18 February 2019

The Fundamentals of Computer Networking

Setting up a home network can be a daunting task for those less familiar with computers. However with somewhat knowledge you'll realize how painless it usually is.

Step 1 - Purchase Internet Service

First make certain you've purchased suitable websites from the ISP of choice. You can select from a DSL service which uses your phone line but is generally slower, or cable service which is basically the same technology useful for cable TV. I recommend cable Internet because of its (generally) superior speed cheap it really works well no matter your distance from the base station. If you live in Canada, I strongly encourage you to definitely checkout the Chatham based ISP Teksavvy Solutions. In my experience they have the most effective service/price combo with extremely helpful customer support.

Step 2 - Get a Basic Modem and Router

Next you'll wish to press upon any local computer store to get a modem and router. If you decided to choose cable Internet service you are going to obviously require a cable modem and the other way round with DSL. The modems are specific on the service type. You can rent modems out of your ISP however I don't recommend this while you usually spend a great deal more money within the long term than when you purchase one upfront. Before buying your modem make certain the specific model is sustained by your ISP. In terms of routers, I recommend anything made by Linksys or D-Link. I've worked with at earlier times plus they manage to last. You can select from a wired or wireless modem. Of course if you opt for the cheaper wired modem type, you may have to connect the computers on the network via ethernet cables. Wireless modems thus offer a lot more flexibility and freedom. I personally recommend the Linksys WRT54GL wireless modem. This model is heavily modifiable if you need to get yourself a bit geeky.

Step 3 - Connect the Hardware

What I will be describing right here is the most frequent network setup for home use. First be sure your modem and router are connected and functioning. For cable you will should connect the coaxial cable towards the modem and the power cable to your power source. For DSL modems there'll be a phone jack for you to connect the device line. Next connect an ethernet cable through the modem's ethernet port towards the WAN or "Internet" port on your router. This port will be separate from the others and will generally be on the far left or far right with the unit. Now connect another ethernet cable from one in the free ethernet ports around the router for your computer. You can disconnect this later if you are using a wireless router but it's required for setup. From there you might desire to connect your other computers to the router via additional ethernet cables, however in the event you plan to make use of wireless this is not required.

Step 4 - Configure your Router

This section is where many users run into trouble. Effectively configuring the network is just not difficult however in case you learn how to make use of the router's config page. Make sure things are started up and connected and open your favourite internet browser. In the address bar you are going to now must type a few digits to get into the router's configuration page. For Linksys routers 99% with the time this code is "192.168.1.1". For D-Link routers the code is usually "192.168.0.1". Refer to your router's user manual if neither of these raise up the page. If it is all totally setup properly you'll certainly be greeted using a login requesting for that router's username and password. For most it not exclusively Linksys routers you'll just be necessary to type "admin" to the password field while leaving the username blank. For other routers the treatment depends, thus you ought to consult the consumer manual because of their password. If all adjusted well, you will now have access for the router's configuration page. From here there are many basic things you must do. For cable Internet, there ought to be an option for the main page to decide on DHCP as the router's configuration. 99% from the time you may need to choose that option. From here you might have to place in the Local IP Address. Set it to 192.168.1.1. The subnet mask should fill in automatically in case this doesn't happen devote 255.255.255.0. Save your settings and you're assuming nothing went wrong, your Internet should now work. It may take a little bit of time for it to activate so just be patient. If you chose DSL the process is a little different and easy. Under the drop down in which you chose DHCP for cable, you'll should select PPPOE instead for a DSL connection. From here you'll be forced to devote your DSL service's account. These needs to have gained to you personally from your ISP but if not you are going to should contact them and so they will give you that information. Pop that information in, save your settings and you should be great to visit.

Step 5 - Set up your Wireless Service

You can skip this task if you prefered a wired network. From here there ought to be a radio page inside the router's config. Make sure you enable wireless and select the mixed B/G mode. You will also should set your SSID. This will probably be the category of your network that is going to be visible to you personally and your neighbors. You can choose to hide it in case you like nevertheless it makes things difficult when friends desire to use your wireless. Pick any name for your SSID you want. For the broadcast channel, choose something apart from the default channel in order to avoid interference with networks. Now you are going to need to choose your wireless security type. I recommend WPA2 Personal. At the moment this security type is uncrackable and customarily extremely safe. DO NOT USE WEP. Even an unskilled hacker can crack into a WEP secured network in just minutes. If it asks you for the WPA encryption type choose AES after which enter your password to your router. You can now test the wireless on your current computer or any other on the network by connecting for a SSID and entering your WPA2 password. Congratulations, you've successfully setup your own home network!
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