Brilliant Home Networking for the Over 50s

Description

What you need to know and how to do it

Brilliant guides allow you to find the information that you need easily and without fuss. Using a highly visual, step-by-step approach, Brilliant books will solve your technology problems and guide you through essential tasks, providing you with exactly what you need to know, just when you really need it.

Spend less time reading and more time doing with a visual step-by-step approach to Home and Wireless Networks

Brilliant Home Networking for the Over 50s provides the quick, easy-to-access information that you need...

* Accessible full colour design throughout
* Practical tasks presented on one or two pages
* Numbered steps guide you through each task or problem
* Numerous screenshots illustrate each step
* "See Also ..." boxes point you to related tasks and information in the book
* "Did you know?..." sections alert you to relevant expert tips, tricks and advice
* Troubleshooting guide to help you sort out most common problems and queries

Brilliant Home Networking for the Over 50s will help you to make the most of your home computers by networking them together and sharing their resources. It will show you how to...

* Understand common network configurations and decide which is the right one for you.
* Get your PCs connected to the Internet and to each other.
* Optimise your use of a wired or wireless home network and to make it a more integral and essential part of you life.
* Understand and choose from the vast array of software and peripheral hardware available to you, allowing you to make the right choices for how you want to work
* Keep your network secure from hackers, viruses and other threats.

About the Author

Greg Holden is an experienced technical consultant and author who has written nearly 40 books, many of which have to do with configuring and securing computer networks, including Guide to Firewalls and Network Security and Internet Security in Easy Steps. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he helped set up and maintain a network for the University of Chicago.

CONTENTS:

Contents

1 Networking for everyone

Viewing your network

Discovering components of a home network

Viewing your network connection

Understanding key concepts and terms

Changing your workgroup name

Blueprinting your network, option 1: wired Ethernet

Blueprinting your network, option 2: wireless

Blueprinting your network, option 3: hybrid

Blueprinting your network, option 4: direct

Blueprinting your network, option 5: phoneline/hybrid

Blueprinting your network, option 6: phoneline/hybrid

Creating a client-server network, option 1

Setting up a shared network folder

Creating a client-server network, option 2

Choosing your network type: wired or wireless?

Creating an ad-hoc network

Deciding on the hardware and software you will need

Enabling DHCP

2 Getting the equipment you need

Identifying the network cards you already have

Enabling a network adapter

Resetting your network adapter

Getting your home computers network ready

Comparing routers, switches and hubs

Choosing the right router for your needs

Network standards: what the numbers mean

Choosing a network interface card

Other networking hardware you may need

Naming your network computers

3 Choosing broadband internet access

Checking out your broadband connection options

Comparing internet access options

Resetting your broadband modem

Checking your distance to your local exchange

Getting a better broadband modem

Test your current Internet connection speed

Troubleshooting a broken connection

4 Configuring your Ethernet network

Letting Windows automatically configure your network

Running Network Setup Wizard

Setting up file and printer sharing

Directly connecting two computers

Connecting to the Internet

Creating a user account

Logging on and off

Designating a network location

Setting up Internet Connection Sharing

Locating your IP address information

Understanding IP addresses, DNA servers and subnet masks

5 Installing and configuring your Ethernet network

Building your own Ethernet cable

Running your networking cables

Understanding Ethernet cable: an either/or decision

Extending Ethernet cable

Understanding unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable

Understanding Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)

Bridge two long-range Ethernet devices

Merging network locations

Adjusting your IP address information

Connecting another computer to your network and workgroup

6 Using existing wiring

Buying and installing a network extender kit

Setting up a HomePlug network

Building a bridge to your broadband connection

Configuring a HomePNA phone wiring network

Pros and cons of structured wiring

7 Learning about Wi-Fi networks

Mapping out your networking needs

Projecting the number of computers you want to network and their location

Positioning your router and networked devices

Get to know Wi-Fi protocols

What is a MAC address and why do you need to know about this?

Features you'll find in wireless access points

8 Getting what you need to go wireless

Choosing a wireless-enabled laptop

Determining whether or not you need a network adapter

Purchasing an external wireless network adapter

Improving your laptop's wireless performance

Buying a Wi-Fi phone

Buying a Wi-Fi PDA

Adding Wi-Fi to your desktop

Buying a wireless router/access point

9 Setting up your wireless network

Making sure your network is up and running

Collecting your ISP's network data

Finding your network card's physical address

Locating your router/access point software

Reconfiguring your router

Changing your router's mac address

Choosing basic wireless settings

Purchasing an external antenna

10 Securing your home network

Understanding the security dangers

Choosing a wireless security method

Assigning your network a password and security method

Disabling ad-hoc network connections

Securing your network with Windows Firewall

Enabling your firewall on your router

Running a firewall/anti-virus program

Setting access restrictions for your housemates

Setting up a DMZ

11 Sharing your photos and other files

Activating File and Print Sharing

Fine-tuning file sharing settings

Setting up a shared folder

Creating user accounts and passwords

Sharing a password-protected resource

Setting Advanced Sharing Options

Adjusting how your computer stores shared resources

Assigning multiple sharing policies to the same resource

Locating your other computers

Enabling Network Discovery

Directly accessing a shared resource on windows xp

Sharing a network drive

12 Communicating across the Network

Sharing a printer

Verifying a shared printer's name

Adding a shared printer

Printing remote files on your local printer

Gaming across your network: get the hardware you need

Using a wireless gaming adapter

13 If you can't connect to the network or other computers

Check your Internet connection

Check your computer hardware

Check your computer software

Renew and release your connection

Check your powerline connection

Check Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper

Create a password reset disk

Retrieve a lost user account password

Restart your network connection

Re-enable your wireless adapter

Recycle your router and modem

Change wireless channels

Buy a new antenna

Add an access point

Add a repeater

Clear interference from cordless phones

Avoid interference from other home appliances

Track interference from other networking equipment

Track problems outside your home

Track other environmental issues

Track firewall problems

Check for spyware and viruses

If your network adapter won't connect

Disable firewalls when networking printers

Jargon buster

Troubleshooting guide