If there are a number of computers in your household, you can easily network them together. As simply as if your home were an office. You might be asking yourself why you should want to do that, but there are good reasons. If business thinks that it is a decent notion, 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 often known as a router. The Ethernet cards are not costly, but it means running a cable from every computer to the foremost computer (known as a server). This is the fastest and most dependable way.
Otherwise you could plug every computer into the residential gateway using a similar type of wire. This latter method has a variation - it can be a wireless connection. However, the wireless connection will mean that all the computers need a wireless card, which means more money and it can be slower and more prone to interception by others outside the house.
There are also more complicated variations on these themes. For example, you could connect all the upstairs computers by network (also known as 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 pretty easy to do, although in practice there are a couple of items that you need to understand to complete the process, not that it ought to be above anyone.
Once up and running, every computer on the LAN will be 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 instance, 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 too - 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 regulating Net security. It means one firewall, one virus protection system and one anti-spyware system all controlled by the most reliable person in the house or on the LAN.
Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on numerous topics, but is at present involved with Digital Cameras and Photography. If you have an interest in Gadgets and Adult Toys, please go over to our web site now at Gadgets and Adult Toys.