Setting up a Home Network - Essay Example

Introduction to Computing Table of contents Introduction 3 The Manual 7 Networking Hardware 7 Wi-Fi 10 The working of a Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) 11 Conclusions 14 References 15 Bibliographies 17 Introduction A network is a system through which two or more computers are linked with each other so that resources like printers, files can be shared between them. It also enables electronic communication between them. Computers in a network may be linked with each other through cables, telephone lines, infrared beams or satellite. There are three basic types of network: Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN) and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) (FCIT, n.d.). Local Area Network (LAN) A LAN network is generally confined to relatively small geographical area. The geographical area of a LAN may include schools or buildings that are within a mile. A LAN configuration consists of a main system that is known as the file server and the computers connected to these servers are known as work stations. The file server consists of software that generally controls the network and they can be shared by the computers in the work station. The file servers are generally more powerful that the workstation as they are the ones that controls the network. LANs are generally connected through cables that connect the interface of the network with each computer. A LAN network may vary in size from a few computers to in a single office to many located in several buildings. A LAN may in turn be connected to a larger network also, for example a WAN or a larger LAN. When a LAN is connected to a larger network it has a signal repeater, bridges or routers that can transmits signal from the smaller network to a larger network. The technologies that are used to build a LAN network are diverse in nature. The universal components like the physical media helps to connect the device. An interface connects the computers in a network to the media. Protocols are responsible for transmitting data within a network, where as software acts as an interface between the user and the network. It interprets and helps to administer the services and the network. For a LAN to run management is required and the level of management required to administer a LAN depends on the size of the network (Indiana University, n.d.). The connection speed is generally high and installing the connection is inexpensive, for example the Ethernet or token ring. An Ethernet is generally rated by its speed of transmitting and receiving data. A normal Ethernet has a speed of 10Mbps; where as an Ethernet with a speed of 100Mbps is known as a fast Ethernet. Even higher speed Ethernet like the gigabit Ethernet has a connection speed of 1000Mbps (Indiana University, n.d.). Wireless LANs A LAN network is not necessarily connected by cables. They can also be connected by wireless. In case of a wireless LAN the work station and file servers are connected by means of radio signals, infrared light beams or even lasers. The work station and the files servers have an antenna or a transceiver through which it can receive or transmit data. Telephone technology, microwave transmission and satellites can also be used where the distance between the LAN networks are far. There are two most commonly used infrared technologies in case of wireless LAN. They are line of sight and scattered broadcast. The former technique can only be used when the path between the work station and the file server is straight free of any obstruction. Even if a person crosses over the path between the file server and the workstations the connection will be lost and the transfer of data has to be repeated. Even the laser broadcast works on the same principle. These problems lead to slow down of the wireless network. In case of scattered infrared communication the signal is transmitted to multiple directions which get reflected off the walls and reaches the receivers. The wireless networks are very useful to connect with remote computers. They are also helpful in situations where installing cables are difficult, for example old building. On the other hand the disadvantages of this kind of system are that they have a poor security and are vulnerable to electronic devices. They are also slower than LAN networks that use cables (FCIT, n.d.). Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) The geographical region of a MAN network spreads over a city. The best example of a MAN network is the cable television network. The service not only provides television broadcast but also internet facilities. The MAN system is designed in such a way that the signals are fed into a centralized system known as the head ends from where the signals are distributed to various homes through junction boxes (Tanenbaum, 2002). The restriction of MAN is that it can only be used in large geographical areas. In case of connecting computers within a home MAN network is not suited. Wide Area Network (WAN) It refers to network that covers an even larger geographical area than MAN, for example the United States. Any university located in US can communicate with places as far as Japan without incurring a huge cost through a WAN network. This type of networks has dedicated transoceanic cables and satellites that are used to transmit the signal. It uses communication circuits in order to connect the various nodes. This kind of networks leases communication circuits like the telephone companies or any other communication providers in order to connect and transmit signal. Thus as a result their speed depends upon the service providers that are leased. Their speed varies from 2 Mbps to 625Mbps. The use of WAN is largely global. They form the network for the military, banks, stock brokers, airline reservations and many more (University of Aberdeen, 2001). The Manual In the given situation where parents want to set up three computers in their home without having cables, it is suggested that the computers are connected with each other through a Wireless LAN. They can be also connected through Wi-Fi enable internet to avoid cables trailing all over. FCIT., No Date. Networking Hardware It includes all the hardware starting form computers, peripherals, interface cards that are required for setting up the network. File Servers The file server is considered the heart of the network. It consist of the network interface card that and large amount of storage space. These systems generally have a RAM with large space in order to make them fast. Since this is considered as the mother computer of the network the network operating system needs to be installed in this system. The software applications and the files that are required to be shared are also loaded in the computer. The file server controls the flow of information within the network. It may have to undergo multi tasks at the same time as for example it may be required to send a file to a particular work station at the same time receive data from another workstation. In order to carry out these types of tasks the file server needs to have the following specific requirements. The microprocessor needs to be of a higher speed (800 megahertz) like the Pentium 3 or 4. A hard drive of 120 Gigabite capacity, a CD-RW drive as a back up unit, fast network interface card and a 512 MB RAM are some of the basic requirements of the file servers (FCIT, n.d.). Workstations A computer with any configuration can be set up as a workstation. The only requirement is that it should have a network interface card, networking software and wireless connection through which it can connect to the network. The may not have a disk drive as a back up unite as the information is stored in the file server (FCIT, n.d.). Network Interface cards (NIC) A network interface card enables the connection between the network and the workstation. The NIC are generally fitted inside the system, however they can also be attached externally. A good quality NIC is recommended as it determines the speed of the network. The file server as well as the workstations needs to have this network interface card (FCIT, n.d.). Routers A router helps to transmit information from one network to another. The router is also known as an intelligent bridge as it selects the best path to send and receive a message from the origin to the destination. It avoids collision of information and data that is being transmitted as they can send the information through different routes. The routers are intelligent enough to know that which section of the network is the busiest and as a result they can redirect the data through other routes as a result making data sharing faster. A LAN connection can be connected to the Internet through a router (FCIT, n.d.). Network Operating System NOS or network operating system facilitates the interaction between the various computers connected in a network. It helps in the smooth running of the network. As operating systems like Windows and Linux are used as an interface between a user and the system, NOS coordinates all the activities of the computers in a network (FCIT, n.d.). Wi-Fi The wireless fidelity also known as the Wi-Fi is a process by which devices can be connected with each other without wires. The wireless fidelity is a mechanism through which a system can be connected to the internet by using radio waves. They have lot many advantages over LAN network. The Wi-Fi has four components that constitute the system. They are high speed access, a networking gateway, a wireless network and wireless adapter. The high speed access refers to a broad band internet connection like the ISDN, DSL, satellite or the cable modem. The network gateway is like a gate that filters off unwanted people accessing a particular wireless network. A network gateway's function consists of monitoring the network and authenticating the users that are using the network. A wireless network allows computers within a particular range to connect to each other using high frequency radio waves. The devices can only access the network as long as they are within the range. The wireless device is an instrument that helps a computer to connect to the Wi-Fi network (Ivey et.al., n.d.). The working of a Wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) The Wi-Fi network is generally set up by companies, cafes, hotels and airports, but it can also be set up in a small place like a home in order to connect two or more computers. The wireless network has an antenna which has a range of 300 to 400 feet, which along with a router provide an internet facility. There are three elements of a Wi-Fi network, a router, Wi-Fi cards and safeguards. The Wi-Fi card provides an identity to the system by providing an internet address through which a system connects to the internet. These cards can be fitted internally or externally and helps to transmit signal to and fro through the relay system. Safeguards are software like firewalls and anti- viruses that protect the network from unwanted visitors as a result securing the information that are being stored or transferred through the network. Radio waves are the transmitter that enables the Wi-Fi to run. The signals (radio waves) are transmitted from the antennas and the routers and are received by the computers that are fitted with Wi-Fi receivers like the Wi-Fi cards. The Wi-Fi network can only be accessed till the computer is within the range of the network. Once the signal is received, the Wi-Fi card interprets the signal and establishes a connection which may prompt a login. There are hot spots created by the Wi-Fi network all over the world where internet can be accessed systems can be connected to (Ivey et.al., n.d.). However in case to setting up a network within home hotspots are not very useful. In these cases taking a wireless connection is recommended. The major problem faced by Wi-Fi networks is securing the network. Over the years the security of wireless internet has undergone a lot of transformation. In the year 2002 a major break through in wireless security was achieved by the introduction of WPA or the Wi-Fi protected Access. The WPA is an upgraded version of the WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) which was previously used in terms of better encryption. Apart from the technological advancements included in WPA it is also much simpler to install. The WPA is of two types, ones which are used by the large institution and companies are known as Enterprise and secondly the ones that are used by the home users are termed as Personal. Later in the year 2004 a newer version of the WPA was introduced known as the WPA2, which is a much improved version of the previous technology. The overall characteristics remained the same with encryption of the data being further improved to AES (Advanced Encryption Standards). The WPA2 version also has two versions as the WPA, one for the corporation and the other for home users. The complexities involved with the WPA2 are that it requires hardware up gradation for wireless LANs. The WPA products are compatible to WPA2 version, as a result they can be upgraded, but the original WEP versions are no longer compatible. Some other general precautions that can be taken in order to secure a wireless network apart from WPA and WPA2 are: The default information of the wireless router should be changed. This is necessary as hackers gain access to computer information through this default information. The password of the wireless network should be a strong one to prevent the hackers from getting access in to a particular system. Firewalls should be uploaded in the computers in order to monitor and control the traffic that is coming in and out of the computer. Anti-Viruses are a must, and updating the antivirus software is an important precaution as new viruses and worms are being constantly generated as a result an older version may prove ineffective. File sharing should be turned off when information is not being shared. Keeping the file sharing on, may result in hackers gaining easy access to important and sensitive files. (Ivey et.al, n.d.). Conclusions Setting up a home network with three computers is not a very difficult task. With the right equipments and some basic knowledge about networking that has been discussed in the manual, it is quite easy to connect three computers in a home without having wires. The basic idea of having a wireless connection is the clumsy appearance of wires trailing thorough out the house. Thus a Wi-Fi enabled network would satisfy the requirement. For setting up a Wi-Fi enabled connection, the basic requirements are three wireless device, a router and Wi-Fi cards. The Wi-Fi cards needs to be fitted to each computer and a wireless network needs to be set up by installing the software. The three computers will connect to each other through the wireless internet connection once the network has been set up. Also security of the wireless network is of prime importance. A WPA or WPA2 system can be installed in the within the network to provide adequate security. The guidelines stated in the manuals can prove to be helpful in creating a safe home network. References FCIT., No Date. What is networking' Florida Center for Instructional Technology. [Online] Available at: http://fcit.usf.edu/NETWORK/chap1/chap1.htm [Accessed on 11 Aug]. FCIT., No Date. Wireless LANs. Florida Center for Instructional Technology. [Online] Available at: http://fcit.usf.edu/NETWORK/chap4/chap4.htm [Accessed on 10 Aug]. FCIT., No Date. What is Networking Hardware' Florida Center for Instructional Technology. [Online] Available at: http://fcit.usf.edu/NETWORK/chap3/chap3.htm#FileServers [Accessed on 10 Aug]. FCIT., No Date. What is a Network Operating System' Florida Center for Instructional Technology. [Online] Available at: http://fcit.usf.edu/NETWORK/chap6/chap6.htm Accessed on 10 Aug]. Ivey, D., Jones, K., Easterly, D. & Benford, M., No Date. Wi-Fi Technology. [Online] Available at: http://webpages.uah.edu/'iveyd/ [Accessed on 9 Aug]. Indiana University., No Date. What is a LAN (local area network)' University Information Technology Services. [Online] Available at: http://kb.iu.edu/data/aesx.html [Accessed on 11 Aug]. Indiana University., No Date. What is the difference between a LAN, a MAN, and a WAN, and what is a LAN connection' University Information Technology Services. [Online] Available at: http://kb.iu.edu/data/agki.html [Accessed on 11 Aug]. Tanenbaum, A. S., 2002. Computer networks. 4th Ed. Prentice Hall. University of Aberdeen, 2001. Wide Area Networks (WANs). University of Aberdeen. [Online] Available at: http://www.erg.abdn.ac.uk/users/gorry/eg3567/intro-pages/wan.html [Accessed on 9 Aug]. Bibliographies Bagad, V.S., No Date. Computer Networks. Technical Publications. Buchanan, W., 1996. Applied data communications and networks. Springer Elahi, A., 2000. Network communications technology. Cengage Learning. Forouzan, B. A., 2003. Data Communications and Networking. 3 Ed. McGraw-Hill Professional, Freer, J. R., 1996. Computer communications and networks. 2 Ed. Taylor & Francis. Washington University., No Date. Networking Trends and Their Impact. Washington University. [Online] Available at: http://www.cse.wustl.edu/'jain/cis788-99/h_3trn.htm [Accessed on 9 Aug]. Read More