|
Networking Your Computer |
Connecting your home, small office, or home office computers lets you share drives, printers, and a single Internet connection among the connected computers.
|
Benefits of a home, small office, or home office network |
|
|
The Gateway Connected Home |
|
|
Network connection types |
|
|
Your networking shopping list |
Using a network
|
|
Share a single Internet connection |
|
|
Share computer drives |
|
|
Share peripheral devices |
|
|
Stream audio and video files |
|
|
Play multi-player games |
Sharing a single Internet connection
A network makes sharing the Internet easy. Each computer or Internet appliance that is connected to the network can share the same modem and telephone line or broadband connection and access the Internet at the same time. This saves on the cost of installing another telephone line for your second computer and paying for a second Internet Service Provider (ISP) account.
Sharing drives
With a network, you can copy files from computer to computer by copying and pasting or dragging and dropping. You will no longer waste your time transferring files by using diskettes. In addition, you can map a drive from a computer on the network to a drive on another computer, and access the file as if it were located on the hard drive of the computer you are using.
Sharing peripheral devices
Each computer that is connected to the network can share the same peripheral devices, such as a printer. Select print from the computer you are currently using and your file is automatically printed on your printer no matter where it is located on your network.
Streaming audio and video files
With a network, you can store audio files (such as the popular .MP3 files) and video files on any networked computer, then play them on any of the other computers or devices connected to your network, a process called streaming. Add a digital music player such as the Gateway Connected Music Player, and you can integrate your stereo system into your network as well.
Playing multi-player games
With a home network, you can play multi-player games. Load a game like Microsoft Midtown Madness 2 on your computers, and in minutes, you and your friends can race in competing cars through the streets of San Francisco.
Introducing the Gateway Connected Home
The Gateway Connected Home connects all your computers and other devices so that you can share files, programs, peripheral devices, and much more from any computer in your house. The picture below shows an example Gateway Connected Home.
Components of a Gateway Connected Home
The Gateway Connected Home begins with two computers and a connection. From there, you can add computers and devices to fit your specific needs. You can connect:
|
|
Any or all of your connected computers to your Internet connection simultaneously. |
|
|
A Gateway Connected Touchpad to your connected home so that more than
one screen name can log onto America Online simultaneously.
|
|
|
Your notebook computer to your connected home so you can share files
and print at home. |
|
|
A Gateway Connected Music Player to your connected home to play audio files, located on any connected computer, anywhere in your home, either through your stereo system or through powered speakers. |
Selecting a network connection
One of the biggest decisions you will need to make when creating your network is what type of connection you will use. Gateway supports both wired and wireless connections.
Wired connections
HPNA
Creating an HPNA network is as easy as knowing where your telephone jacks and computers are located. HPNA uses your home's standard telephone lines and telephone jacks instead of special cabling to connect computers. You can use your networked computers at the same time as you connect to your ISP, send a fax, or talk on your telephone. For the best performance, your computers or Internet appliances should have HPNA 2.0 network cards or jacks for connecting to your network.
If you have more than one telephone line in your home or office, make sure that all the computers in your network are connected to jacks that share the same telephone number.
Ethernet or Fast Ethernet
Ethernet is a type of connection commonly used in offices around the world. This type of connection can also be used to build small computer networks in the home. Ethernet is available at two different speeds: standard Ethernet, which runs at the same speed as HPNA 2.0, and Fast Ethernet, which runs up to ten times faster. To create an Ethernet network, you or your electrician must install special cables in your home or office. Your computers or Internet appliances must have Ethernet cards or jacks for connecting to a 10 or 10/100 Ethernet switch or hub. If you are connecting just two computers, you can eliminate the switch or hub and use a special crossover cable.
Check local code requirements before installing Ethernet cable or other wiring in your home or office. Your municipality may require you to obtain a permit and hire a licensed installer.
Broadband Internet connections
You can use your computer's Ethernet or USB jack for more than just networking. Many broadband Internet connections, such as cable modems and DSL modems, connect to your computer's Ethernet or USB jack. Typically, if one computer is connected to the Internet, other networked computers can access the Internet through the shared Internet connection. A broadband, versus dial-up, connection adds speed and an "always on" connection to your home network.
Wireless Connections
If your system came equipped with an internal radio frequency wireless device, see "Safety, Regulatory, and Legal Information" for general wireless regulatory and safety guidelines. To find out if your system has an internal wireless device, check the label.
Wireless Ethernet
A wireless Ethernet network (also known as IEEE 802.11b or WiFi) exceeds the speed of either HPNA 2.0 or standard Ethernet. In addition, this type of network allows you the freedom to move about your home or office with your computer. For example, you can take your notebook computer from your home office to your patio without having a telephone or Ethernet jack available. Although you save on the cost of wiring, the higher cost of wireless Ethernet equipment may result in a wireless network costing more than a wired one.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless method for creating a network. Like wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth allows your computer to send and receive data without wiring. However, unlike the wireless Ethernet, the range and speed of the Bluetooth connection are greatly reduced. Bluetooth is an ideal method for connecting a notebook computer, PDA, pager, cellular telephone, and printer that are all in close proximity.
Assessing your connection needs
HPNA
|
|
Your home, small office, or home office has a telephone jack with the same telephone number in each room that has a device you want to connect |
|
|
You have several Windows-based computers that are used for drive sharing, printing to a single printer, or surfing the Internet |
|
|
Your computer has one of the following: |
|
An HPNA jack for connecting to a telephone jack |
|
|
A USB port to connect to a HPNA adapter |
|
|
Cost savings is more important than network speed |
|
|
Your connection speed needs are less than 10000 Kbps (see "Comparing data transfer speed") |
Ethernet
|
|
You are building a new home or your existing home already has Ethernet cable installed in each room that has a device you want to connect |
|
|
You are creating a network in an office or business |
|
|
Network speed is more important than cost savings |
|
|
You have a combination of Windows-based computers and non-Windows-based computers that are used for drive sharing, printing to a single printer, or surfing the Internet |
|
|
Your computer has an Ethernet jack for connecting to the network |
Wireless Ethernet (IEEE 802.11b, WiFi)
|
|
You are looking for an alternative to using your telephone line or installing cable for connectivity |
|
|
Network speed and the ability to move about with your computer are more important than cost savings |
|
|
You have several Windows-based computers that are used for drive sharing, printing to a single printer, or surfing the Internet |
|
|
Your notebook computer has wireless Ethernet (IEEE 802.11b) for networking |
|
|
Your connection speed needs are less than 11000 Kbps (see "Comparing data transfer speed") |
Bluetooth
|
|
You are looking for an alternative to using your telephone line or installing cable for connectivity |
|
|
Your PDA, pager, cellular telephone, or printer has Bluetooth for networking |
|
|
Your connection needs are less than 1000 Kbps (see "Comparing data transfer speed") |
Comparing data transfer speed
When deciding between connection types, compare the different data transfer speeds provided by each to the programs you plan to run on your network. The following table shows types of programs that you may run in your home or small office and the connection speed each requires.
Type of Program Speed Required
Connection Type Rated Maximum Speed
When comparing the speed at which your network will need to run to the speed you can get from the connection type, you should consider which programs may run at the same time on your network.
For example, you have stored several MP3 audio files on your network. You typically play music on your Gateway Connected Music Player, and at the same time your teenager may play music on another computer. Playing two MP3 audio files simultaneously requires 200 Kbps + 200 Kbps = 400 Kbps. If at the same time you are playing two MP3 audio files, you also print a file to your printer, the speed required increases to 200 Kbps + 200 Kbps + 200 Kbps = 600 Kbps.
A comparison of the two tables on the previous page shows that HPNA 2.0, Ethernet, and wireless Ethernet can handle most programs on a network. If you anticipate using a combination of programs that regularly exceed 10000 Kbps, you should consider installing Fast Ethernet for your connection.
Network shopping list
HPNA
|
|
An 
HPNA card installed in each desktop computer- OR - An HPNA/V.90 combination card installed in each desktop computer - OR - A USB HPNA adapter attached to each desktop or notebook computer - OR - |
-
An HPNA PC Card installed in each notebook computer
|
|
Telephone cable going from each computer to the closest telephone jack |
Ethernet
|
|
An Ethernet card installed in each desktop computer- OR - An Ethernet jack on each desktop and notebook computer - OR - An Ethernet PC Card installed in each notebook computer |
|
|
An Ethernet hub or switch with enough ports for each computer and device in the network (hubs are slightly cheaper than switches but may run slower than switches) |
|
|
Ethernet cable going from each computer to the hub or switch |
Wireless Ethernet
|
|
A wireless 
Ethernet (IEEE 802.11b) PCI card installed in each desktop computer- OR - A wireless Ethernet (IEEE 802.11b) PC Card installed in each notebook computer that does not have wireless Ethernet built-in |
|
|
A wireless Ethernet (IEEE 802.11b) Access Point if you want to connect your wireless Ethernet to the Internet or a wired network |
Bluetooth
|
|
A Bluetooth PCI card installed in each desktop computer - OR - A Bluetooth PC Card installed in each notebook computer that does not have Bluetooth built-in |
|
|
Devices with Bluetooth, such as PDAs, pagers, cellular telephones, and printers |
For more information
For more information about the Gateway Connected Home or networking an office, discuss your particular needs with your Gateway Country Store representative. In addition, several books and Internet sites are dedicated to networking. Refer to these sources for more information about networking your home or office with HPNA, Ethernet, Wireless Ethernet, or Bluetooth.