The Basics:  Home Network Devices

Just a few short years ago, home network devices were rather simple. With the help of a direct connection cable, hub or Ethernet router, you could connect two or more computers for sharing peripherals, files or an internet connection, or even for some head-to-head gaming. These are still the primary reasons for creating a home network, but your configuration options have greatly expanded.

For starters, the world's gone wireless. Most new home networks utilize Wi-Fi, which lets you share a broadband internet connection with devices across your home. We say "devices" because in addition to personal computers, you can also link video game consoles and multimedia equipment. A wireless hub, or Wireless Access Point as it is formally known, looks essentially the same as a wired one. It might sport Ethernet ports for directly connecting computers in the same room, but it also has an antenna that lets you send and receive data from the other side of the house.

Portable computers often have wireless cards built in, so they are relatively simple to connect to a Wi-Fi network. On the other hand, PCs and other devices usually require you to purchase a separate card or peripheral. A quick solution is a wireless adapter that plugs into an available USB port. Many vendors sell entire wireless kits that have everything you need to get your home network up and running.

But wireless isn't the only new innovation in home network devices. A new wired format called HomePlug lets your house's power lines serve as the backbone for your home network. That way, you can connect any device to your network as long as there's a power outlet nearby. Similarly, HomePNA (Phoneline Networking Alliance) has developed a protocol that connects devices to your home network via existing phone lines. Just plug in an adapter to a computer's USB or Ethernet port, connect the other end to a telephone jack and you're good to go.

These methods have the obvious advantage over traditional wired networks in that you don't have to lay down any cables, they can be used on multiple floors of a house and they're not as vulnerable to outside access as wireless networks are.

Today, the most common use of home network devices is sharing an internet connection. With the high speeds that an always-on broadband connection can provide, it's perfect for sharing among multiple computers and devices. You can directly link a wireless router to your cable or DSL modem and then connect computers to the internet via the router. This way, you don't need your primary computer to be turned on for other users to work online.

Sharing peripherals and files is another important duty of a home network, but the list of shared items has grown. In addition to printers and scanners, some home network devices allow you to share storage as well. Network storage devices are either built into a network hub or able to connect to one, and they are extremely handy for scheduled backups and sharing large amounts of files across multiple computers.

Home networks also let you share multimedia files with your home entertainment system. If you have an Xbox 360 or a digital media center in your living room, connecting these components to your home network allows you to look at saved photos, listen to digital music and even watch downloaded video on your living room TV.

Keep in mind that you'll need a current operating system on your computer(s) to pull this off. If you have a PC, you'll want at least Windows XP Home edition, if not XP Media Center Edition with all its multimedia bells and whistles. This operating system also lets you watch and record television on your computer, so if you're ambitious, you can create a home network with a digital video recorder (DVR) in your office that lets you watch recorded shows in your living room via your digital media center box.

As with virtually all new technologies, home networks present some security risks of which you need to be aware. A wireless network will likely extend beyond the borders of your home, so other people can see and use it if you don't protect it. Fortunately, wireless home network devices are capable of encryption, requiring a key for anyone to be allowed onto the network. This prevents unwanted users from piggybacking on your connection.

The most common encryption built into wireless home network devices is Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP). This is fairly easy to set up, but it has also been shown to be relatively easy to infiltrate as well. That's why newer devices often feature Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), a stronger standard that has a "Personal" setting that allows you to implement passwords for local users.

Another security measure to look for in home network devices is a built-in firewall. A firewall is a software program or hardware device that shields you from nefarious internet users. Windows XP with Service Pack 2 has its own software firewall built in, but it's also helpful to get a router or hub with a hardware firewall. The main idea behind a home network is sharing, be it peripherals, files or a connection, but you must ensure you aren't sharing with just anyone.

How to Shop

If you're starting a home network from scratch, it's a good idea to look for starter kits that include all the components you'll need. Most vendors offer both wired and wireless starter kits, with HomePlug and HomePNA kits available as well. Just make sure that all the devices you'll need are part of the kit. If you have some components already, consider forgoing a starter kit and instead completing the setup piecemeal, as this will likely prove less expensive.

Wireless networks support different protocols, and this may get somewhat confusing. The number 802.11 is the standard for Wi-Fi connectivity, and the letter after the number indicates the wireless protocol. The "B" protocol (802.11b) is still the most common, but G (802.11g) and A (802.11a) are catching up, and N is also newly available. B supports speeds up to 11 megabits per second (Mbps), while A and G support speeds up to 54Mbps.

The B and G protocols both transmit at 2.4GHz, while A operates at 5GHz (which can result in less interference with other devices such as cordless telephones). In addition, many wireless hubs support multiple protocols. Obviously, you must make sure that your central hub and other home network devices support the same protocol.

If you're expanding a home network, it's not a bad idea to stick with the same vendor on which your current setup is based. A wireless router from one vendor will work with a wireless adapter from another vendor (as long as they both support the same protocol), but you'll likely experience fewer configuration problems if they're from the same manufacturer.

Unless you need the latest encryption protections of WPA or the high speeds of 802.11g and 802.11a, you can save some money by utilizing an "older" wireless networking kit. 802.11b still offers speeds faster than most broadband connections can provide, so you won't notice any slowdowns.

Setting up a home network can still be a fairly complicated task, but with the latest updates to Windows XP and the appropriate home network devices, you can have a wired or wireless network that lets you share files and peripherals as well as get your entertainment equipment online.