Remember the time when a home network consisted of two computers sharing the same Internet access? That’s old news now. Yet this was the cutting edge a few short years ago! Granted, many people still have a home network consisting solely of two computers sharing an Internet connection. But home networking today is so much more.
Share a printer, you say? That’s possible, but it’s also old news. How about sharing a media server that stores all your music, digital pics and more on hard drives for instant access. Maybe you’d like to download a movie from the Internet and watch it on your TV. Or perhaps you’d like to hook a system up to your electrical service to monitor the amount of energy you’re using. That’s all possible with today’s networking. Next up? The wireless transmission of HD signals around the house.
No matter what you use a home network for, you’ll likely either choose between a hardwired network that sends signals over high-speed data cable like Category 5, 5e and 6 or a wireless network that transfers data, music and whatever over radio frequencies.
Wired Networks
There are several ways of getting information from one place to another. If you’re building a new home, high-speed cabling, including plenty of Category 5 (or higher) Ethernet wiring, is a fantastic medium for doing everything from distributing data between computers to pumping audio and video from a central rack of equipment to multiple speakers and TVs.
Many builders offer structured wiring systems as standard amenities in their new home packages. Included are cabling, wall outlets and a hub. The cabling is usually made up of Category 5 (or 5e) or Category 6 Ethernet wiring and RG-6 cables for distributing video from security cameras and other devices throughout the home. More recently, Cat 5 cabling is being used to distribute video sources.
To set up a wired network, you may need a network switch or hub. The computers are connected the switch, which is connected to a computer server that is connected to the Internet. It’s important to get switches and network adapters that not only work together, but have enough ports to accommodate your networking needs for today and in the future.
Wireless Networks
Wireless networks using Wi-Fi techbology have become much more popular and reliable. The standards now are moving from Wireless-G (also known as 802.11g) to Wireless-N (802.11n), that offers 300 megabits per second speeds, compared with 54 Mbps for Wireless-G. In between, there’s Wireless-G Enhanced with 108 Mbps, and MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) at 240 Mbps and a wider coverage area than Wireless-G.
You’ll also get better coverage with Wireless-N products, so that you’ll be able to roam around with your laptop and still get a solid connection. To enjoy the speed and coverage of Wireless-N, you’ll need to upgrade to a router and computer with Wireless-N built i...
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