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"Peer to peer" networking is about as simple as computer connections can get.
   technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

How to connect home and small office computers with a simple network


Nov. 24, 1999

By Al Fasoldt
Copyright ©1999, Al Fasoldt
Copyright ©1999, The Syracuse Newspapers

   Computers connect to other computers all the time. Anyone who's ever logged onto the Internet already knows this.
   Then how come we all seem to have a hard time doing the same thing with our computers at home or at a small office? After all, logging onto the Internet means connecting to computers that might be far away, yet we do it without thinking. Can't we do the same sort of thing with a computer in the next room?
   We sure can. It's easy and it's cheap. It's also full of little gotchas. So come along with me and we'll look at the right way to get personal computers to talk to each other. And I'll also explain how you can get all the personal computers in your home or office -- PCs, Macs or "other" -- to connect to the Internet through just one Internet connection. You'll see how they can all be on the Internet at the same time, too.
   Personal computers have been around for a long time -- since the late '70s, in fact. But until lately they've been so expensive that owning just one computer was a big sacrifice for many families. And, of course, a lot of people who wanted computers couldn't afford them at all.
   But prices have been dropping fast. You can buy a fast PC these days for $800 or less, and you can get a Macintosh for only a few hundred dollars more. The Mac has more things as standard equipment, so don't assume that Macs are more expensive. (You could argue that they're cheaper to own because they need fewer repairs.)
   These price reductions are wimpy compared to what's ahead, however. Within six months prices will drop to as little as $300 for a basic PC, and Mac prices are likely to come down, too.
   This means many families will be able to afford more than one personal computer, just as most of us have more than one telephone. And it puts even more importance on connecting those computers so they can talk to each other -- so they can share the same files or programs, for example. Small offices will get an even bigger benefit, because a lot of the work that goes on in smaller offices just can't be done without computers, and cheaper computers mean big savings for small businesses.
   Connecting computers together so they can talk to each other -- in the bits and bytes of computer language, of course -- is called networking. In the bad old days of personal computing, drives and programs cost so much that everybody looked at networking as a way to save money. You'd store all your important files and programs on one computer and reach across a wire to get at them from another computer -- or from a dozen other computers.
   That kind of sharing is called "client-server" networking. "Client" means the computer that needs help, and "server" meaning the computer that has all the stuff the client needs. Client-server networking is what the big places use, in banks and large companies, for example. But homes and small offices don't need this fancy kind of networking. We have our own kind, and it works just fine. Homes and small offices have computers that are equal in status. They don't have "clients" and "servers." Every computer at home (or all two of them, if you have a typical modern middle-class family) are "peers," in other words. And so networking for homes and small offices is called "peer-to-peer networking."
   "Peer to peer" networking is about as simple as computer connections can get. You run a wire from Computer A to Computer B and diddle with the settings on each computer and that's just about all you do. The only other necessary step is making sure each computer has the right network device under the hood. Something that isn't strictly required is a small plastic box with blinking lights called a hub.
   One more thing: Clever companies have come up with all kinds of non-standard ways to connect computers, but I stay away from things like that until they're proven. So I'm concentrating on the standard way to do networking, called Ethernet.
   Here's what you need, step by step:
   Hookup wire: The wire you need is like a heavy duty version of telephone wire. The connectors on each end even look like they graduated from telephone-wire school -- they're fatter and stronger but look the same. There are fancy names for computer networking wire based on an alphabet-soup kind of naming method, but don't even bother learning them; just go to a computer store and say you want to buy Ethernet cable to connect computers together. You want the round kind, which is the most common anyway, and you should get more more than you think you need. (Why? Because you have to snake the cable behind desks or chairs and couches, so you lose half the length just getting from here to there.)
   Network interface cards: These are the devices PCs need to do networking. Each computer needs one. (Many newer Macs already have them. Check before you head to the store.) Save yourself some embarrassment at the store and learn to call them by their natural name, "Nics." (Pronounce it "Nicks.")
   So you will be shopping for a NIC for every computer. Take my advice and refuse to pay more than $24 for a NIC. Some companies think buyers are dimbulbs and try to charge $60 or more for a NIC, but you should be able to find real bargains if you look. There's no evidence that expensive ones do a better job than cheap ones, so try to find ones that sell for $12 or so. If you're shopping for a card for a Mac (and you're sure the Mac doesn't have one already installed), go to a Macintosh dealer, not to a regular computer store. Mac cards cost more than PC ones in most cases.
   Network interface cards are circuit boards (cards, in other words) that slide into slots on the inside of the PC. Installing a card in a PC is about as hard as putting gas in your car, so don't shy away from it. You just turn the PC off and unplug it, then take off the PC's cover. Look for a free slot, unscrew rthe back cover for that slot and slide in the card. Newcomers usually don't realize they're supposed to press VERY hard on the card to get it to slide in, so go ahead and push. But be sure you hold the part you're pushing against with your fingers so you don't bend anything.
   When you put the top back on and get the PC back to life, Windows usually sticks a message on the screen telling you it found something new. At this point, follow the directions that came with the card. Chances are you won't need to do much, but some cards require more help getting Windows to work properly with them. Do whatever the instructions say.
   If you're installing a NIC in a Macintosh, follow the directions that came with the card. Mac installation is very easy, but you need to pay attention to the sequence listed in the instructions.
   Installing on a PC running Linux starts out the same as a PC running Windows -- you put the card into the PC exactly the same way -- but getting Linux to realize you've added a network card takes a few more steps. Web sites that specialize in Linux are easy to find on the Internet, and they usually tell you where to go for help. A guide to installing network cards is available, too.
   Hub: Some stores will say you don't need a network hub (costing $40 to $60), and that's true as far as it goes. But that's like saying your car doesn't need a spare tire. As long as you don't have a flat, you're OK -- but who'd want to take a chance of being stranded? Likewise, if you will ever add a cable modem or wire up other computers to your network, a hub makes it all very simple. (You just plug the new cable into the hub.)
   So get a hub. Usually a five-port hub (one that lets you plug five wires into it, in other words) is fine for a home, but offices should get an eight-port hub at the minimum. You can plug one hub into another when you start running out of connections, turning two eight-port hubs into one 15-port hub. (No, computers don't have a hard time adding 8 plus 8; you get 15 instead of 16 because one of the connections is used to daisy-chain the second hub to the first.)
   That's all there is to the connecting part. I've left out all the software configuration because that's usually described in the instructions that come with the card. Basically, Windows does a good job of choosing what you need when it helps you install the software, and Macs do a fine job too. Instructions for Linux PCs cover this well, also.
   Your new network will have a huge bonus as soon as you get it working. Any PC on the network that has a printer attached to it will become a popular item, because all computers on the network will be able to use that printer. Under Windows, just double click the Network Neighborhood icon and find the icon for the printer you want to use. Double click that icon and Windows will ask if you want to use that printer. This is even easier on Macs, and is simple on Linux PCs if you use the excellent Red hat printer manager software.
   Another bonus: If one of the PCs on your network has an Internet connection -- whether through a modem or by cable -- all the other computers on the network can get onto the Net through that single connection. This works very well. The computer with the connection needs a small program, but the others just access the Internet as if it were part of the network.
   My favorite program for handling this is Nshare. You can read more about Nshare at my Web site. Go to http://twcny.rr.com/technofile/ and use the search engine. Type "nshare" without quotes. Be sure to look at the other articles, too.