Building a Simple Network

Sharing an Internet Connection
If you already have access to the Internet from one computer on your
network, you can share that Internet connection with other computers on the
network. Then all the computers on your network can browse the Web at the
same time, using this single Internet connection.
Networking Components
To network computers together, you need to install networking hardware and
software. Every network includes these three components:
􀂄 The computers that are connected together. Computers and similar
devices are called nodes when connected to a network.
􀂄 The networking hardware that connects the computers together,
including hardware installed in your computer, network cables, and
devices that connect all the cables together.
􀂄 Networking software that runs on each computer and enables it to
communicate with other computers on the network.
Networking Hardware
Here is the networking hardware you need to set up a small network:
􀂄 Network adapter cards: expansion cards that provide the physical
connection between each computer and the network. The card installs
into a slot on your computer, just like a sound card or modem card.
Some newer computers have a network adapter already built into the
system. Laptop computers often use a card that slides into a PC card
slot.
Chapter 1: Introduction to Networking 5
Figure 1.5 Network Adapter Card
􀂄 Network hub: the central connection point for network cables that
connect to computers or other devices on a network. The hub has
several network cable jacks or ports that you use to connect network
cables to computers. The hub contains circuitry that enables each
computer to communicate with any other computer connected to
the hub.
Figure 1.6 Network Hub
􀂄 Network cables: special, unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cables used
to connect each computer to the hub. The cable you need is Category
5 UTP cable with a square plastic RJ-45 connector on each end.
6 Building a Simple Network
Figure 1.7 Network Cable with RJ-45 Connector
All the networking hardware described here is known as Ethernet.
Ethernet is the industry-wide standard for computer networks. Standard
Ethernet networks transmit data at 10 million bits per second (Mbps).
A newer Ethernet standard, called Fast Ethernet, transmits data at 100 Mbps.
Computer networks often contain a mixture of 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps
devices.