Do it Yourself Network Articles

Do it yourself network creation
If you have 2 or more computers and you want to connect them together , the chances are you’ll want to put together a network in some sense ,

Read more of our networking articles at the bottom of the page

There are a number reasons for creating a network, such as sharing files , sharing an internet connection , programs such as games , sharing a printer , or even to make a computer more secure by using one as an extra fire wall.

The points that you have to remember when putting together a network are as follows ..

Which type of network do you wish to create? The choices are..
RJ45 , USB , Wireless or Bluetooth.

RJ45

The RJ45 Network is used today in most businesses, but it’s pretty easy to setup a do it yourself network using RJ45.
It comes in a variety of speeds , although for most people 100mbps is more than adequate.

Most computers today have RJ45 network ports , even if you have to purchase a network card they are very cheap, costing only a few bucks.

Another benefit of the RJ45 type connection ,it puts less of a load on the processor than other technologies such as USB , so if you have any older computers on your network , RJ45 would be a good choice.

The USB type of network, of course uses the USB ports, as most computers have USB built in this makes it very cheap.

The only problem with USB is, your network connection will take up a USB slot , “ most computers do not have many to begin with , so an extra USB card may have to be purchased “ , you have to make sure your computer is using USB2 and not USB1 “ USB1 is very very slow”.

Wireless
The cost of purchasing and installing a wireless network are now very low. There are basically two types of wireless network , firstly we have the Ad-Hoc or peer to peer type , this generally means that two computers with wireless network cards , connect to one another .
The second type , the access point network means that you are using a wireless router and all network connections are shared centrally from this point.

Bluetooth
The newest kind of network connection around , network speeds are high and you can also connect your other Bluetooth devices such as PDA’s or phones , via this method.
The only downside is you’ll have to install Bluetooth cards into every device you wish to network.
do it yourself network article

What type of equipment do you wish to use
To connect two computers together using RJ45 you’ll need both computers to have RJ45 type network connections , you’ll also need a RJ45 crossover cable.
If you wish to connect more than two computers together using RJ45 you’ll either need a hub or a router.

If you are going to share an internet connection then you’ll need a router , if you are just network pc’s with no internet connection you can still use a router , but you can also use a hub which is much cheaper.

Note ..
If your do it yourself network is going to be an RJ45 based and you are going to share an internet connection , it’s still a good thing to purchase a Wireless Router / Modem , as most have around 5 RJ45 cable ports on them as well.
If at a later date you decide to go the wireless route you’re pretty much already there.
When choosing a router / modem there are a number of simple choices .

The technology comes in a couple of specs , 802.11b or 54g. 54g is the later development and has higher security , plus it’s much faster, which can be great when copying larger files between computers.

The only downside is , it does cost a little more.

There are two types of router / modem , firstly we have the ADSL type , this is for use with any phone line based ADSL internet connection .

Next we have the DSL type , this is for cable type connections.

Summary
So for any type of do it yourself network , connecting more than two devices you’ll need either a hub , router / modem , plus a suitable network connection on any devices you wish to connect.
computer-adviser.com do it yourself network article

For more information on wireless networks , how to install and implement , what to purchase , checkout out guide here.

Security , Security , Security

It's worth mentioning this at least 3 times to show how important this is , having very low or no security is an open invitation to some elements who live for nothing better than to hack into your system.
As to what happens then , well it’s like someone breaking into your house , will they steal anything or just trash the place.

I’m sure you would not leave you’re doors open on your house, so think about your pc security .

Make your do it yourself network secure , sadly this is a big area where a lot of networks are weak.

For wireless security please use our
Wireless page , for general computer security you might find our windows security section of use.

How to setup a do it yourself network
If your looking to setup a home network find out what's needed, create a network that will suit your needs today and tomorrow ..

Increasing WiFi network range
When a WiFi network signal is low or weak this can mean a slow connection or even an inability to source an IP address, find out ways to increase wireless range ..

Slow WiFi connection speed?
What can cause a slow WiFi or wireless connection speed? how can we increase the speed? find out using our hints and tips ..

WiFi problems
Happiness is a working WiFi connection, when we have WiFi problems there are so many possible causes, checkout our step by step WiFi troubleshooting guides ..

How to use WiFi
Ok you've got broadband installed, a wireless router has has just been delivered, now what? find out the best ways to setup your WiFi network ..

Go wireless and forget the wiremess
What are the pluses and minuses to going wireless, read out free guide ..

WiFi location scams and security
wireless internet scams are sadly on the increase as WiFi becomes more popular, read more on how this works and how to reduce the chances of getting stung ..

Finding WiFi locations
One of the easiest ways to find WiFi networks is with a wireless network finder, be sure to read our WiFi location scams and security beforehand

Blue tooth USB basics
Find out more about the basics of Blue tooth via USB ..
 

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