Buying Network Hardware

You need the following hardware to set up your network:

Cabled LAN	Wireless LAN
A NIC for each computer in the network.	A wireless LAN adapter with an antenna for each computer in the network.
A connection among all the computers, most commonly, copper wires, but can also be fiber- optic cable, infrared, radio waves, or deploy a mix of Cabled/Wireless LAN. The amount and type of cable you need depends on the topology you choose for your network.	No cabling is needed.
A hub.	A wireless access point for one computer.

Note  

If you are connecting only two computers and have no plans to add additional computers, you may not need a hub or access point. You can use a crossover cable to connect the two computers. The crossover cable takes the place of a hub and two network cables.

Take inventory of every computer that will be on the LAN. For cabled LANs, check whether they have an RJ-45 jack or built-in wireless adapter. If they do not, make a note of the type of slot each has available-you have to buy a NIC or wireless LAN adapter that fits a slot in each computer. The easiest way to determine slot types is to check the documentation for each computer. PCI slots are most common for desktop computers. Laptops usually have PC Card slots (also called PCMCIA slots) that look like they fit a credit card. Both laptops and desktops may have Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports (a narrow rectangular plug) that may be used for some models of network cards, especially wireless NICs. You may be able to tell what kind of slot your computer has by taking the cover off and looking, and then describing the slot to your local computer store expert. However, it's safer to check your documentation for the type of architecture the motherboard has for each computer that will be on the LAN. You can (and probably will) mix cards of different slot types so long as the network type is consistent.

Networking a SOHO today is easier than it was five years ago because today's Vista Capable desktop and laptop PCs include a NIC as part of the standard specification. Prices for wired and wireless routers and hubs are also dropping, even as SOHO networking vendors add 802.lln and MIMO technologies to their product line-ups.

Buying a Hub

If you've blown out the ports on your SOHO router, you need a hub, a small box with lots of cable connectors. Buy a hub with enough connections for all the computers on your network. You may want a few extra connections, so you can add additional computers or network peripherals like printers to the network later. Hubs are widely available with 4, 8, 16, or 24 ports.

Buying Wireless LAN Adapters and Access Points

If you are planning a wireless LAN, decide whether you need the cheaper and more popular 802.llg Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi adapters are available as PCI cards (for desktop computers), PC Cards (for laptops), or USB (for desktop or laptop computers). We've had good luck with all three, but as a general rule, the larger the antenna on the adapter, the greater its range. An infrastructure wireless LAN needs one access point (base station) as its hub. An access point costs around $100 and each computer's wireless LAN adapter costs from $50 to $80.

Buying Ethernet Cable

For a standard cabled Ethernet network, you need twisted-pair or Cat-5 cable (as shown in Figure 29-1). The ends of these cables have RJ-45 connectors, which look like telephone cord connectors (the ones that plug into a telephone wall jack) but are about twice as big. When using twisted-pair cable, plug one end of each cable into a NIC installed in a PC and plug the other end into the hub that's at the center of the star topology.

A general rule is not to run a cable more than 150 meters between computers (although the actual specifications for different types of cable in different types of networks maybe greater). If you are connecting computers that are not close to each other, you need to do some research on how to create a network over medium distances.

To determine how much cable you need, decide where you are going to place the hub, and then measure from each computer to the hub's location. Remember to allocate extra cable to go around furniture and out of the way of office traffic, and add some slack to allow you to move the computer around-like pulling it away from the wall for repairs .

Note  

When you buy your cable, remember to string it so that people don't trip over the cable. Measure carefully and allow extra-you can always hide cable that's too long. If your cable is too short, you'll have to go shopping again.