Sounds pretty impressive, doesn't it—your own home network. Should you have one? Are they hard to set up? How would it help? Are home networks more vulnerable to security risks? If you've asked yourself any of these questions, this updated Third Edition of Home Networking For Dummies is exactly what you need.
Home networks aren't just for people with home-based businesses. With a home network, you can
- Begin a project on one computer and finish it on another
- Connect desktop and laptop computers so you can take your work with you
- Share printers and Internet connections
- Control access to files
- Set up security to protect all the computers on the network
And on top of all that, you get to be the network administrator!
If you have more than one computer in your household, Kathy Ivens, author of Home Networking For Dummies, Third Edition, believes it only makes sense for you to have a home network. It's efficient and it makes files easier to organize and manage. But as impressive as "home network" sounds, installing and maintaining one doesn’t have to be complicated— this book makes it easy. In the For Dummies straightforward style, Kathy shows you step by step how to - Plan your network, buy the right hardware at the right price, install it, and configure computer sharing
- Decide on the best places to put the different computers in your home
- Piggyback on existing home wiring like telephone and electric lines
- Install and troubleshoot wireless connections
- Set up each computer to share some things and keep others private
- Manage users and user profiles
- Install firewalls, work with the Windows XP SP2 Security Center, keep virus protection updated, and develop a disaster recovery plan
- Maintain your network for optimum performance
Kathy Ivens is Senior Contributing Editor for Windows & .NET Magazine and a consultant who has installed plenty of networks. She knows what to look for and how to help you put together exactly what you need. This edition of Home Networking For Dummies includes the most up-to-date information to help you become the administrator of your very own home network without acquiring one more gray hair.