"A self-teaching guide"--Cover.

Includes index.

Home Networking: The Basics -- What Is a Home Network? -- The PC Competency Assumption -- Home Networks: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow -- Home Networking: A Historical Perspective -- Today's Home Network -- The Home Network of the Future -- Networks and Networking -- What You Should Know about Home Networking -- Applications of Home Networking -- Sharing Broadband Internet Access -- Sharing Files among PCs on the Network -- Sharing Printers and Other Resources -- Integrating Home Entertainment and Personal Computing -- Playing Multiplayer Games -- Enhancing PC and Network Security -- Going Wireless with PCs and Other Devices -- Creating a Smart Home -- The Downside of Home Networking -- Network Concepts and Strategies -- Types of Networks -- Local Area Networks: LANs -- LAN Topologies -- The Ethernet LAN Protocol -- Peer-to-Peer and Client/Server LANs -- LAN Servers -- Sharing Internet Access on a Home Network -- Sending/Receiving Information on the Internet -- The IP Address -- Home Networking Technologies and Equipment -- Connectivity: Wired and Wireless -- Connectivity Technologies: The Transmission Media -- Wired Networking Technologies -- Ethernet -- HomePNA: Phoneline -- HomePlug: AC Power Lines -- Wireless Networking Technologies -- Going Wireless: A Historical Perspective -- Why Wireless? -- The Wireless Options -- Wireless Modes: Infrastructure and Ad Hoc -- Fallback: Data Rate Versus Reliability -- The Need for Speed -- Net Gear: Gateways, Modems, and More -- Approaches to Networking: ICS and Home Gateway -- The Hardware: Network Gear -- Ethernet and Wireless Network Adapters -- HomePlug and HomePNA Network Adapters -- The Wireless Access Point and Signal Booster -- Ethernet Switch and Hub -- The Home/Residential Gateway -- The Wireless Network Bridge -- The Longnet Revisited -- The Cost of Net Gear -- Home Networking Kits/Bundles -- Building a Home Network -- Designing a Home Network -- Making Home Networking Decisions -- Assessing Your Budget for Home Networking -- The Family Meeting on Home Networking -- Wired and/or Wireless? -- Desired Networking Applications -- Your Networking Expertise -- Security -- Mapping a Home Network -- Maxims for Network Design -- Home Network Design Sampler -- The Home Network Worksheet and Planner -- The Smith Family's Home Network -- Cabling a Home for an Ethernet LAN -- The Ethernet UTP Cable -- Preassembled Ethernet Cables -- Making Your Own Ethernet Cables -- Ethernet Wiring for New Construction -- Ethernet Wiring for an Existing Home -- The Parts, Materials, and Tools -- Installation of the Cable -- Setting Up and Installing a Home Network -- Design the Home Network -- Purchase the Hardware and Software -- Install the Cabling -- Install Network Adapters and Configure PCs -- Installing the Network Adapters -- Configuring the PCs to Work with the Gateway's Router -- Set Up Your Modem -- Configure and Set Up a Home Gateway for a Wired and/or Wireless LAN -- Choosing a Location for a Wireless Gateway -- Set Up the AP/Router -- Run the Wireless Network Setup Wizard -- Make All Connections and Run the Network Setup Wizard -- Can You Hear Me Now? -- Upgrade the Gateway's Firmware -- Setting Up an Ad Hoc Network -- Sharing Printers, Files, and an Internet Connection -- Printer Sharing -- Sharing a Printer Attached to a PC -- Sharing a Network Printer -- Adding a Shared Printer to a PC -- Adding a Networked Printer to a PC -- File Sharing -- File Sharing Applications -- Security Issues -- Sharing Folders and Files -- Sharing a Disk -- Using Shared Files -- Mapping Network Drives -- Internet Access Sharing -- Choosing an Internet Service Provider -- ISP Service Options -- Choosing a Type of Internet Access -- Choosing an ISP -- American Online: AOL -- Protecting and Operating a Home Network -- Privacy and Security -- The Firewall -- Security for Wireless Home Networks -- WEP and WPA Encryption -- Other Wireless Security Precautions -- Internet Threats -- Computer Viruses -- Adware -- Cookies -- Spam and Spim -- Transaction Security on the Internet -- Maintenance and Troubleshooting -- Maintaining a Home Network -- Unpacking the Net Gear -- Upgrading the Network -- Software Maintenance -- Preventive Maintenance -- Security Maintenance -- Troubleshooting -- Network Troubleshooting Strategies -- The Universal Solution to Most PC/Network Problems -- Windows Network Troubleshooting Support -- Vendor/Manufacturer Troubleshooting Assistance -- The Internet, Entertainment, and Telework on a Home Network -- Internet Applications: Cruising the Internet -- The World Wide Web -- File Transfer Protocol: FTP -- Communicating with People via the Internet -- E-Mail -- Instant Messaging -- Chat -- Mailing Lists -- Newsgroups -- Blogs and Blogging -- Internet Telephony, or VoIP -- Webcasting -- The Personal Home Page -- Growing the Network: Entertainment and Beyond -- Networking Entertainment -- Home Digital Entertainment in Practice -- Digital Entertainment Technology -- The Media Hub -- TiVo, DVRs, and Home Networks -- The TiVo Box and the TiVo Service -- TiVo on the Home Network -- Hacking TiVos -- Windows XP Media Center 2005 -- The Media Center PC -- The Media Center Extender -- Digital Entertainment Around the Home -- Media Center Applications Without Windows MCE -- Gaming and the Home Network -- What You Need for Internet Gaming -- Playing the Game -- VoIP: Internet Telephone -- Video Monitoring and Surveillance -- The Home Office and Home Networking -- Telework: Working at Home -- Creating an Environment for Telework -- The Home Office Is a Place of Business -- Choose a Good Location -- A Good workplace Design Yields Dividends -- The Home Office Is Self-Contained -- Give the Home Office Priority on the LAN -- Security Must Be Maintained -- File Management for the Networked Home Office -- File Organization -- Securing Files from Unauthorized Access -- File Backup -- The Virtual Private Network -- Home Office Productivity -- Home Networking Buyer's Guide -- Guidelines for Purchasing Network Devices -- Considerations for Purchasing Network Devices -- Which Network Device Manufacturer Is Best for You? -- Where to Buy Network Devices -- Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers with Comprehensive Service Centers -- Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers with Basic Service Centers -- Bricks-and-Mortar PC Retailers Without Service Centers -- Direct Marketers -- Online and Telephone-Order Retailers -- Online Auctions -- Professional Installation.

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