So far, if you have been following the course, you should have an idea of some of the hardware that goes into creating a network, namely:

• Network interface cards
• Switches
• Routers
• Wireless Access Points
• Print servers

Going to the store to pick out your equipment can be a little confusing. Usually, you’re looking at a bunch of boxes each promoted to be the best thing and it is hard to tell the difference. Well, I’m going to help you out as much as I can.

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Network Adapter

Each computer that will be on your home network must have a network card, also known as a NIC (Network Interface Card). The network card must have an Ethernet interface. Ethernet looks similar to a phone jack, except that it is larger.

Any new computer bought today comes with a built-in Ethernet NIC. If any one of your computers does not contain a NIC, one can be purchased at your local computer store usually for fewer than twenty dollars. NIC’s are not expensive.

Above: NIC with Ethernet interface

The NIC pictured above is your standard PCI expansion card. It would be installed into your PC just as you would install any other expansion card into your PC. Almost all NICs use the PCI interface.

There are other types of NICs available for different applications. There are USB network adapters available. They will work on any computer which has a USB interface. They are convenient as well. I would recommend using this on a USB 2.0 interface (most modern computers use USB 2.0). The original USB 1.1 interface may limit your network traffic speed due to its bandwidth limitations.

For notebook computers, you have CardBus network adapters that will plug into the CardBus slot on the side of your machine. These are ideal for laptops that do not already have wireless networking built into it. Also, if your laptop does not already have wireless built in, chances are it is an older unit that may not have USB 2.0. USB 1.1 is too slow to take full advantage of Fast Ethernet, so CardBus is definitely the best option.

When it comes to wireless networks, you also have the same set of options. You can pick up a PCI card which will provide wireless capability for your desktop computer. When installed, your computer will have a small antenna coming out the back of it. This will put your desktop onto your wireless network, however sometimes you might get some interference issues due to the placement of the antenna (on the back). Since many of us keep our computers on the floor or stacked up against a wall, the placement of the antenna can degrade the signal and keep you from getting a strong connection to your network.

Another option for getting your desktop onto your wireless network is to use a USB wireless adapter. They come in two styles. One looks similar to a USB drive and the entire adapter is on one stick. This is good for notebook machines, although they can be a little fragile because one bump or pull could break the thing by placing too much strain on the USB connector. You can also get an adapter with a small antenna on it that will plug into your computer via a USB cable. There are nice because they are portable and because you have more flexibility on where the antenna goes. You can even Velcro it to the wall if you want.

The adapter choice is a matter of preference and obviously whether you are going wired or wireless.

Switches

I’ve already covered what switches do. Besides that, there is little to discuss. There are really no flavors of switches. They all are boxes with ports on the back. The main thing to consider is how many PCs will be on your network. Get a switch with enough ports to cover your network. Keep in mind, too, that you can stack switches – plugging one switch into another switch to extend your network. When you connect a switch to a switch, you would make use of the Uplink port on the switch.

Routers

More than likely, you will be purchasing a router rather than a switch. This is because most people are interested in connecting their network to the internet. This is the main function of a router: to connect one network to another network. In this case, your LAN to the Internet. However, as I said, all routers have built-in switch functionality. So, by buying a router you are also buying a switch. Additionally, all routers have a firewall built into it. Some routers also combine the functionality of a wireless access point. So, routers today are essentially all of these major networking components in one box.

Above: Ethernet router

In my opinion, your best bet is to buy an all-in-one router which combines all of the above functionality, including wireless access point. This gives you all the speed of a wired network (using the switch built in), but the flexibility of the wireless network if you so choose.

Wireless Access Points

If you buy an all-in-one wireless router, then your network router will work also as an access point for wireless devices. In this case, you’re good to go. However, you can also purchase stand-alone wireless access points in order to provide wireless access to an existing Ethernet network. A stand-alone access point will plug into your network router via a cable, then allow wireless devices to connect to your network. Most access points offer browser-based configuration just like routers.

Print Servers

If you wish to have a network printer (accessible via all computers on your network), you may want a print server. As stated before, a print server can allow your printer to plug directly into the network rather than being plugged into one of the computers on your network. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to wired versus wireless. Additionally, you will need to choose based on the connection method of your printer: parallel port or USB.

In general, wireless print servers are convenient but may not be fast enough for larger print jobs such as color graphics. If you mainly print text documents, wireless will probably be fine. For larger print jobs, you are better off using a wired Ethernet print server so that you have enough network speed to transmit the data to the printer quickly.

Cables

NIC’s requires cables to be inserted in order for them to connect to somewhere. These cables are called “Category Five”, better known as CAT-5 cables. They are much thicker than phone cords and have the larger Ethernet plug on each end.

Above: Category Five Ethernet Cable
(Note: It does not matter what the color of the cable is.)

With the NIC and CAT-5 cable in place, the other end of the cable for each computer need to connect to an Ethernet router.

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