To print: Click here or Select File and then Print from your browser's menu
--------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from Anchordesk,
located at http://review.zdnet.com/AnchorDesk/.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The NEW best way to set up a home network
|
| By David Coursey: Executive Editor, AnchorDesk |
| Friday, June 20, 2003 |
| |
It's been more than a year since I've done a primer on setting up a small business or home network. Since then, there have been some significant changes in both the technology of networking and my perspective on it. I won't start from scratch this time, but will instead answer some of the questions I hear most often from people who are considering a network.
Do I want wired or wireless?
There's a universal "ah-ha" moment for people who have just installed a wireless network: It occurs the first time they sit down on the couch or in a favorite easy chair and connect to the Internet or their office network using nothing more than a wireless notebook PC. Or when they take the computer onto the porch or into the garage or even to a neighbor's house and stay connected the whole time.
Add to this the ability for all the computers in a home or small office to share an Internet connection and share both printers and files, without a lot of unsightly/hazardous cables snaking across the floor or through the walls, and the argument for wireless networking--supplemented as necessary with some wired connections--is compelling.
How much does this cost?
There are many excellent deals to be had in this highly competitive market. It's possible to buy a gateway/wireless access point and two PC adapters for as little as $100. However, you should expect to spend something closer to $250 for good stuff, a tad more for 802.11g (explained below).
What sort of network do I want?
For both home and small business networks, you want an 802.11b or 802.11g wireless network. The access point should also have built-in ports for wired Ethernet connections. Ideally, this unit would include a print server, but I haven't found such a multifunction gateway/access point yet.
What about powerline networking?
It's not a must-have, but it can be very convenient. The HomePlug specification uses your electrical wiring to carry network traffic as well as the AC power.
I recently tested a Siemens wireless gateway with powerline networking and found it made my life easier. Rather than just accept a dead spot on the second floor of my home, I added a wireless-to-HomePlug adapter. My upstairs computers could then connect to my main gateway via that Siemens unit over the power lines, instead of trying to connect to the wireless gateway downstairs.
If you already have a network, you can add powerline support using a kit from Linksys. My colleague Patrick Houston recently tested this and found it both easy to set up and very effective.
One caveat: HomePlug today operates at 802.11b speeds. That shouldn't be a problem until you start sending broadcast quality TV around your home network using the faster 802.11g.
Which wireless network standard should I use?
802.11b wireless networks theoretically operate at up to 11mbps, 802.11a and 802.11g at up to 54mbps. Actual speeds on all three will vary. 802.11g uses the same radio frequencies as 802.11b, so you can mix "b" and "g" devices on a single network. 802.11a devices operate on a different set of frequencies and so aren't interoperable with the other two.
In a home network, the usual bottleneck is the speed of your Internet connection. If you are using a cable modem or DSL line to connect to the Internet, an 802.11b connection is plenty fast enough.
In a small business network or if you often transfer large files from PC to PC, you might benefit from 802.11g. It won't help your Internet connection speed, but will make those file transfers faster.
Unless you already own 802.11a, I see no reason to invest in it, given its lack of cross-compatibility.
The caveat on all this is that 802.11b won't likely support sending TV programs wirelessly around your house. But for most people, that's still a couple of years away. So I'll make the following recommendation:
If price is an issue, buy 802.11b. It's cheap, and manufacturers have so much experience with it by now that even the no-name brands work pretty well. Mixing and matching hardware isn't the problem it once was, though I still recommend buying only a single brand, if possible.
If money doesn't matter or if you need speedy PC-to-PC file swapping within your home or office, go ahead and buy 802.11g. Be aware that most of the hardware already on retail shelves will probably need a firmware upgrade (easy to download and install) now that the formal 802.11g specification has been approved. Of course, if you buy all your hardware at the same time from the same vendor you can probably skip the upgrade, but you might sacrifice compatibility with other vendors' equipment.
One recommendation I'd make is that if you are buying an 802.11b adapter for a desktop PC, make it a USB model. They're very easy to plug in and don't require opening your computer. On the other hand, if you are buying 802.11g, expect to open the PC to install it.
What brand should I buy?
As noted above, I think newcomers are helped by purchasing a single brand of network hardware and by purchasing a "name" brand that offers toll-free call-us-anytime technical support. Fortunately, this is pretty easy to find.
I have long experience with hardware from Linksys, Netgear, D-Link, 3Com, and Agere. All have proven trustworthy companions. I also really like the Siemens hardware with the built-in HomePlug support.
My suggestion: Buy a major brand, but choose among them based on price or because you read a favorable review.
Can I really do this?
Yes, you can. If this stuff can be sold in the warehouse stores (and it is), it must be simple enough for anyone to use. Further, the 24-hour-a-day free technical support is there to provide handholding.
I have many friends who have installed home or small office networks, and I have only had to make one house call (so far) to solve a problem. For the convenience of wireless, it's worth the effort and the money.
What do you think? Have you set up a home network already? What kind of hardware did you use? How simple/difficult was it? Take my QuickPoll above and TalkBack below!
