If there are a number of computers in your household, you can easily network them together. Just as if your home were an office. You may be wondering why you would want to do that, but there are decent reasons. If business thinks that it is a decent idea, then there has to be something to it.
The foremost advantage for a family is the ability to share software. The main advantage for parents is the ability to see what their kids are looking at. Call that spying if you like, I call it taking care. Of course, that is your prerogative, but in an office situation someone is able to observe what traffic passes through the office machines, although in some countries this is illegal or illegal-ish.
The easiest manner to do this is with Ethernet cards or by plugging each computer into a residential gateway, which is frequently called a router. The Ethernet cards are not costly, but it means running a cable from each computer to the main computer (known as a server). This is the fastest and most reliable method.
Otherwise you could plug every computer into the residential gateway using a comparable sort of wire. This latter method has a variation - it can be a wireless connection. However, the wireless connection will mean that all the computers require a wireless card, which means more money and it can be slower and more liable to interception by others outside the house.
There are also more complicated variations on these themes. For instance, you could connect all the upstairs computers by network (also called LAN) cards and have one of those computers use a wireless connection to the server or router to which the server is connected.
Once the hardware is connected, setting up a local area network (LAN) is not that difficult because Windows has a wizard to help you do it. This is a step-by-step wizard which makes it fairly simple to do, although in practice there are a few things that you need to understand to complete the process, not that it should be beyond anyone.
Once up and running, each computer on the LAN will become able to share any file that is designated as 'shared'. The term 'file' includes programs, text, writings, pictures, audio files and anything else on any computer in the house that is designated as 'shared' by its author.
It also means that devices or peripherals can be shared. For example, you will only need one printer and one scanner, which can be shared. Every computer will also be able to take part in multi-player games as well - every player in their own rooms in conditions that suit them - lights on or off, et cetera.
Another enormous advantage of having an LAN is the ease of controlling Net security. It means one firewall, one virus protection system and one anti-spyware system all controlled by the most responsible person in the house or on the system.
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on several topics, but is now involved with the Internet router. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Best Router For Gaming Online
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