser.

The process for finding your router's address is fairly simple. If you are using windows, click Start > Run> type: CMD > click OK. Once this is done, a black box will pop up and you will type the following: IPCONFIG /ALL. This will display all of your network interfaces and connections, but the one you are most interested in is the one labeled DEFAULT GATEWAY. The address beside it will be the one you navigate to in your web browser. You can then log into your router and set up all the machines that are connected to the interface.

Home network setup does not have to be hard. In fact it can be the easiest thing you ever do. The most important thing here is that you follow the directions and of course make sure you follow all of the necessary safety precautions such as security and of course make sure you monitor the network. Other than that, have fun!