Setting up Home Computer Network,Configuration of Home Computing Network

In just three decades, the computers have remained successful in riding the waves of human development. Today, they are not only part and parcel of our professional life but also our priority when it comes to household. The race of Pentiums loaded with all types of mind blowing technologies has come to rescue us in all fields of life. And fortunately, there is no end in the world of information technology where everything is possible.

Interestingly, if we look at the facts than it strikes us hardly that United States has not more than few hundred thousand homes that were equip with a home network in 1999. And now millions of United States households have their own home network where billions of home networks are active around the globe. Despite of the great number of those who have a personal computer (PC), there is a majority of people who are interested in having a system of their own. Those who earlier have a computer are now busy in upgrading or replacing their systems.

In this post, we are going to prescribe you how to manage your own home network based upon your experience and requirement. The first thing you must know is the fact that you have more than one PC in your home. Well, the first question is do you really need a home network? Before knowing this, you must be thinking why to have a home network ort what are the benefits of a home network? A home network eradicates the need of any portable device to share data between computers. By the help of a home network you can not only share files among your systems but also do so in a comparatively faster manner. The systems can also share among them the internet connection and the printer. More recently, a home network is potent enough to enable you to play a multi-player game online. Briefly, we have sum up some of the benefits which your home networking brings so you may better understand the idea.

File Sharing: People often limit home networking to data sharing but it is actually more than a mean to share data. It gives you an opportunity to have a back up of all that seems significant to you on your other home computer. Network file sharing enables you to share documents, music files, photographs, and what not but it simultaneously facilitates you by sharing one file on two computers simultaneously. Printer: You are no more bound to move your printer from one computer to another as all of your computers can share single printer. And it is not about printers, it is about all computer peripherals like web cams, scanners, CD burners. Internet Connection: There is no more any need to pay an ISP (internet service protocol) to provide you with multi connections as all family members can access internet via same connection and at a time. However, with a dial up internet connection you will face issues like slow speed but a broadband connection can make you sharing very smooth. Multi-player Games: The LAN (local area network) mode is supported by many popular home computer games so the players of one family can play with each other if their computers are connected. Internet Telephone Service: VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) allows you to either recive or make call online which is very cheap. Home Entertainment: Latest products of home entertainment like video game consoles and DVRs (digital video recorders) are supporting both wireless and wired home networks. It enables you to mutually share content, videos or play games online.

Simply putting into words the home computer network is a group of inter-connected computers. This interconnectivity allows the users to share certain peripherals like printer, documents, internet connection, etc. If you want to have a home network than there is no need to install any extra software or feature as Windows has a built in feature that perfectly meets your needs.

What do you need? You need Ethernet crossover cable, NIC (Network Interface Card) and two computers. Initially, we are guiding you to establish a home computing network of just two computers. After understanding it, you will be well prepared to launch the extension of home network.

At the back of your CPU (Central Processing Unit), you will find Network Interface Card. You have to hook the Ethernet crossover cable into the NIC at CPU’s back.
You should also check that the Domain or Work Group of all computers is same. In case they are not than you have to uniform them. You have to repeat the process on each computer. Right click the My Computer on each computer and select Properties. Here you will see a tab Computer Name. To change the Domain of the computer you just have to click at the lower right where Change is ingrained and then edit the Work Group.
In case your computers already have same domains, then exempt the above step and moves straight to this one. Here on any computer you have to set up file sharing. Firstly, you have to decide a folder which you want to share then right click on it. You will find the option Properties, click on it and then select the tab Sharing. Here you will click the statement, If you understand the security risks but want to share files without running the wizard, click here. You should choose Just enable file sharing and then OK. A new check box will appear with the statement, Share this folder on the network. Select that box and share the folder.
Now move to the next system. You have to double click My Computer where you will find Network Places. Here you will click on View Working Computers. You will be provided with a list of computers that are on work group and outside it along with the shared folder.
In case your shared folder fails to appear on My Network Places then simply restart both computers and reopen My Network Places to ensure the other PC’s presence. When you are setting up your home network, it is usual to face issues like You do not have permission or Access is denied. On Windows Firewall, you can resolve this issue by additives like Printer Sharing and Files.
For setting up the network of more than two computers you will be required to have a router or hub, or both.

Until now we were discussing a conventional mode of home networking that is established through cables. Now let us brief you about the comfort a wireless home network encloses for you. We are no more living in our houses, cities, states, or continent. The world of Information Technology is of social networking, search engines and online account/emails. Most of us have a computer but now the laptops or notebooks are in fashion. And let me tell you they are no more that expensive. If you have laptops then do not entangle it in a home network via cable because it will snatch away the charms of portability. Offices do have underground wiring but in homes the cables of an IT boon like home computing network can cause irritation.

Here we come to the end of what home computing network is and how is it configured, and what is it used for. Now let me tell you an interesting thing that although it is named Home Computer Network but it is very useful for small businesses where there are few employees who have to work online. For making the office work swift, the employer can get broadband connected.