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How should I set up my home network?

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Summary: Once you add a second computer to you're faced with setting up a network, at least to share the internet connection. Here are some general guidelines.

How should I set up my home network?

You just bought your second computer. Perhaps you purchased a new laptop, a new machine for your spouse, or maybe just another machine for yourself. Now you'd like to be able to connect them all to the internet and it'd be nice to be able to share things like printers or extra disk space among your machines.

You need a LAN, or Local Area Network. There are lots of ways to do it but thankfully there are many straightforward solutions.

The basis of your LAN will be ethernet. The word has a very specific technical meaning but in common use it's simply the technology behind 99% of PC networks. Most computers now come already equipped with an ethernet adapter - it's the squarish hole that accepts what looks like an over sized north american modular phone jack.

Your broadband connection being cable, DSL or something else, will first go through some kind of device typically called a modem (again, somewhat technically inaccurate but it's the common term). The modem's job is to convert the broadband signal to ethernet.

You'll connect that ethernet from your broadband modem to a broadband router. I've talked about them in a previous article What's the difference between a Hub, a Switch and a Router? Routers control two important things - as the name implies they "route" information between computers on your LAN and between those computers and the broadband connection to the internet. The other important function if you get what's called a NAT router is that they provide a very efficient firewall - protecting the computers on your LAN from many of the dangers of the internet. As a side effect a NAT router allows you to place several computers on a broadband connection that's really only designed for one.

As I said earlier, each of your computers will need an ethernet adapter and most will already have them. A cable will run from each computer to the router and from the router to the modem. Each computer will also need to support the TCP/IP communications protocol. TCP/IP is the fundamental "language" of communication on the internet - in fact the IP stands for "Internet Protocol". Windows includes TCP/IP support by default.

Unfortunately configuration specifics are unique to both your ISP or broadband provider and the specific model of router that you are using, so I can't cover that in detail here. However much like ethernet and TCP/IP being common standards, the configuration I'm outlining here is also very common. Your ISP should be able to provide the information you need and the router will in all likelihood include the documentation needed for this common scenario as well.

I can hear some of you asking about "wireless". If you're starting a home network from scratch, I really recommend getting an integrated wireless base station and router to begin with even if you don't yet have wireless on any computers. The incremental cost is not that much, and wireless is so convenient that it's really likely that you, or perhaps a guest, will someday be looking to connect wirelessly to your LAN. The great news is if you select an integrated router then nothing I've described above changes except that there won't be a cable running to your laptop.

Just like "ethernet" is the standard for wired networking, "802.11b" is the standard for wireless (or WiFi) networking. A new faster standard, "802.11g" is now becoming popular and since it can co-exist with 802.11b many manufacturers are providing equipment which supports both. I recommend springing for the dual-mode integrated wireless router if you can. You'll thank me, if not now, then in a few years.

That's it! Here's a simple diagram of the LAN we've just created:

network diagram

The other question that I can hear you asking is "but what brand of router should I get?". I run LinkSys equipment and have been very happy. In fact you'll find links there to the specific router models I happen to run. While mine are not dual mode (801.11b and g) LinkSys does make them. I've also heard good things about Netgear, 3Com, and US Robotics. My biggest advice is to stick to nationally well known brands.

For more information including tutorials, equipment reviews, and more, visit Practically Networked. It's a great place for your next networking steps.

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Recent Comments

i have 2 xbox 360, a comp and a laptop. is it possible to use to routers with only 1 modem and will this help with any lag or bandwith problems.

Posted by: jay at January 2, 2008 06:41 PM

Hi,

I just bought a VoIP phone. I have a static iP which is given by my ISP. It does not work. I tried everything. The major problem is: There is a IP which is in the device. This IP is supposed to be entered in the web page browser and is supposed to show the phones configuration for the IP. It shows on everyone elses comp except mine.

Posted by: Shoked at January 3, 2008 03:54 PM

help im trying to use my laptop wirelessly the router cd will not run and my laptop saying connected but i cannot go online

Posted by: tracy taylor at January 5, 2008 04:33 AM

Should I be setting my computer's Ip address to the firewalled/router Ip address?

Posted by: Tony Pletz at January 21, 2008 06:39 AM

Hi,
I wonder if you can help me regarding my concern?
I've installed my security cameras around my business building and the thing is that i want to have access through the internet from my house to my cameras that I can see anything happen, so, is there any chance that you can give me any advise, pls? Internet connection is not provided from same ISP, it is totally different between my house and my business building.
I'm using internet through modem connection, PC is not joined to any Domain, haven't got any Static IP, haven't set up any server or stuff like that.

Regards,

Posted by: Meriton Ramadani at January 23, 2008 04:33 PM

So I gots 2 comps in de den of my house. So I connects them tew my router. But everytime I go watch pornos, or torrent thems. I lag and my sister checks the acitvity. Can I hide the info on the router config page? Or possiblys use a different router in my rroom connectd ing wirelessly to my dend.

Posted by: Semour Bewty at February 18, 2008 10:06 PM

How should I set up my home network & Internet sharing? Please sent me the Diagram of network setting & internet shairing & how can I set the TCP/IP setting.

Posted by: Binu Thampy at May 12, 2008 02:04 AM

my modem and my computer are in two different places of the house how can I get internet to work with out changin the modem to where the desktop is?

Posted by: Cherly at May 12, 2008 02:15 PM

I am taking a new broadband connection and have two users at home both having laptops. What is the most easiest way to install wifi and what equipments are required for that?

Posted by: Suman at June 8, 2008 02:29 AM

I have 3 laptops all wireless that I am trying to connect to my router (internet). However, only one (the one I am working on) can connect. The other two can see the router, but for some reason the ISP is not assigning an IP address to the other two computers when trying to log on. I have checked everything I can think of or read on to remedy the situation. I just can't find the answer to getting all three computers connected wirelessly to the dang thing. Help!!!!!!

Posted by: Sean at June 24, 2008 05:51 PM

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