Home Networking Solutions

You don't need a doctorate in computer science to set up a home network, but a little friendly advice sure won't hurt. This book from PC Magazine will help you to cover basics of networking to complete all your basic home networking problems.

Home networks are a hot topic. A home network provides a simple, inexpensive way to share an Internet connection, files, and even printers among all of the computers in your home.

If you’ve been thinking about installing a home network, this is the only book you’ll need, regardless of your level of computer expertise. In this book, I provide the background you need to understand, purchase, install, and use your own home network.

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What’s in the Book?

This book is divided into four parts:

In Part I, I tell you why you need a network and show you how you can use a network to share an Internet connection, files, and printers. I also explain the basics of networking technology.

In Part II, we go on a shopping trip. I walk you through the maze of competing and complementary technologies you can use to build a home network, and I show you when to use wired and wireless networking products to design the perfect network for your home.

Part III shows you how to connect and configure the components of your home network. I showyou how to install wired and wireless networks, and I explain what you’ll need to do to prepare yourcomputers for use on a network.

Part IV shows you how to use your network to share Internet access, files, and printers. I also introduce you to some interesting new products that extend your network to include video games, home security, and home entertainment devices.

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Topics Covered:

Part I Why You Need a Network –

What Is a LAN? : It’s Simpler Than You Might Think, A Guided Tour of Les’s LAN, What Can You Do with a Network?, Sharing Your Internet Connection, Multiple IP Addresses (Ethernet Switch), Using Windows XP’s Internet Connection, Sharing (Proxy Server), Using a Router/Firewall (Router), Sharing Files and Printers, File Sharing, Printer Sharing, Enjoying Multimedia Convergence, Using Digital Media on a Home Network, Home Media Hubs, TiVo Series2, Microsoft Media Center PC, Playing Head-to-Head Games, A Networking Crash Course, Network Connection Basics, Internet Protocol, IP Addressing, Understanding Client-Server and Peer Networks, Client-Server Networks, Peer-to-Peer Networks,

Part II Designing Your LAN –

Designing Your Network, Wired, Wireless, or Both?, Is Wireless Best for You?, Should You Stick With a Wired Network?, “No new wires” Alternatives, Evaluating Your Options, Ethernet Networks, Wireless Networks, Sorting Through the Standards, Wireless Architecture, Wireless Coverage Area, Wireless Security, HomePlug, Getting the Right Stuff, Choosing a Network Adapter, Desktop Ethernet Adapters, Desktop Wireless Adapters, Laptop Ethernet Adapters, Laptop Wireless Adapters, Choosing an Ethernet Switch, Choosing a Wireless Access Point, Why Use a Standalone Access Point?, Wireless LAN Security, Choosing a Router/Firewall, How Routers Work, All-in-One Routers, Choosing a Print Server,

Part III Installing Your LAN –

Installing an Ethernet LAN, Installing Ethernet Cables, Planning Your Network, Cable System Components, Installing Your Network Hardware, Installing an Ethernet Switch, Installing Network Adapters, Installing a Wireless LAN, Before You Install, Installing Wireless Adapters, PCI Wireless Adapters, CardBus, PC Card, and USB Wireless Adapters, Configuring Your Wireless Adapter, Installing Your Access Point, Surveying Your Wireless LAN, Connecting and Configuring the Access Point, Securing Your Wireless LAN, Configuring Your Network, How Windows Networking Works, Configuring Your Network, How OS X Networking Works, Sharing Files and Printers with Other Macs, Sharing Files and Printers with PCs, Windows IP Addressing Basics, Automatic IP Addressing, Alternate IP Configuration,

Part IV Using Your LAN –

Sharing Internet Access, How IP Addressing Works, Configuring Your Router, Checking Your PC’s IP Configuration, Configuring Your Router, Configuring a Linksys Router, Configuring a D-Link Router, What’s Next?, Sharing Files on Your LAN, How File Sharing Works, Windows File Sharing, Sharing a Folder, Sharing a Drive, Accessing Shared Drives and Folders, Controlling Automatic Discovery, Mapping a Network Drive, Mac OS X File Sharing, Sharing Printers, How Network Printing Works, Windows XP Printer Sharing, Mac OS X Printer Sharing, Using a Print Server, Using a Network-Ready Printer, Connecting to a Shared Printer, Using Shared Printers in Windows XP, Using Shared Printers in Mac OS X, Home Media and Convergence, Home Entertainment Devices, Linksys Wireless Media Adapter, TiVo, Media Center PCs, A Quick Tour of Media Center, Media Center Extenders, Network Gaming, Video on Your LAN, D-Link i2eye VideoPhone, Security, Protecting Your LAN, DoS Attacks, Port Scans, Backdoor Protection, Wireless LAN Security, Protecting Your PCs, Antivirus Software, Spyware Protection, Vigilance Is Good Protection Too!, Advanced Networking Topics, Customizing Your Firewall Configuration, Setting Up a Public Server, Restricting Internet Access, Using a Dedicated File Server, Advantages of a Dedicated File Server, Setting Up a File Server, Server Backup Options, Network Attached Storage Servers, Linksys NSLU2, Installing the NSLU2, Using the NSLU2

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