Brilliant Home & Wireless Networks
What You Need to Know & How to Do It
By Greg Holden
March 2009
Pearson / Prentice Hall
ISBN: 9780273718659
256 Pages, Illustrated
$56.50 Paper original
Just as one car isn’t enough for most households, one computer isn’t going to fulfil the needs of a family, a couple, or a busy professional. Setting up a wired or wireless home network is well within the reach of the average person, provided he or she chooses the right setup for their needs. Brilliant Home & Wireless Networking will describe common network configurations and guide you step by step through the process of getting your PCs connected to the Internet and to each other. You’ll learn the ins and outs of Ethernet, Wi-Fi, IP addresses, and file sharing. You’ll discover how to go wireless so you can work from anywhere in the home. Finally, you’ll explore ways to keep your network and your children secure from hackers, viruses, and other threats.
Brilliant Home & Wireless Networking provides ….
· A visual tutorial taking you from networking novice to accomplished user in easy steps.
· A guide to optimising your use of a wired or wireless home network, making it a more integral part of you life.
· Essential guidance on the vast array of software and peripheral hardware available to you, allowing you to make the right choices for how you want to work
Brilliant Series Features:
· Detailed index and troubleshooting guide to help you find exactly what you need to know
· Each task is 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
Contents
1. Getting started with wireless networks
Viewing your network
Discover components of a home network
Viewing your network connection
Understanding key concepts and terms
Changing your workgroup name
Network standards: what the numbers mean
Blueprinting your network, options 1: wired Ethernet
Blueprinting your network, options 2: wireless
Blueprinting your network, options 3: hybrid
Blueprinting your network, options 4: direct
Blueprinting your network, options 5: phone line/hybrid
Blueprinting your network, options 6: powerline/hybrid
2. Networking options
Task: Create a client-server network, option 1: repurpose an old PC
Peer-to-peer networks
Set up a shared network folder
Task: Create a client-server network, option 2: use a hard disk
Task: Choosing your network type: wired or wireless?
Create an ad-hoc network
Inventory of hardware and software you need
Enable DHCP
3. Improving your Internet connection
Test your current Internet connection speed
Research your Internet service provider
Optimising packet size and other parameters
Choose a better Internet access option
Reset your broadband modem
Check your distance to your local exchange
Troubleshoot a broken connection
Get a better broadband modem
4. Getting the equipment you need
Identifying the network cards you already have
Enabling a network adapter
Reset your network adapter
Getting your home and computer network ready
Comparing routers, switches and hubs
Choosing the right router for your needs
Choosing a network interface card
Other networking hardware you may need
Naming your network computers
5. Configuring your Ethernet network
Letting Windows automatically configure your network
Connecting to the Internet
Creating a user account
Logging on and off
Designating a network location
Merging network locations
Setting up Internet connection sharing
Adjusting your IP address information
IP addresses, DNS servers and subnet masks
Directly connecting 2 computers
Connecting another computer to your network and workgroup
6. Installing Ethernet cable and other hardware
Build your own Ethernet cable
Run your networking cables
Understanding Ethernet cable: an either-or decision
Extending an Ethernet cable
Understanding unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable
Understanding Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
Bridge two long-range Ethernet devices
7. Using existing wiring
Set up a home power network
Build a bridge to your broadband connection
Encrypt your home power data connections
Test your home power network performance
Convert from old-style to new-style outlets
Pros and cons of structured wiring
Configure a HomePNA phone wiring network
Buy and install a network extender kit
8. Why go Wi-Fi?
Determine the goals of your wireless network
Project the number of devices you want to network
Position your router and networked devices
Wi-Fi protocols
What’s a MAC address?
Features to look for in wireless network hardware
9. Getting what you need to go wireless
Choosing a wireless-enabled laptop
Purchasing an external wireless network adapter
Purchasing an external antenna
Improving your laptop’s wireless performance
Buying a Wi-Fi phone
Buying a Wi-Fi PDA
Buying a Wi-Fi radio
Adding Wi-Fi to your desktop PC
Buying a wireless router/access point
10. Setting up your wireless network
Make sure your network is up and running
Collect your ISP’s network data
Find your network card’s physical address
Install and configure your router
Automatically configuring your router/access point
Changing your router’s password
Changing your IP address information
Changing your router’s MAC address
Changing the SSID and basic wireless settings
Filtering access by MAC address
Dos and don’ts when naming your network
The techy stuff: advanced wireless settings
What’s in a wireless channel?
11. Going Bluetooth
What’s a personal area network (PAN)?
What’s a Bluetooth ‘slave’ and what’s a ‘master’ device?
Connect your Bluetooth phone to your home network
Send a file to your Bluetooth device
Receive a file from your Bluetooth device
Share your home Internet connection with your phone/PDA
Copy files to your Bluetooth phone or PDA
12. Securing your home network
What are the dangers?
Choosing wireless network passwords
Choosing a wireless security method
Assign your network a password and security method
Disable 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
Setting application and gaming restrictions
13. Setting up file sharing
Making sure File and Print Sharing is turned on
Fine-tuning file sharing settings
Setting up a shared folder
Creating user accounts and passwords
Understanding accounts and permissions
Sharing a password-protected resource
Setting Advanced Sharing options
Pros and cons of File and Print Sharing
Adjusting the caching of shared resources
Assign 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
14. 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
Collaborating on documents with Google
Exchanging Google talk messages
Sending messages through Skype
15. 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-enabling your wireless adapter
Use a command prompt window to ping other computers
Recycling your router and modem
16. Dealing with poor or intermittent connections
Relocating your wireless router
Problems with DSL and cable connections
Changing wireless channels
Buying a new antenna
Adding an access point
Adding a repeater
17. Other network connection problems
Clearing interference from cordless phones
Avoiding interference from other home appliances
Tracking interference from other networking equipment
Tracking problems outside your home
Tracking other environmental issues
Tracing firewall problems
Checking for spyware and viruses
If your network adapter won’t connect
Disable firewalls when networking printers
Wireless network protocols
Network add-ons
Jargon buster
Trouble shooter
Author
Greg Holden (Chicago, IL) has written more than 30 books on computers and the Internet, including Introducing MS Expression Studio; Starting an Online Business for Dummies, and How to Do Everything with Your eBay Business. He is founder and owner of Stylus Media, his own small Internet-based business.
Return to main page of Trans-Atlantic Publications