With a small investment in time and resources, you can set up a
home or small-business network to connect multiple computers and
devices together to share files, media, and resources. Unlike a network at
a larger organization that uses Active Directory domains, your network
will use peer-to-peer networking, with each computer configured as
part of the same workgroup or separate workgroups. In a workgroup
configuration, member computers can connect to and communicate with one
another and with other devices on the network. When you want to access
resources on remote computers over the network, you’ll need to have a
logon account on that computer or other appropriate logon credentials. If
other people want to connect to your computer, they’ll need a logon
account on your computer or other appropriate logon credentials as
well.1. Requirements for Building a Small Network
Every computer you want to connect to your network
requires a network interface card (NIC), also
called a network adapter. Most computer and
motherboard manufacturers include a network adapter on the board, which
means that you can probably connect to a network easily, whether you are
using a portable computer or a desktop PC, including one you built
yourself. You can purchase additional network adapters at any office
supply store or computer hardware supplier. Ethernet is the single most common wired network standard
in the world, and on desktop machines, integrated network adapters
usually fall into this category. All-in-one PCs and portable computers
such as notebooks usually include both Ethernet and Wi-Fi adapters.
Additional network standards exist, and they work very well with Windows
7, but Ethernet and Wi-Fi have the most use. This article discusses
Wi-Fi and Ethernet only as network media for shared network resources.
Aside from installation and setup differences, Wi-Fi and Ethernet are
interchangeable from the perspective of any networked application you
use, such as a web browser or email client.
NOTE
Although it is possible to skip the network cabling and use only
Wi-Fi for your network, this is only recommended for very small
networks. Wi-Fi networks, even the fastest ones available, share a
limited amount of bandwidth between all devices. As a result,
transferring a large file or streaming high-definition video between
computers can degrade performance for every user of the
network.
It is best to use wired Ethernet for servers, media center
devices, desktop computers, and even notebook computers (at least
while you’re using them at a desk). Wi-Fi is best reserved for
notebook computers and handheld devices that need to roam around your
home or office.
Networking machines together requires several different items to
allow the functionality you desire. Table 1 lists the
different requirements and functionality of the components
available.
Table 1. Small-network functionality requirements
| Hardware | Internal network | Internet connectivity | Internal network with
Internet | Internal network with
secure Internet |
|---|
| Network cables or
Wi-Fi | X | X | X | X |
| Network
cards | X | X | X | X |
| Cable/DSL
modem | | X | X | X |
| Ethernet and/or Wi-Fi
router | X | | X | X |
| Firewall | | | | X |
As the table shows, you can set up an isolated internal network
using network cables (or wireless), network cards, and a router. I
recommend a router rather than a hub or switch to allow you to
connect your network to the Internet later, without having
to purchase a separate router. As an example, the D-Link Ethernet
Broadband router has four Ethernet ports for connecting your computers
and network devices, and an additional port for connecting to the
Internet. The LinkSys Wireless G Broadband router has four Ethernet
ports for connecting your computers and network devices, wireless
connection capability, and an additional port for connecting to the
Internet.
You can create a simple network to connect one computer to the
Internet using a network card, two network cables, and a cable/DSL
modem. Typically, your ISP will supply the necessary cable/DSL
modem.
By merging the components required for an internal network with
those that are required for connecting to the Internet, you could create
an internal network with Internet connectivity. This type of network
would allow multiple computers to share resources and to connect to the
Internet through your ISP’s cable/DSL modem. Although most ISPs will
allow you to connect multiple computers to the Internet through their
cable/DSL service, some won’t, and you might need to purchase a service
upgrade to allow this type of connectivity.
For secure connectivity to the Internet, you’ll need a firewall.
Though Windows 7 includes Windows Firewall, this software
firewall protects only your computer. It doesn’t protect the other
computers or devices on your network. Both of the broadband routers
mentioned previously include a hardware firewall, which will fully
protect your network.
NOTE
On a home or small-business network, you shouldn’t stop
using Windows Firewall just because your network has a firewall. In
most cases, your computer still needs the protection Windows Firewall
offers.
You can expand your home or small-business network beyond the
ports on your Ethernet router by connecting network hubs or switches to
the router instead of individual computers or devices. Hubs and switches
work in a similar manner, allowing computers or devices to connect to a
network. Each allows a central point of connectivity, but hubs and
switches work in different ways.
Hubs send all packets transmitted on the network to each
host, making connectivity very simple. The downside of hubs falls
directly on their inability to send packets to only a single host, which
forces each host connected to the hub to share bandwidth. This
drastically decreases the amount of available bandwidth to transmit
data. If you have a 100 Mbps hub with 10 hosts using the network at
once, each host has approximately 10 Mbps of network bandwidth available
to transmit data. The transmission of data happens only in a half-duplex
manner, greatly reducing network throughput. The upside of a hub lies in
its capability to transmit data to all ports at the same time. When you
have network difficulties and you want to mirror the data on the network
for monitoring purposes, hubs offer this functionality by
default.
Switches differ from hubs with their inherent capability to
transmit data from a single host to another single host, without sending
the packets to all the hosts on the switch. This functionality allows
for greater data throughput. If you have a 100 Mbps switch, each host on
the switch may transfer data at 100 Mbps. A switch stores a routing
table to keep track of the hosts connected. The routing table holds the
machine (MAC) address of the network adapter for each computer or
device, and the switch uses this table to determine to which host to
send the data.
2. Installing Network Adapters in Your Computers
Installing network adapters in your computers requires you
to open the case of the computer and install a card. If you do not feel
comfortable completing this task, contact a computer repair or service
company to install the network card. If installing cards is an “old hat”
routine for you, then power down, unplug the computer, open the case,
find the first available slot in your machine, insert the card with the
gold leads down into the slot, and press firmly to insert the card. Once
you have completed this task, screw in the top of the card to connect it
to your chassis. This alleviates “wiggle” in the card, which could
create shorts or cause intermittent connectivity problems.
On the other hand, if you are using an integrated network card in
your machine that has not been enabled, reboot the system into the
BIOS. Most OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers, the
companies that make computers) configure their computers to use the
Delete key. Press the Delete key every second or so after you reboot to
enter the main BIOS section. Usually, you can find the network card
settings under Integrated Devices. Once you have found the network card
settings in your BIOS, select the desired device and enable it. If you
need two network cards and the board has two network cards, enable each
one. Very rarely will you need this type of configuration on a standard
home system. Once you have enabled the device(s) on your system, save
the changes in the BIOS, and reboot the system into the operating
system.
After installing or enabling the network card physically or
logically, allow the system to boot into the operating system. When you
have completed this task, click the Start button, right-click the
Computer option, and select Manage. This opens the Computer Management
window, which allows you greater flexibility in managing the different
aspects of your system. Once Computer Management starts, click the
Device Manager node in the left pane. In the main pane, expand the
Network Adapters node by clicking on the wedge-shaped icon to view the
network adapters installed in your machine. Right-click on the adapter
you previously installed or enabled, and select Properties. On the
Driver tab, verify the Driver Provider details.
NOTE
If you do not see a network adapter listed in the Device Manager
screen under Network Adapters, you should verify that the device does
not show up under Other Devices as a network controller.
3. Installing Ethernet Routers, Hubs, and Switches
Installing an Ethernet router, hub, or switch requires you
to remove the device from the packaging and plug it into a power source
using the power cable provided by the manufacturer. After you plug in
the device, you should see it begin to flash green- and amber-colored
lights. The network device will accept connections and begin
transmitting data when the initialization process completes. You can
tell that the initialization process has completed when most of the
lights on the unit settle down and quit flashing.
After the initialization process completes, you need to connect
the network cables to the Ethernet router to provide
connectivity to the computers and devices that you want to network
together. To establish an Internet connection, connect a network cable
between your cable/DSL modem and the Ethernet router’s Internet port.
Cable modems should automatically assign an IP address to your router
for external connectivity to the Internet. DSL modems usually require a
client username and password. You should have received this information
when you signed up for Internet connectivity, or you can contact support
and receive this information from your ISP.
When you have added the first connection to the Ethernet router,
you must then connect the cables to the network cards on your computers
and devices. When you have completed this task, you should see a green
LED light up on each network card and possibly see the amber activity
light. If you see both of these signs, you have successfully completed
the physical connectivity portion of the networking process. If you do
not see both of these lights, it does not mean you have failed, as there
may be no data transmission on the line while you are connecting the
cables.
NOTE
If you want to connect more computers or devices than the ports
on the Ethernet router allow, you’ll need a hub or switch. With a hub
or switch, you connect a network cable between the hub/switch and the
Ethernet router. Then, instead of connecting the cables for computers
or devices directly to the Ethernet router, you connect the cables to
the hub or switch.
To finalize the router setup, you need to configure the network
services available on your router. Using the DHCP, you can assign IP
addresses to the computers and devices connected to your router.
With the help of your router’s user manual, log on to the router
and select the screen to configure DHCP. Usually, this requires opening
your web browser and typing the address of the router’s configuration
page, which is either http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1. Then when prompted, enter the default
username and password for the router. Typically, the username is
admin and the password is either blank or one of
the following words: admin or
password. If these don’t work, refer to the
documentation for the router.
You need to assign a network IP range for use on your network. If
you have only a small group of users, use the 192.168.0.1 range for use
on your network, or a similar network ID. Most routers have the
functionality turned on automatically. You may also need to input the
DNS addresses of your ISP or the MAC address of a network card.
To complete connectivity to the network, you must configure the
network cards on your computers and devices.
4. Setting Up a Wireless Router or Access Point
The basic setup of a wireless router or access point is
similar to the basic setup of an Ethernet router. After you to remove
the device from the packaging and plug it into a power source using the
power cable provided by the manufacturer, you will need to logon to the
router and configure it.
Most wireless routers and account points purchased after November
2009 will be compatible with Windows 7 and support Windows Connect Now (WCN). You can set up a wireless
router or wireless access point that supports WCN by completing these
steps:
Set up and plug in the router to a power source.
Click the Network icon in the system tray, click the default
network of the router, which is identified by the manufacture name,
and then follow the prompts to set up the router.
During the setup process, you may need to connect one end of
an Ethernet cable to the Internet port on your router and the other
end into modem or other device supplied by your Internet provider.
This will allow the device to connect to the Internet. If you don’t
connect the router to the Internet during setup, you’ll need to do
so afterward.
Your computer will be connected to the router’s network
automatically. To connect other computers, click the Network icon in
the system tray, click the network of the router. If the router
supports WCN or WPS and has an activate/connect button, you can push
the button on the router and then wait for the router to
automatically set up the connection to the new computer. If the
router doesn’t have an activate/connect button, you are prompted for
a security key, enter it and then click OK.
If the wireless router or access point doesn’t support WCN, you
can set it up by completing these steps:
Set up and plug in the wireless router or access point.
When prompted, enter the default username and password for the
router. Typically, the username is admin and
the password is either blank or one of the following words:
admin or password. If
these don’t work, refer to the documentation for the router.
In your browser, you should have an option to run the router’s
setup utility. If there isn’t a setup utility, specify a name for
the router’s network, select the encryption level and choose a
security key for accessing the router. Be sure to change the
administrator password so that the router is protected from other
people.
Once you’ve set up the router, you can connect to it by
clicking the Network icon in the system tray, and clicking the
network of the router. Enter the security key when prompted and then
click OK.
