How to Network Computers

With the proliferation of computers everywhere, more and more families and businesses are using networks at home and in the office in order to share information, which is why knowing how to network your computers is always useful.

At one time networking two computers was considered a tough task even for IT specialists, however nowadays, as soon as you master the basics, the rest is pretty straightforward. Depending on your budget and your particular needs, what name brand routers you wish to use and so on, learning how to network computers could vary from situation to situation. You want to build a network that suits your needs and is easily manageable.

Basic networking

A local area network(LAN) consists of a group of computers sharing an internet connection. Learning how to network computers usually entails a minimum of three parts, the hub, network cables and network cards. First identify what type of network you require, will it be wireless, do you need to connect a printer and so on. Then check to ensure each of the computers on the network has a network card installed. The network interface card (NIC) enters into a slot on the back of the computer with a jack similar to that of a telephone. The jack is designed to accept a network cable, you can network your laptops using the pc cards. Next the network card in each computer is connected to the hub. Once the computers are all connected, either wired or wireless, they are able to share data.

Sharing data

Learning how to network computers also involves deciding whether you want a server environment or not. A server allows the smooth flow of data, just imagine it as a computer that can plug into the hub and help to direct traffic across the network. The most common protocol is TCP/IP. You can also connect computers to share data without a server although you would need more powerful computers for this. NetBeui is the protocol used to facilitate this process, the protocol is added to each machine in the network applet in the control panel. Use various sources online or manuals to help you and remember: practice makes perfect.