How To Network 2 Computers

5th EDITION 2008

Build Your Own Computer Network For Home or Office

MicroDIY Section Description

Page

Introduction Brief overview of a computer network, what they are and how they work

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1

Quick Network Guide How to plan your network layout with basic details of network wiring

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2

Choosing Your Hardware Description of each component used to build a peer-to-peer network using Hubs/Switches, NIC adaptors and CAT5 cable.

8

3

Putting it Together - Wired Detailed step-by-step instructions on how to put your network together.

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4

Setting-Up your Network (Wired) Setting up your network and how to configure each computer.

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5

Putting it Together - Wireless Detailed step-by-step instructions on how to configure your wireless network

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6

Firewall Settings Check your firewall settings to allow other Computers to connect correctly

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Appendices

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There are a great many suppliers of networking hardware. Dabs.com have an excellent range of networking hardware which means everything you need is under one roof and you get great after sales service.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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MicroDIY

Introduction

You might already have given the idea of setting up a home computer network some thought, but never really had the information or the know-how of where to start. So, before you go out and start spending that hard earned cash, spend a little time planning what you want the network to do and how the network functions. There are a great many books available on the subject of computer networks. Some are rather good, but finding the right book which concentrates on putting a network together without all of the technical stuff is difficult. So why is there a lot of technical jargon to go with a computer network? To answer that we need to understand that the computer industry and companies that use networks to link all of their computers together need to have a lot of control over how the computers and their users can access the network. That level of control means that the network administrators who monitor and control network traffic can do so with predictable results. However, if you are using any of the windows operating systems, you can set up a home network right away for free with no extra costs involved other than the hardware. We do not need to get into the really technical stuff to get a home network up and running which will give us the ability to share files and Internet etc quite easily. Even then, you may be surprised to learn that many of the latest motherboards already come equipped with a network connection as standard. To set up a home network that can be used for sharing files; Internet access and printers or playing computer games that support the LAN function (play Command and Conquer with dad either against each other or both of you against the computer is great fun), is easy if you build the network based upon the peer-to–peer network. This booklet explains in as simple terms as possible how to put together a computer network suitable for your home or small office. This means, that each computer will remain as an ordinary computer which will work either by itself or can send and receive files with the other computers sharing the same network. I will try to keep the technical stuff to a minimum and also use full colour illustrations throughout to show you what is required and how to put the parts together, where to find the bits that you may need and what to lookout for. To help guide you to what type of network you require, various network layouts are illustrated along with component requirements shown for each in the Appendices

Web Links. http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/home/

http://www.dabs.com/

http://www.rapidonline.com/

http://www.cclonline.com/

http://www.maplin.co.uk/

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© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

Section 1 Quick Network Guide 3 Basic Steps -

1. Check room layout 2. Laying any cables 3. Plugging In

Quick Network Guide

MicroDIY

STEP 1 Check room layout Planning your computer network before you buy all the necessary parts is a good idea, as this could save time and money wasted on postage and having incompatible network hardware. First, you are best off using some graph paper to do a scale diagram of where you plan to install your network. Using 1 centimetre to represent 1 metre of actual size,you can then draw a layout of your home or small office to scale - accurately! This way, cable lengths can be easily determined. There is nothing worse than buying a quantity of cable only to find you are a few metes short and then have to buy yet more cable (its easier to cut a bit off than trying to add a bit on). For wireless networking you don’t need any cables, so it may only require plugging the parts together. In this example shown below, we have two computers which are networked together using cable to share files and play network games etc. No Internet connection is used for this simple basic network. To help you to decide what networking components you will need will depend upon the type of network layout you want, so have a look at the typical network layouts to help you choose see Appendices 1. This basic computer network is based on NETWORK LAYOUT 1. Please have a look at the other Network Layouts - see appendices 1- when planning your network. Choose the one which will meet your needs and make a note of the equipment used. The following sections will give you detail network construction techniques and show you how to set up each computer to join a network. Network Switch

Computer A

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Computer B

This basic Layout requires the following network items:i ii iii iv v vi

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One Network Switch A length of CAT5e network cable (shown in green) 3 network patch cables (shown in blue) 2 Belkin or similar single outlet faceplates with 25mm deep Wall Boxes (shown in Red) 2 RJ45 Keystone Jacks Both computer already have network adaptors fitted.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

MicroDIY

STEP 2

Laying network cables The long network cable that connects any remote computers to the network switch can be any thing up to 100 metres long, so you have a lot of scope for the positioning of the computers. You can use the same networking wall boxes as used by the professionals, but you will need some special tooling in order to do this see page 17. This only leaves the problem of laying the cable; fitting the network wall boxes and connecting the network RJ45 Jacks. You can obtain them from the suppliers I have listed As a guide each long network cable will require a network wall box fitted at each end and you will need network patch leads for each wall box.

1. Lay the Network Cable under the carpet

2. Fix the Boxes to the wall. NOTE! Wall Boxes MUST be 32mm deep for professional Faceplates!

RJ45 Keystone Jack

Belkin Faceplate

3. Assemble RJ45 Keystone Jack to Faceplate & secure network cable

+ Special tooling is used to push wires into the terminals and crops the ends at the same time.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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STEP 3

MicroDIY

Plugging all parts together The great thing about a wired computer network, all the parts just simply plug together using the same RJ45 patch leads with connectors fitted . The hardware sorts out which way the the data is sent so you don’t need to worry about which is the input or which is the output and you can choose which port to plug the computer into. Today, we can enjoy the simple fact that all the technical complexity of how network data is sent and received has all been taken care of with these network switches and routers. Wireless seems more difficult by far in comparison.

Netgear GS608 Network switch

RJ45 Patch Lead RJ45 Patch Lead

Power connector

The above illustration is for Layout 1, but believe me, that a wired network is just a matter of plugging the parts together. The only hard part is configuring the computers to talk to each other and again, compared to wireless, it really is not that difficult. Remember, a wireless network must be set up manually if you want a secure network which does require some technical reading first if you want to get it right. Every manufacturer of wireless network hardware uses default settings which expose the network to the outside world, in this respect, BT HomeHub does a better job of making the network secure compared to the other providers. The following sections will deal with each part of a wired and wireless computer network and finish off with how to configure your computers for both - so please read on.

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© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

Section 2 Choosing Your Hardware Hardware Explained -

1. Network Switch/Hub 2. Combined Routers 3. Network Adaptors (wired/wireless) 4. Wireless Access Points 5. Cables & Patch Leads 6. Network Wall Boxes & Faceplate 7. Tooling

Choosing Your Hardware

MicroDIY

1. Network Switch/Hub HUBs - OBSOLETE for Home use

These the simplest of network devices. They collect the data from each of the computers and send the data to all of the other computers on the network - a bit like the HUB of a wheel. The data is radiated out from all the ports. Therefore, data sent to port 1, will be sent to ALL of the ports at the same time. They are really meant for joining computers together via each groups network switch. If there is a problem with your wiring then the hub will detect this and should turn off that particular part of the network. So, it is a type of electronic controller sending and receiving data. It requires no software or programming at all, just plug it in and away it goes - the term used is unmanaged. If you are into games then you must invest in a high speed hub or better invest in a network switch. This is because gamers like instant action where each player's moves are displayed quickly on your screen – you do not want any delay when shooting your opponents! However, these type of networking devices are now going out of favour for home users because of the much cheaper and better performance of the network switches.

4 port HUB Switches – operate differently to a hub. The main difference is that a switch transfers data only to

specific ports. It reads the MAC address of your computers network adaptor and stores it in a table to keep track of where data is sent & received. A good network switch also has an internal memory for storing each network packet in a buffer for when a computer is busy, enabling all the other computers connected to the switch to continue sending and receiving data via the switch. A good network switch will have more memory to store larger MAC address tables and network buffers to improve the overall network performance. Like the Hub, they do not require any programming.

8 port Switch Gigabit Switches 5 port Switch

-

NET6013

38DRWS

64190

A18GB

8 port Switch

-

NET6014

38DSWS

64191

A19GB

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© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

MicroDIY 2. Combined Routers Many of the broadband providers are now providing equipment which can have everything incorporated into one box. These are:-

abcd-

ADSL Modem Router 1 to 2 port Network Switch Wireless Access Point

Some of course only have the first three items which are the basic components needed for a typical home/small office network wanting to share Internet access. The Modem for connecting to the Internet; the Switch for connecting computers to each other and for shared access, which leaves the router. A Router is a mini-computer which does a special job of acting as a gatekeeper to the Internet. The Router listens to the network waiting for a computer to join the network, when it discovers a computer it sends information to the computer which contains details of how it can connect to the Internet. This way, all the computers are invisible to the Internet from the outside. Only when you request a web page does your computer send and receive data from the Internet via the router, otherwise, all internal network traffic is kept secure from the Internet by the Router. If a wireless access point is incorporated, then the same applies,. Your wireless enabled computer will connect to the other computers via the internal switch and access the Internet via the Router acting as a gateway. This does of course mean that anyone that can find your wireless signal can get access to the Internet for FREE AND your computers - dangerous if not set up correctly. More details on how network protocols work will be discussed later.

3. Network Adaptors (wired) These adaptors come in a lot of different types from cheap to expensive. The price depends upon the features available. Remember that these are also used in the network servers found in the big companies networks or school & colleges. All we require are the basic functions to get a really good peer-to-peer network. So you can pick them up for as little as £6 . This is where the planning comes in. Do you need a really fast network for gamers or normal speed found in a small office? The network adaptor shown is a NETGEAR FA311 card. This type of adaptor can be used for standard networks with speeds of 100Mbits/s. This is the speed commonly found today which is good for both gamers and office applications. Gamers like the faster network adaptors providing a network speed measured in Gigabits from adaptors such as the Netgear GA311.

Wake-On-Lan Network Adaptors You can use special network adaptors that can ‘Power-Up’ a computer (provided the computer is still plugged in and power is ‘ON’). This is very useful for something like a computer acting as a server or Firewall - see Smoothwall project. These network adaptors act like the On/Off switch on the front of the computer case. You also need to have a motherboard that supports ‘WOL’ (Wake-On-Lan). This allows the motherboard to accept the signal produced by the network card when it detects network activity on the LAN cable. You may have guessed that the power must still be switched on at the wall socket, as the computer will need to draw a small amount of current to power the network card electronics. © MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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Fitting a network adaptor - Check if you need one FIRST!

MicroDIY

Select an empty PCI slot on your mother board, this also applies to the Athlon 64 motherboards. Make sure your computers power is turned off and secure the network adaptor in place. If you are using a network adaptor which has WOL (Wake On Lan), locate the 3 pin socket and secure in place. You will need to go into the BIOS and ensure that WOL is ENABLED for this function to work. PCI Slot

Code: NET1010

WOL - activated by PCI device as shown here on an ASUS AV7 motherboard.

Before you go out and buy your hardware it would be advisable to first check if you already have these fitted to your computer. To check if your computer already has a network adapter already fitted, use ‘Device Manager’ within Windows XP to see if one is listed. Or, remove the computers side panel and look for a devices look like the one shown below which is a NETGEAR FA312 network card or your motherboard may already have one fitted - Check It Out! Code: NET1010

Tip! You don’t Need an expensive Network adaptor to get a really good network!

Fig.8 Network Adaptor type NETGEAR FA312

This is the network card fitted into a Desk Top PC

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© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

MicroDIY Check Your Computer First! - Does it have a network port? Motherboard edge connectors with LAN port

Wireless Networks - see Layout 3 One of the main reasons for considering a wireless network is for easy access from any location within your home. You need to do a site survey first before you buy your kit as many people have discovered too late that there are problems with the wireless signal range with some types of buildings. The signal range quoted applies to free open space without obstacles. A solid brick house will drop that signal down to a range consisting of two floors (ground and 1st floor), with interference from microwave ovens and wireless telephones adding to the problems of wireless networks.

Network Adaptors (wireless) You can add a wireless network card to your desktop PC using a PCI wireless adaptor. These wireless network cards are becoming cheap with good performance. However, not all makes of wireless adaptors will work with other manufacturers equipment.

4.Wireless Access Points These devices allow you to network your computers without having to drill holes in walls or lay cable under carpets, which all sound great news. The down side is that they are easy to set up, so easy that your neighbour will be able to receive your wireless signal and probably join your network and broadband connection as well. The most secure network is a cable network, as no one can hack into a wired network without cutting into your network cable. They are also more expensive than a cabled network, considering that most computers sold today have a Lan port as standard, not a wireless card. So you will need to buy a wireless adaptor card for each computer you intend to network using a wireless network.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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5. Network Cabling

MicroDIY

When installing a computer network we have a choice of two types of cable specification. It will not be obvious straight away which type of cable to go for and you may just decide to buy the cable with the better specification. In order to be confident that you have selected the right cable for the purpose you have in mind requires a set of rules. Therefore, if the rules are applied correctly, you should always select the right cable. The rules which should be applied to cable selection is as follows: Cost Data integrity Distance between computers

Cost The higher the specification of the cable the higher the price per metre. So, if you are buying a lot of cable, then the overall cost will be much higher. Therefore, if cost is important to you to keep cost down, you may have to sacrifice on the specification and accept a drop in overall performance. If the distance is small between the computers then a cheaper cable will do just as good as the more expensive cable. Unfortunately, this is where experience plays an important factor.

Data Integrity When networking servers to switches (network backbone), you must always use cable of the higher specification as this part of the network must work at the highest speed and efficiency. Dropped packets or network collisions here will harm periods of when computer begin back-ups or database queries etc. Normally, CAT5e will do for the majority of networking and for short network distance under 100 metres even on 1000 Gbit networks. CAT6 is best described as for ‘Mission Critical’ applications or ‘future Proof’ installations.

Distance between computers The further away you are from a network switch the higher the cable specification required to maintain network speed at 1000 Gbits. You are okay to use CAT5e for 1000 Gbits networking, when cable lengths are under 100 metres.

Cable Terminology CAT5e UTP CAT 5 e UTP

= category = revision number (every time they introduce a better specification they go up a digit) = enhanced = Unshielded Twisted Pair

CAT5e = for 10/100/1000 Gbits networks running at 100MHz CAT6 = 10 100/1000 Gbit networks running up to 250MHz

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© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

Network Cable Construction

MicroDIY

Network cables are available from many of the on-line retailers, but some provide better guidance than others. Here are some of the retailers where you will find a good selection of network cables and in various lengths ranging from a few metres to industrial boxed. However, the best retailers to provide both selection and price are shown below.

CAT5e Cable Bend Radius 18 mm 5 mm

Plastic Inner Core CAT6 Cable

Bend Radius 35 mm

8 mm

Please Note - CAT6 cable will break if bend round tight corners! Quick Find Codes CAT5e CAT6

19-8156 19-8160

CAB4039 -

2TSYWS 2TT4WS

21267 -

CW45Y L82AX

23862

RJ-601

Please see on-line retailers web site for cable specification! Patch Leads These are manufactured from flexible wire cores making them very flexible and extremely durable when used in normal handling situations. They are essential when using laptops for connecting and disconnecting on a regular daily basis. They come in many different colours and lengths. The ends of a patch lead are moulded on for extra strength and durability.

Quick Find Codes 1metre Patch Leads

19-8140

CAB4011

18L9WS

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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6. Network Wall Boxes & Faceplates

MicroDIY

Professional Faceplate with RJ45 Keystone Jacks

TYPE 1 These Belkin Faceplates require individual Keystone jacks to fitted. They simply press-fit into the Faceplate - available in single or double gang.

+ Quick Find Codes Single Gang Faceplate Double Gang Faceplate Keystone Jack

=

BELKIN F4E417u

19-8566

CAB4041

2V30WS

-

F4E420uW

19-8568

CAB4040

2V31WS

26856

R6D022AB5

Contact Rapid

CAB4034

2976WS

28551

contx-s-1utp

contx-s-2utp

Included With above

ASSEMBLY Step 1 – Inserting the RJ45 Jacks To assemble your network wall box, does not require any tooling – they simply clip together. On the underside of the Jack is a raised rib which slips inside of the wall box housing whilst hold the jack down at an angle. Then, holding the jack against the ridge – lift upwards to push the jack into the wall box – it is stiff but will Snap into position. Step 2 – Inserting the wires Use the punch down tool to push the wires into the slotted terminals which is the same for all Keystone Jacks. You do not need to strip any of the insulation away from the wires. To prepare the cable ready for assembly – cut approximately 25mm (1”) of the outer sleeve from the cable. Arrange the wires into pairs and place into the slots following the correct colour sequence from the inside of the jack with the ends pointing outwards – see opposite. Using the ‘Push Down Tool’ – complete the connection by pushing the wires all the way down into the slotted terminals and crop the ends of the wires with the cutter tool as shown. When testing of the wiring is complete, the cable can be secured in place using a cable tie.

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MicroDIY TYPE 2 These are very similar to the ones shown above. They are modular in assembly and available in in a range of single to multiple gang configuration. They are supplied pre assembled only from:

+

= Single Gang Faceplate contx-s-1utp

Double Gang Faceplate contx-s-2utp

TYPE 3 These come pre-assembled and are low-profile. They can be assembled into standard UK 25mm Back Box However, the normal Back Box depth is 32mm to allow for the larger modular assemblies of the Connectix and Belkin Faceplates.

Single Gang ONLY

24-0502

You may find other options available if you search the Internet - such as Mini5 also available from Rapind Electronics

RJ45 Connectors (only required if you are going to make up your own patch cables) The cable we will be using is CAT5/6, there are four twisted pairs making 8 wires in total. The connections to the plugs follow the colour sequence - T568B for both ends. You can also obtain coloured boots to finish off the ends.

RJ45 Connectors 10 Pack

24-0415

CAB4036

3TCWWS

28566

JT49D

individual © MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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7. Network Tools You will need some tools to put your wired network together. These are easily obtained and are relatively cheap. Listed here are the main tools that are special to networking other than screwdrivers etc.

MicroDIY

Crimp tool for RJ45 connectors In order to make network patch leads that join all wired network connections together, you will need one of these crimp tools. This type of connection is called an RJ45 connection, which looks like a bigger version of a telephone connector, it has 8 connections/wires. This tool cuts the cable; cuts & removes the outer sheath and crimps the RJ45 connector onto the network cable. The cable is made up so that the connections are connected as shown appendices 3 (all wires go straight through (pin 1-to-pin 1;pin 2 -to-pin 2 and so on)

Punch-Down tool for RJ45 connectors This tool is required to push the network wires into the RJ45 keystone jack connectors. They have a specially shaped end to fit the RJ45 connectors. Some have dual ends: one for punching down and one for trimming the ends of the wires sticking out from the jack. available from Rapid Electronics Tool can be reversed to Enable cable assembly Without cutting ends

RJ45 Network Tester This is an essential tool required to test your network wiring to check if all connections are sound and in the correct position. It is battery operated and scans each connection to test if each wire is terminated correctly.

Quick Find Codes Crimp Tool Punch Down Tool Network Cable Tester

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B-45c Punch Down Tool -

86-0220 19-8300

-

-

19-8126

79221

2V36WS

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

Section 3 Putting it Together - Wired Each STEP Explained - 1. Cable Colour Standards 2. RJ45 Connectors 3. Making a Patch Lead 4. Laying the Cables 5. Mount Wall Boxes 6. Testing 7. Final Network Assembly

Putting it Together - Wired

MicroDIY

1. Cable Colour Standards

The standard for connecting a computer network cable involves following an International cable colour scheme which is shown below. It is very important that the wiring is done following the T568B colouring sequence as shown below.

Many inexperienced network builders do not follow the colour scheme carefully enough and end up with an under performing computer network with data transfer rates down by as much as 60%. This is less to do with the type of network hardware used and more to do with poor network wiring. Where they go wrong is forgetting that data to be transmitted is on one pair and data received is on an other pair of wires.

Computer

First Pair

Network Switch

RJ45 Network Adaptor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

TX Data +ve 1 TX Data -ve 2 Rec Data +ve 3

4 5 Rec Data -ve 6 7 8

Rec Data +ve Rec Data -ve TX Data +ve

TX Data -ve

Second Pair Note! - Cable colours are kept in their 'COLOUR PAIRS' for data transmission in order to reduce electrical noise. Therefore, network cables have FOUR TWISTED PAIRS: - Orange wires twisted together - Blue " " " unused - Green " " " - Brown " " " unused Data transmitted on connections 3 & 6 MUST BE ON THE SAME COLOUR PAIRED WIRES!

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MicroDIY 2. Wiring a RJ45 Connector Here you can see that pins 3 & 6 are placed upon the GREEN twisted pair of wires to ensure data is carried without interference. You may be forgiven if you thought that you could simply dispense with the colour code and wirer each connector with all the colours kept in sequence. This would result in the computers network adaptors ‘Received. data’ connections being split across two twisted pairs ‘Blue and Green’. This would result in the data sent to the computer would almost certainly be poor due to extreme interference. When reading the forums you’ll find many people complaining that they do not get very good results with such & such make of network adaptor card. Their poor network speed is more to do with bad wiring and less to do with the make of network adaptor used.

Orange Pair

Green Pair

Look carefully at this enlarged view of a RJ45 network connector and you’ll see why the colours are placed in this unique order to keep data flowing without loss of performance on the Orange & Green twisted cable pairs.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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3. Making the Cable Connections

MicroDIY

Making your own patch leads is really quite simple. It also enables you to make each patch lead the exact length you require. The parts are easy to obtain from the suppliers listed and are reasonably cheap. To make your own patch leads you will need the following: RJ45 8 - way connector (CCL Computers Pt No. - CAB4035 25 Pack) Cat5e network cable (CCL Computers Pt No. - CAB4039 - 76.2 Metre - 250 feet) Plastic boot (Rapid Electronics Pt. No. - 24-0730 Red) Network crimp tools (CCL Computers Pt. No - CAB4037)

Steps 1 2

3 Quick Guide - Patch Lead Construction

Step 1 – Remove outer sheath from the CAT5e cable You need to remove approximately 18 to 20mm of the plastic outer sheath from the cable and then place a coloured boot onto the cables. Arrange the coloured twisted wires into pairs (they should match up as coloured pairs with solid and stripped matching colours). Once you can identify each of the wires colours, carefully arrange the wires so that they are placed in the correct order for T568B. Push the connector onto the cable as shown. (lug face downwards)

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MicroDIY

Step 2 – Crimp connector onto the cable

Check the connector carefully before you crimp it (you only have one go at it, it cannot be un-done). If you look closely at the end of the connector you should be able to see if the wires have ALL been pushed fully home (the ends should be visible through the clear plastic end of the connector). The crimp tool applies the correct pressure to make the contacts grip the wires and clamp the cable. CCL Computers - CAB4037

Step 3 – Push the coloured Boot over the crimped connector It is advisable to use different coloured boots to cover the connectors as it makes identification of the network cables much easier and gives that professional touch to your handy work.

Maplin Electronics - Coloured Boots: CF96E

Making your Own Cross-Over Cable - Simple! If you want to network your computers using just a cross-over network cable, this is simple. Using the above techniques you simply make your network cable with each end using the two cable colour standards like this:

One End - T568B

T568B

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The other End - T568A 3 6 1 4 5 2 7 8

T568A

Now you have a cross-over network cable. This will join ONLY TWO computer together without using a network Hub or Network Switch. It is a very cheap way of getting a network set-up. However, this type of network setup is not very reliable.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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4. Laying the Network Cables

MicroDIY

Once you have bought all your network parts or obtained them as a kit, you are ready to begin to build your network. Follow the steps below to get your home network up and running. Only two computers are shown here but you could have as many computers as there are network ports on your Network Switch.

Layout 1 ROOM A

ROOM B

Computer 1

Computer 2

Network Switch or Hub

Network Patch Lead (ends fitted with RJ45 connectors)

STEP 1 - Planning

Wall Boxes with Faceplates & Keystone Jacks

Using the plan of the room you made earlier, check you have all the network outlet boxes in each room next to each computer. Network Switch Computer A

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Computer B

STEP 2 - Lay Cable Lay the cable under the carpet or fasten to the skirting board if you prefer.

STEP 3 - Connecting Patch Leads Have your patch cables ready or make them yourself. You will need screws and wall plugs ready to mount the wall boxes. Remember - Lay your cables first before you install the adaptor(s), because you will need to connect the adaptors to the Switch/Hub before you boot the computers to ensure they are correctly detected.

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MicroDIY Step 1 - Drill Wall

5. Mounting the back-box to the wall

Drill the wall and plug each hole to mount the box or alternatively, you could simply use double sided tape to fix the the box to the wall. Make sure you feed the cable through the box before you begin to attach the cables to the RJ45 keystone jacks.

Step 2 – Insert the RJ45 Keystone jacks into Faceplate This will depend upon which manufacturer you go for. However, they both assemble in similar manner. You need to clip the keystone jacks into the faceplate using spacers if required which will depend upon how many jacks are to be inserted.

Belkin

Connectix

Step 3 – Insert the cable into the RJ45 Keystone Jacks Each RJ45 jack will have the colour code adjacent to each of the terminals so there is no problems with identifying which wire goes where. Using the specials Punch-Down tool, use the none clipping end to push the wires into the terminal. This will allow you to check the wiring BEFORE you trim the ends sticking out. Lay the wire so that they point outwards with the cable laying in the middle ready for a cable tie to clamp the cable in place.

Cable Colour Printed onto Keystone Jack

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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6. Testing the Network cable connections

MicroDIY

STEP 1 - Testing Cable Wiring You will need one of these network cable testers to check ALL your network wiring at each end of your network cable including any patch leads that you make. The tester has two parts which allow a socket to connect a short patch lead that can be inserted into each of your wall boxes as shown below. MAKE SURE THAT THE CABLES ARE NOT ATTACHED TO ANY NETWORK SWITCHES OR ADAPTORS AS DAMAGE WILL RESULT DURING TESTING. The LEDs should flash IN SEQUENCE 1 to 8 and continue repeating until switched off. Any fault would be indicated as an LED not lighting up (broken connection), or flashing out of sequence (wirers connected to wrong terminal).

Room A

Room B

Note - No other cables are attached!

Network Wall Boxes

Network Cable from room to room

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© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

MicroDIY Step 2– Trim wire ends Once all the testing is complete you can now finish off your wiring by trimming the wire ends. The Punch down tools should have a reversible tool which has one end for trimming. Use this trimming cutter to cut off the excess wire sticking out from the keystone jack.

Trimming Cutter

Punch down end

A - Trim the wire ends Place the trimming cutter facing outwards and push downwards to trim the ends flush with the keystone jack.

B- Clamp cable in place with a cable tie Make sure the cable is secured to the keystone jack as any movement could dislodge the wires from the connectors. Remember, if you are expecting data speeds of 1Gigbits/sec cable and wire connection integrity is very important

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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7. Final Network Assembly

MicroDIY

Install the network adaptors into each computer in turn (see Section 2 page 11). Do not switch anything on at this stage. Have a break (and come back to the job after a while and recheck all of your work against your plan). If you have used adaptors with WOL, make sure you have connected the WOL lead to the correct socket on your motherboard - check it now!

In Room 1 1st computer has network adaptor fitted in last PCI slot (or it may already be fitted – check it now!) patch lead is connected to port number one on the Network Switch and reaches the computers network adaptor - check it now! – now inset the patch lead into the adaptor - okay 2nd patch cable is connected to port number two on the Network Switch and reaches the wall box with the long network wiring leading to the second computer - connect patch lead to this wall box.

In Room 2 2nd computer has adaptor fitted in last PCI slot (or it may already be fitted – check it now!) now insert the other patch cable into the wall box (room 2) and it reaches the adaptor of the second computer – now insert the patch lead into the 2nd computers adaptor – (all network cables are now connected)

Power On & Testing! Switch on the Network Switch – only the power LED should light-up …. okay (a rapid flashing LED usually indicates a fault, either incorrectly wired or bad connection - check all connections particularly any patch leads you may have made) DO NOT proceed until all faults have been corrected. Leave the Network Switch switched on and Boot the first computer see Network set up -follow the on-screen wizard along with the manufacturers instruction that came with the adaptor to install the driver …. okay o the Network Switch should indicate that computer 1 is active with a green/Orange LED next to port number 1 is ON - colour of the LED indicates the LAN speed (Green Max LAN speed: Orange Lower LAN speed). Leave the first computer switched on and Boot the second computer. Follow the same as above and install the driver. The Network Switch should also indicate that the second computer is now active and indicate this with a green LED next to the port and may also indicate the speed. That’s it, you have successfully built your home network. All that’s required now is to configure the network. Section 4 covers setting-up of your network. Q. Why not just install the network adaptors into the computer before you start? Well, you must remember that the adaptor may not be activated correctly without a network signal from the Network Switch making the driver installation more difficult, this was a problem unique to Windows 95/98, no problems should be en-counted with Windows XP

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Section 4 Setting-Up your Network (Wired) Network Settings -

1. Computer Network Settings 2. Computer Network Identification 3. IP address table 4. Network Protocols 5. Internet Sharing 6. Installing Broadband

1. Setting-Up your Network (Wired)

MicroDIY

When you have completed your computer network wiring, all that is required now is to set up each computer on the network so you can share; files; printers and broadband Internet connection. The main problem that everyone encounters for the first time when installing a computer network, is they assume there is nothing else left to do other than switching on their computers. You would be forgiven if you thought that each computer can simply send data down the network cable and expect the other computers to receive the data. That is the problem, each computer will not be able to ‘see’ the other computers nor will they be able to share files or anything else without the correct network settings. You will not be able to play network games either until you have made some important changes to these network settings. If you have invested in a package such such as BT HomeHub, then skip this section as the Hub will do these settings for you. Computers need to be ‘informed’ how to connect to the other computers on the network. So, we need to be clear as to what we are actually trying to do, the following may help to illustrate this point:

Layout 1- shows two computers joined together and connected by a Network Switch using patch leads. We know they are joined electrically, so why can’t they ‘see’ each other? Well, the answer is, they both use very strict network rules by ‘default’ to ensure you only ‘see’ the computers you are meant to see. So when the network rules are applied this is what happens: 1. Each computer will wait for approximately 11 minutes just listening to the network for signs of network traffic from other computers (well actually, they are waiting for signs of a server telling them what to do) - so nothing happens. They both wait and neither hears anything. 2. When they both decide to activate their network connections after 11 minutes, they both use the default settings provided by the operating system - which will be the same as they both use the same rules. This also applies to ALL Windows operating systems. So now they will conflict with each other as they both have the same network settings. When this happens they will both ‘turn off’ their network connections to prevent further conflicts and record the ‘bad’ settings ready for the next attempt when they reboot. So, they both reboot and, again they both default to the next default setting which, again will be the same - and so we go on, never really getting the network to work correctly.

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MicroDIY So why is Layout 1 particular difficult to set up and to get working correctly? Well, all operating systems use very similar rules. They all expect the network settings to be provided by an external source via the network from a server. This is why they listen for network traffic at the first boot. This system of providing the network settings by a server is called - DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol). All the correct setting are transferred to each computer automatically by a server. The server records each computer on the network and controls how they communicate to each other. If you are using network layout 2 such as BT HomeHub, this already incorporates a server. This is by default set with the DHCP turned - ON. So, for Layout 1, we need to make these network settings ourselves. If you wish to build a home network and make the settings yourself or wish to check your network, then we need to know how to find and make those changes for ourselves.

Computer Network Settings All computers require the following network settings in order to communicate with each other; share files and connect to the Internet.

Computer Identification Each computer MUST have a unique name. Choose a name that you will recognise when the network is working so you can tell which computer is which. The default computer name is taken from the motherboards BIOS.

Network Name Choose a name for your network. The default is WORKGROUP (Note! - All your networked computers must have the same ‘workgroup’ name in order to ‘see’ each other. In other words, they ALL share the same workgroup name.

Network services Choose the services you required such as printer sharing etc

Network Protocols Select which network protocols you require. The ones I would suggest are: • TCP/IP Ver 6 • IPX/SPX/NetBIOS

When we set up a peer-to-peer network we must set ALL of the above ourselves. Now lets look at how we make the above settings.

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MicroDIY The Important Settings The following are the most important settings to get a peer-to-peer network to work correctly

To get at those first important settings - first left click on ‘My Computer’. Then select - properties Now you should see this dialogue box. Now select - Computer Name

You should now see this following dialogue box. Here, you can place (click CHANGE to make any changes) - The Name of the Computer - The Name for your Network (GROUP) Leave the network identification alone, this is really only for large company networks which have included a web and intranet Domain.

2.

Computer Network Identification

This is where you type your ‘Computers name’ and ‘Network name’ this is referred to as the ‘Workgroup’ name. You can call it anything you like such as ‘Home’ or ‘My Network’ will do just fine. Each computer needs to be unique. They each need a ‘word’ name. This is so we can identify each computer by their name. Helps us humans! Check - they MUST all have the same ‘workgroup’ name. The name alone is simply too basic for accurate data flow between each computer. Remember, each computer needs to access the Internet. The network standard to identify each computer uniquely on the network and over the Internet uses a number address system based upon four, three digit numbers e.g. 123.456.789.234.

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MicroDIY This numbering system is called an IP address (Internet Protocol). Its a bit like sending a letter with the precise address of the recipient. To get at those Network Properties, go to start and select: My Network Places From here you will see something like this: Select ‘View Network Connections’ from the Menu and then left click on the network icon and select ‘properties’.

This will take you to this dialogue box.

From this dialogue box you get to make all those important settings. If you click onto Internet protocol (TCP/IP) and then select properties, you will be taken to where you set the IP address. You could also find these settings by using the control panel and selecting ‘Network and Internet Connections’ as shown here.

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3. IP address table to help you choose a suitable address

MicroDIY

The following table shows a range of IP address which are available for ‘public’ use. Some companies have reserved IP address tables so we must not use those addresses otherwise we will have problems when using the Internet. The most common IP address starts at block 3 (192.168.0.1). You may have noticed that this address is used as the Windows default setting when each computer first boots with a network adaptor fitted.

You will see from this dialogue box, everything is set to make your computers wait for those network settings by using:Obtain IP address automatically Tick the box for Use the following IP address. Now you can enter your own IP address. Use the table above to choose your IP address I would go for something like;

10.110.10.1 Just to be different and confuse any would be hacker trying to spoof your IP address. Yes they do try to gain access to your computer by using default IP addresses. Unless they know your IP address, they cannot get in! Set the Subnet Mask to; 255.255.255.0 It’s a bit complicated to explain why we use a mask. Just think of what we normally use a mask for - to hide something, Subnet, a term used to divide something up into parts. So this mask hides any computers that are masked by the 255. In this particular set up, computers beginning with 10.110.10 will be ignored or ‘hidden’. In other words, it allows us to further separate a network ‘workgroup’ with the last number in the IP address. Remember that this last number in the IP address can go from 1-to-255. Therefore, we can have 255 computers or split this range into a numbers into smaller groups of computers by using the mask. The ‘default Gateway’ is where we put the IP address of the device which connects your computers to the Internet (BT-HomeHub for example). If you are using an ADSL router, then you would put its’ IP address in here. The DNS (Domain Name System) put the same IP Address used for the default gateway BT HomeHube sets these automatically. It places its IP address in the Gateway and DNS entries.

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Network services

MicroDIY

If you wish to share files and printers you will need to enable this option. You just need to tick the box ‘File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks’. If it is not listed, select install and choose services. This will allow you to install this option and select it. You will see other services that are available here too, however, for general use you do not need them.

4. Network Protocols You will find all the network protocols listed here. If you wish to install other protocols which may be required by some software or games, then simply select install and choose protocol from the menu. To check which protocols you can install click ‘GENERAL’ then install and you will be taken to the following dialogue box.

We can now select which network protocols we need to have each computer working correctly as required by the software or game. We call this language the network ‘protocol’. We can use any of the following protocols (languages), however, TCP/IP must be installed as a minimum.

TCP/IP - Transmission Control protocol / Internet Protocol IPX/SPX - Internet work Packet Exchange / Sequenced Packet Exchange NetBIOS - Windows networking protocol used for transferring network control information

Now that you have installed your protocols, your network should now be working correctly. However, you will still not be able to see your othercomputers until your firewall has been set up correctly. See firewall set up

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5. Internet Sharing

MicroDIY

NOTE - A good Broadband router should make these settings for you!

Setting Up Your Wired Network with an ADSL connection Layout 2 - Shared ADSL connection between all computers With the computers switched on make the following changes to the network properties for each computer before you switch on the router! If you have ever had a ‘Dial-Up’ Internet account. 1. Removing the Dial-Up Account - First select control panel and navigate to the Internet properties. (Only necessary if you previously had a ‘Dial-Up’ Internet connection). Select Connection and remove dialler

There should be no dial-up shown here when you have completed the Remove command! 2. Changing the network Properties – Navigate to Network and Internet Options using the control panel.

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MicroDIY Select the Network connections option to find your network connection and select properties.

Right click on the icon which shows your network connection for the computer. This will take you to the set up screen to allow you to make the network changes needed for the router to work correctly.

Scroll down until you can see the following Internet Protocol(TCP/IP), Highlight this and select Properties

Now you can select from the General tab and set to: - Obtain IP address automatically and - Obtain DNS server address automatically (DNS - Domain Name Server)

Once you have done the above – select Advanced option. You should then see the following dialogue box. Here you need to check if DHCP is enabled. The router will need this option enabled to function correctly. DHCP allows the router to dynamically allocate IP addresses for each computer on your network.

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6. Installing Your Broadband

MicroDIY

Now that your computers are set up to connect to your new router, we are now ready to start configuring your router to connect to the Internet. Chose a position as close to the ‘main’ master phone socket. Tests have shown that mounting the router close to the master socket will keep any distortion to the ADSL signal to a minimum, that way improving the final connection speed.(tests have shown a 15% speed increase when mounted next to the master phone socket). Now you can switch on your router and allow it to power up. The front LED’s will begin to flash as the router begins to synchronise with the ADSL signal. Once that has completed after approximately 1 minute (3 mins for BT HomeHub), you can switch on one of your computers. Leave the other computers switched off until you have completely configured the router. This is necessary as the router will need to configure each ports IP address. To log onto your router read your manufacturers instructions which will give you the ‘Log-On’ details, usually: http://bthomehub.home/ or http://www.routerlogin.com

This will take you to the ‘Basic’ configuration screen: You will need to contact your Internet Provider for the precise log-on details as these are not always straight forward. In this screen shot, logging onto the broadband server is accomplished by completing the log-in details here: Bt HomeHub does this automatically - if by magic! However, you may need to used the Dynamic DNS settings within the Advanced Options to put your log-on details.

These settings will be sent to you before your activation date, so don’t loose them. You can check to see if your router has connected to the server by using the Gateway Status option. The term Gateway refers to the modem acting as the gateway to the Internet, keeping your local network separate from the Internet for security. This should indicate that your router has successfully logged onto the server and established your broadband connection.

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Section 5 Setting-Up your Wireless Network Wireless Networks - 1. Know the Problems 2. Site Surveys 3. Router Settings

Putting it all together Wireless (layout 3)

MicroDIY

Wireless networking has been around for some time now and has seen a lot of changes over the last couple of years and prices have fallen making it a much more attractive proposition. This has led to a bit of a messy situation for anyone who intends to install a new wireless network. The main reason for the mess is that manufacturers have been busy developing the wireless technology to get the maximum possible performance out of the wireless link in terms of the amount of data that can be transmitted. Very little attention has been paid to the problems that can occur as a result of these refinements to the wireless standards. Q - So, what do we really need to know before we begin to install a wireless network? A – There is no simple straightforward answer – sorry! To avoid any possible problems you must check your home/office first. How and why is covered here. People are buying the wireless networking option for the following reasons: No wires to lay around the house No holes to drill in walls The computers can be anywhere in or out of the house Sounds very easy to set-up All of the above is very true and that is why it is leading to a great many problems for some people. They buy the equipment only to find the problems later. So what are the problems and how do they arise in the first place? If we can get our heads around the possible problems first, we can then avoid them before we spend our cash!

1. The Problems! The wireless link used for most domestic/small office networks operates on the 802.11 frequency (2.4GHz). This is the same as your microwave oven, wireless land-line phones (DECT phones) and baby alarms. Your house/office will absorb a lot of the radio energy transmitted from a network wireless access point. The figures quoted for indoor wireless range is approximately 35 to 100 metres. What they don’t tell you is how they tested the equipment to get the above results – and this is the biggest problem – wireless signal range and interference! First interference – your home may produce a lot of interference and may also have other wireless links in operation which will causes severe signal degradation of the wireless link or worse still – no link possible at all. So we must first check to see if there are problems in your home/office. Second is the range – because of the amount of radio energy absorbed by your home/office the range is limited by the number and thickness of walls between the access point and your computer. Again – a simple test will help us plan. Netgear have produced a wireless access point which uses seven small antennas to improve range and reduce signal degradation. Next - Security – poor. They designed the wireless link to be easy to set up – and it is. So easy that your neighbour next door can connect to the wireless link given a few minutes to hours (depends upon how you configure the wireless's access point for security), using the default settings provided by the access point will allow anyone to connect to you network and access your network. Yes – it really is that simple regardless of the security used given a little time. All this is very well documented on the web and is easy to find. So making make life difficult for hackers is a must. Having said that, your neighbour will have to be determined before they get access. The first successful prosecution has taken place here in the UK of a person gaining access to someone else's wireless broadband. So we now know we can deter those wishing to get a free ride.

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MicroDIY

2. Doing a Site Survey

STEP 1 - Using NetStumbler Do you really want a wireless network for every computer or is it possible to compromise and have a mix (wired and wireless). I would recommend the latter. The following diagram illustrates how you can have both wired and wireless networks operating together, giving you much greater flexibility. In fact, most wireless equipment will have at least one RJ45 network port built-in as standard. You can use this single port to connect a network switch giving you extra ports should you want them later on.

Computer 1

Computer 2

Computer 3

USB Wireless

Phone Master Socket with ADSL Microfilter

Wireless Router with Integrated switch and ADSL Modem

Patch Lead connected To WAN Port and Phone Master Socket

Once you have decided upon the type of equipment you want the next step is deciding if you are going to do the site survey first or buy the equipment and use it for doing the site survey. If you can, I would suggest that you ask a friend with a laptop with a built in wireless card that you could borrow to do the site survey. You will need to install some software first which is free to download called ‘NetStumbler’. Using the laptop with the software, check in different locations around the house to see if you can detect any wireless signals. The software will scan the wireless frequency channels looking for a signal from other access points. If there are other wireless devices operating within range you will see something that looks like this on your laptop screen:

You need to answer the following questions: Is there a wireless network already in use Are there any DECT phones in use Are interference levels high shown in red

Y/N Y/N Y/N

If you answer 'Yes' to any of the above can you: Find a wireless channel that is not in use see Try to move the source of the interference further away © MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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STEP 2 - Wireless Channels

MicroDIY

This at first glance may seem difficult or impossible – but what you are attempting to do here, is see if there will be problems operating your wireless network equipment. You will save yourself from a lot of problems later by checking now. The software will do the hard work for you by bringing to your attention what is already happening within your own home/office in the way of wireless signals, either from your neighbour or from your own equipment. The software will help you to make some important decisions such as: - there is no other wireless equipment operating ‘great news’ - what signals have been found and on which channels ‘ pick a free channel’ - what interference is like from things like microwave ovens etc ‘try them and see’ Have a look at the following table. It shows all the channels that can be selected for the 2.4GHz wireless equipment – there are 13 channels to choose from (UK). However, for wireless access points to work efficiently there must not be any other equipment operating within range of the equipment on an overlapping channel as this will cause ‘network collisions' which will slowdown or stop the network. So you have only three channels available to operate a wireless access point and they are: - 1; 6 & 11. If your neighbour has a wireless network on one of these channels you can set yours to one of the other channels. If you can change your DECT phones to one of the other ‘Sub-Channels’ that does not overlap your wireless channel, you will have cracked it – great! You can only determine this with a site survey. When a problem occurs most people try guessing what the problem is as they try to install a wireless network - why does my wireless network not work properly? Now you have the answers before you start.

STEP 3 - Choosing Wireless Equipment Once you have completed your site survey you can now go ahead and buy your equipment such as the Netgear RangeMax™ range of wireless equipment WPN802 or the DG824M Netgear has invested a lot of money researching their wireless equipment for the British market. This is because wireless network technology was originally developed in America for the American market and the method of their house construction. Our homes use different building materials that greatly affect the wireless signal. Now however, they have overcome this by developing a more efficient method of wireless signal transmission using multiple antenna equipment called ‘RangeMax™’.

Using Layout 3 Wireless signal connecting all your computers with one port available for a wired network connection. Do your site survey to find the best place to place your wireless access point. This needs to be somewhere central to allow the signal to reach all the places you are likely to operate your computers and laptops. Once you have done this I would recommend that you use a RJ45 patch lead wired with both ends following the T568B colour scheme and connect a laptop or computer to the single LAN port on the access point. This way you will be able to connect to the access point very easily while you set up your wireless network. You will be able to configure the access point by logging onto it using your computers web browser.

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MicroDIY

3. Router Settings

To log onto the access point start your web browser and type in the details given by the manufacturer. This will take you to the logon screen. You may have to type admin for the user name followed by password for the password. Remember that these are the default settings and as such anyone will know these settings so will be able to do the same as you - YOU MUST CHANGE THESE BT HomeHub have these details printed on the side of the Hub

Once you have logged onto the access point you need to make changes to the following settings; - password - wireless channel - SSID Name (stands for Service Set Identifier) - Transmit SSID TURN OFF (Service Set Identifier) - enable WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) 128 bit - trusted PC’s only access using MAC address - IP address range SSID - Choose a suitable name

Channel Number WEP enabled

Trusted PC’s only

Password - choose a password made up of random Alpha numerical characters using upper and lower case with at at least 11 characters long. DO NOT USE NORMAL WORDS Wireless Channel - choose a free channel with no adjacent channels being used see wireless networking booklet for more information WEP - This needs to be similar to the password but is used by the access point to Generate a KEY. This key can be up to 26 characters long and in pairs separated by commas. You need to make a note of the key as you will be required to enter this key into every computer that you intend to connect to the wireless access point wirelessly. Note! - Wired Equivalent Privacy is a method of encryption used by the wireless link. Data is encrypted using the KEY and then transmitted. The receiving computer will used the KEY to de-crypt the data. © MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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Set up each computer When you have installed the wireless adaptor into your computer, you will be able to see something like this:

MicroDIY

The wireless adaptor will load some default settings and save them using the name ‘Default’ Chose a new name and enter it here: The ‘Mode of Operation’ needs to be changed to ‘Infrastructure’. This will force the computer to connect only to the wireless access point. If you set it to ‘Ad Hoc’ this will allow computers to network with each other which is not very secure or reliable. Enter your ‘SSID’ here

This only leaves the WEP encryption settings.

Enter your WEP key here. This is the alphanumerical key you noted earlier. You need to set the WEP to manually entry to do this and then select Apply (Note! The window will now appear blank, don’t worry as your data has been accepted) Note! - Some wireless adaptors allow you to do a site survey.

If you have entered everything correctly you will see your wireless access point listed here meaning everything is working okay. Most wireless network adaptors will try scanning all the channels to find your wireless network signal. This is to allow network engineers to make adjustment to the wireless access point remotely without having to go around adjusting every computer.

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MicroDIY Using Layout 4 To set up a wireless network with wired and all sharing a broadband connection is almost the same as for ‘Layout 3’. However, you will need to buy equipment which has everything in one unit: - Network switch - ADSL Modem - Router acting as Internet gateway - Firewall - Network Switch Netgear has as a range of equipment based upon price and of cause options available such as the Super G™ Wireless Router – Security Edition part number WGT624SC Just make sure that you place your router as close to the BT master phone socket as posible to help minimise the risk of reduced broadband connection speed. You can wire some of your computers directly to the router which will save you some money and wireless network the rest. To set up this type of network you will again need to log onto the router once you have completed the wiring and installed the wireless adaptors. Log onto the router and enter the broadband ‘Log on details’ for your broadband connection to the Internet.

Next - set your IP address range

Set up the wireless access point and all computers linking to it as described for ‘Layout 3’. You do not have to do anything else as the router will transfer the DNS details automatically (Domain Name System).

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Section 6 Firewall Settings Windows XP

Firewall Settings

MicroDIY

You need to be careful how you configure your firewall. If you ‘OPEN UP’ your computers defences you will compromise security, which is definitely a bad idea. However, you must be able to allow what software you wish to connect to other computers such as when playing your favourite computer game. You can do this from within the firewall security settings. Go to start and select control panel from your start menu to take you to this screen:

Select ‘Security Center’ From here you should now see the following screen.

Select firewall to take you to the firewall dialogue box as shown here

Select ‘Exceptions’ from the options panel. Now you get to where you select those programs you wish to allow access to the network as shown below.

Scroll down the list until you find the program you wish to allow access and then select ‘Add Program’.

Make sure the box is ‘ticked’ next to the program to turn on ‘allow access’. Do the same for the other computers on the network you wish to share access using this program.

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Appendices 1 Computer Network Layouts

Computer Network Layouts

MicroDIY Layout 1 - Basic Layout Note! - No Internet connection

Items Required As you can see from the above illustration, that joining a computer to the network requires making sure that every network component is place accordingly in each room and that the cable making the connections is long enough to to reach the network switch. In the above illustration, Computer 1 in room A is able to reach the network switch easily as the network switch is in the same room as the computer. However, Computer 2 in room B is usually separated by a physical barrier, a wall. In order to join Computer 2 to the network we need a network cable long enough to reach from room B to room A. This is easily done using CAT5e network cable. This only leaves the problem of making the connections at each end of this cable. To allow for room decorating and rearranging of furniture etc, it is best done joining the cable by using network wall boxes fitted with RJ45 Keystone Jacks at each end. Computer 2 is then joined to the network cable using network patch leads at each wall box, one to connect the computer to the wall box and one to connect the other wall box at the other end to the network switch. Quick Find Codes

Number Required

Single Faceplate Keystone Jack CAT5e Cable

2

Bulk metres

2TSYWS

Network

1

38DRWS

64190

NET6013

-

-

CAT5e Patch Leads

3

18L9WS

23862

ERT-601

RJ-601

19-8140

2V30WS

2

-

CAB4041

19-8566

CAB4034

contx-s1utp included

-

CAB4039

24p per

19-8156

-

metre

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MicroDIY Layout 2 - With Shared Internet connection.

NOTE! - use one of the RJ45 ports to connect a network switch and you can then add more computers to the network!

You can get a broadband hub from many of the Broadband providers, but I must admit that BT Option 3 takes some beating. First off, you get a FREE ‘BT Home Hub’ which has to be one of the easiest pieces of kit to set up that I have every come across. You quite literally just plug it in and IT does the rest - brilliant. Now when it come to extending you network you will only find two network ports on the BT Home Hub, but this is not a problem, as ALL you need is a network switch such as the ones from Netgear work well with the BT Home Hub. The above layout has only two computers shown but by using one of the ports to connect a network switch you can connect as many computers as BT will permit. So what is inside of most Broadband routers. Well. A good broadband router should have the following items built-in but you will need to check this out for yourself when ordering from your chosen Internet provider:i An ADSL modem ii A Network Switch with either 2 to 4 RJ45 network ports iii Wireless access point iv Router

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MicroDIY Layout 3 - Connection with Wireless Link included Computer 1

Computer 2

Computer 3

USB Wireless Dongle

Phone Master Socket with ADSL Microfilter

Router with Integrated switch and ADSL Modem

Patch Lead connected To WAN Port and Phone Master Socket

A wireless access point gives you some flexibility to connect remotely provided there are no other wireless access points operating in your local area. However, I must point out that these wireless networks are becoming VERY problematic. This is due to their increased use causing ever greater interference with overlapping wireless channels. BT’s Home Hub tries to over come this problem (as not many people are okay with the in’s & out’s of wireless channel selection) by doing a quick scan during set up when switched on for the first time and then selecting a channel not in use, which is good provided all the other wireless equipment is switch on when the test is done so that the Hub can detect them and make the necessary channel selection to avoid overlapping channels. So, if you are serious about having a high performance network which never drops a connections, then a wired network is by far the better option. My router is always switched on and has NEVER lost its connection -YET!

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MicroDIY Layout 4 - Extending the Network using a Network Switch or Hub Add a network switch to increase the number of computer sharing the Internet connection.

Computer 1

Computer 2

Computer 3

Patch Leads Network Switch/Hub

Phone Master Socket with ADSL Microfilter

Router with Integrated switch and ADSL Modem

Patch Lead connected To WAN Port

This is by far the most flexible computer network. You can connect as many computers together using a seperat network switch whch gives ALL the computers access to the Internet and you can activate the wireless network as and when you need it. I always switch my wireless network off when it is not being used to avoid anyone hacking in which is so easy to do with a wireless network.

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Appendices 2 Glossary of Networking Terms

MicroDIY

Hardware Terms

Firewall

Fullduplex Halfduplex Hub

NIC Node Router

Switch

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A firewall is a device which is programmed with a set of rules or policies. These rules or policies are then applied to the network information travelling through the firewall. The information is in the form of packets which contain details, amongst other things, of the sender and receiver. The firewall checks the packet to see if this information conforms to the rules or policies set e.g. is this computer allowed sending or receiving – if not then reject request! This term is used for devices that are able to send AND receive information at the same time which makes them faster. These types of devices can only do one thing at a time either send or receive. A device which connects network computers (nodes) together. This type of physical layout looks like a star – all the cables fan out to each computer from one fixed point – the Hub. Hubs receive network packets and then echo this information to all the computers connected to the Hub. Network interface card. A device that allows a computer to be connected to a network using cable connections – RJ-45. A node is the term used to describe a network entity such as a computer. An entity will have its own IP address. These devices are much more intelligent than Hubs. They have their own IP address so therefore appear as a node point – however, they check network information (packets) and send each packet to the appropriate node. They DO NOT echo information and are therefore much faster at transferring information across a network. These devices form the backbone of the internet or the bridge to the internet. A device which makes connections from one port to another. They DO NOT echo information but switch to create a connection between the sender and the required receiver of the information. They are much faster at transferring network information because no time is wasted by sending the information to every node connected to the switch.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

MicroDIY

Network Terms

Bandwidth Applies to a signals frequency that can be divided up into discrete sections. Each section may be each part of digital information or bit. Therefore, bandwidth for a network would be the number of binary bits that can be transferred over the network. The higher the frequency the greater the number of bits that can be transferred. CGI Common Gateway Interface – This is a programming standard used on an internet server that interacts with a browser. When someone visits an internet site – the server which hosts the site will interact with the visitor's browser to give the visitor some interaction with the web pages being hosted. DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol – Used by servers to allocate network addresses to be used by computers on the network. The server is programmed with a set of network addresses (IP addresses), when a computer boots up, it will detect the network and then request the server to assign it an IP address. Depending which computer boots up first will get the first IP address, therefore making the IP address dynamic as they keep changing every time you boot-up. DMZ Demilitarised Zone – Allows your computer full-duplex communication with the internet but acts as sub-network between your computer and the internet – like a buffer. DNS Domain Name System – the process of converting a web address such as www.microdiy.co.uk into its actual TCP/IP address. FTP File Transfer Protocol/Program – used by a computer for transferring files over the internet or between two computers. HTTP Hyper Text Transfer Protocol – the process used to view or retrieve Web pages from a Web server ITU International Telecommunications Union – It defines how the directory is used for the whole of the internet. LAN Local Area Network – the term used to describe a network within a building. Mbps Mega bits per second – the number of binary bits transferred in one second. MTU Maximum Transmission Unit – this is the measure of the largest amount of information packed into a 'packet' of data that can be transmitted over the network. NAT Network Address Translation – process used by a firewall to check network data (packets) for any unauthorised data or activity. Protects users from any one out side from 'sniffing' packet data to obtain security data such as passwords etc. Packet This is the term used to describe how information is assembled into a string of data before it is transmitted over the network. Each packet will contain source IP address; destination address; error checking data; the actual information itself and other data used for security etc. Ping Packet Internet Groper - This term is used to describe a sound used for sonar but has a similar use. A special program/utility sends a 'Packet' of data to a specified IP address and then waits for a reply. Time intervals etc help to determine problems or even how many servers the packet passed through on its journey over the internet. Every time a packet is 'Routed' by a server, the contents of the packet record each senders and receivers address. PPPoE Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet – used by broadband for connecting multiple users on a single ADSL line. PPTP Point-to-Point Tunnelling Protocol – method used to allow a VPN (virtual private network) to connect over the internet. Therefore, a VPN uses the PPTP protocol. RJ-45 The type of connector standard used for cable networks.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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MicroDIY SMTP

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol – the standard for transferring e-mail between computers and over the internet. TCP/IP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol – this is the standard which is applied to information that is sent over the network or internet. All the data is processed by the network operating system to conform to this standard. The data is organised to contain information such as senders IP address; destination address; error check data and so on. This then forms a packet of data to be sent. UPnP Universal Plug and Play – method to describe the devices ability to be connected to a range of other equipment other than computers. URL Uniform Resource Locator – the address that is used to locate a resource on the internet. UTP Unshielded Twisted Pair – type of network cable. Wires contain within a plastic sheath that are not shielded from electrical interference. VPN Virtual Private Network – used to describe a private network connection between computers over the internet (e.g. employees who wish to access a company's data from home over the internet). It is secure between the computers that cannot be accessed by any other internet users. WAN Wide Area Network – join several local area networks together – you have a WAN. You can use the internet connection to join the local area networks together.

Broadband Terms ADSL

DMZ

DoS

DSL

DSSS ESSID

MAC

Microfilter

OFDM

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Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line – method used to transmit data over the telephone wires. High frequencies are used making it possible for large amounts of data to be transferred over the phone line. Asymmetric means that more data is being received that sent. Demilitarised Zone – Allows your computer full-duplex communication with the internet but acts as sub-network between your computer and the internet – like a buffer. Denial of Service – a form of attack that disable users from using network resources. If the device is under a DoS attack it may simply crash or overload the network making connections to the internet impossible. Digital Subscriber Line – This is the method used to transmit data over the telephone wires. High frequencies are used to carry the digital data instead of pulse tones. The high frequency does not interfere with the voice frequencies therefore; voice calls can be made whilst the data is being transmitted. Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum – the method used to 'Modulate' the very high frequency used for wireless networks. Extended Service Set ID – this is the method used to identify the wireless network name - Identification. Computers that are within range of a wireless network will try and connect. To stop unauthorised access the ESSID gives users a unique ID. Only those with the correct ID can access the network. Medium Access Control – standard used for how data is assembled and disassembled. This protocol is used when data is transmitted over wireless networks or some Ethernet networks. It is also used for data transmission over broadband. This is a device used to filter out the high frequency signal used by ADSL. It plugs into the phone socket to give two connection points – one for the phone and the other for the ADSL line. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing - Wireless frequency modulation type. This is the better of modulation types available. Instead of transmitting on a single frequency the data is divided up and transmitted simultaneously using several subsignals each at different frequencies.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

MicroDIY PPPoA

Proxy

SPI

WEP

Point-to-Point over ATM - very similar to PPPoE. However, when the ADSL modem is fitted to the computer the transmission is over the phone line rather than a network cable. This describes a device that allows a computer to connect to the internet. The computer does not connect directly but is connected via the proxy device, usually a router. In other words the device is acting on behalf of the computer. Stateful Packet Inspection – A Firewall. It is a method used by the firewall to analyse all data (packets) coming into the network and checks it in terms of a previous request or session. If the packet is a valid reply to a previous request it is allowed to pass through, if it is not then access is denied. Wired Equivalent Privacy – Security method used by wireless networks. The best 100% secure network is a wired network. The only way to hack into a wired network is to physically cut into the wires. However, a wireless network broadcast the network information everywhere within a radius from the wireless access-point. A would-be hacker could attempt to 'listen-in' if they had the correct access data. Therefore, data is 'encrypted' to make the wireless network as secure as 'Wired Equivalent' networks.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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Appendices 3 Network Cable Colours

MicroDIY The cable colour scheme standard that has been adopted for all RJ45 computer networking: T568B All connections; wall boxes; patch leads etc are wired following the T568B colour scheme.

Note! - To obtain a cross-over patch cable wiring then simply use: T568A at one end of the cable and T568B for the other end.

© MicroDIY 2003 to 2007

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