| Home networking is a service that was launched | | | | home. Your current setup may include a cable or |
| quite recently. Networking in offices has proven to | | | | DSL modem linked directly to one computer. To |
| be quite useful in terms of reducing cost and time | | | | network the computers, you can connect your |
| spent on exchanging information. Setting up home | | | | modem to a hub and connect both the PCs to |
| networks was unheard of because people did not | | | | the hub via a network card. This is relatively easy |
| require more than one computer or sometimes | | | | but requires an IP address for each computer. |
| couldn't afford it either. With the drop in computer | | | | The IP address charges vary from service |
| prices lately, it wouldn't be surprising to have | | | | provider. Another option applied to home |
| households with 5 computers for a family of only | | | | networks is to setup a network between all the |
| four. The tremendous applicability of the | | | | computers in the household and then choose an |
| computer too has created more reasons to buy | | | | administrator, which will require network software |
| a computer like listening to music, watching | | | | to be installed on it. From the administrator, you |
| movies, working at home or just for browsing. | | | | can connect your Internet connection, which can |
| Having more than one PC at home invites the | | | | be used at all terminals. |
| idea of setting up home networks. The | | | | The most common solution to home networks is |
| advantages of doing so are plenty and this has led | | | | to connect the modem to a router, which is then |
| many families to look into networking quite | | | | connected to the hub. Then network cables |
| seriously. If all the computers at home are | | | | originating from the hub will then reach the |
| connected, you will not require individual Internet | | | | terminals and provide them with Internet access. |
| connections for each of them as you can make | | | | This method does not require additional IP |
| use of one connection for all the terminals. Sharing | | | | addresses and the costs related to them. It is |
| music, movies or any other file can be done in no | | | | relatively safer as all the PCs can be protected |
| time as all the computers will have constant | | | | with a firewall. However, the initial set up cost for |
| access to any file on any of the computers as | | | | this networking is slightly on the higher side. |
| long as the files belong to the sharing folder. | | | | Home networks are not simple enough for an |
| Hardware components like printers, scanners, CD | | | | amateur to set up by himself. It requires the |
| burners, TV cards, etc. can be made use of from | | | | guidance of an expert. Professionals are aware of |
| any computer as long as they are connected to | | | | the hardware and software components that |
| the main server. Many gamers will resort to | | | | need to be shared in the network and are better |
| networking so they can play multiplayer games | | | | judges of which type of networking setup to |
| with their friends on LAN. | | | | implement in a given situation and requirement. |
| There are different ways to link computers at | | | | |