The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Home Networking - for the bookshelf Major Keary |
Titles in the Wiley Dummies series are regularly updated to cover new developments. Home Networking for Dummies is an example; the third edition has been released to catch up with the latest in both wired and wireless networking options.
The book is Windows-oriented and covers Win98SE, WinME, Win2000, and WinXP, a spread of versions that makes the book a significant resource for Windows users. I was impressed by the description — albeit brief, and available only in Win2000 and WinXP — of the command line tool, netsh.exe, for network switching. Well worth reading by those who haven't discovered it yet.
The author deals first with network basics: planning, different kinds of network, cable and wireless hardware, installation of NICs and ethernet cables, and using phone and power cables.
The use of existing wiring (phone lines and power cables) is described, but in the context of American conditions; Australian users need to check on local regulatory requirements and appropriate equipment. The use of power lines for carrying signals has been around for decades; simple mike-over-mains intercom equipment was available in the early 1960s. There are two issues: security — for which there is a software solution — and what might be called 'roadblocks'. Normal communication signals sent over power lines don't survive when passed through a transformer (which is not likely to be a problem within a single building), and are usually scrambled by devices such as surge protectors. It is an option worth considering for a home network and Home Networking for Dummies gives a good guide to the technology.
The book covers system configuration for networking, printing over a network, using files from other computers, security, "disaster planning and recovery", and maintenance tools for Windows (scandisk and defrag). There is a discussion of how to tracert.exe to trace the route between your computer and a web site, which is contained in a useful chapter, Setting up Shared Internet Connections; it also explains the mysteries of setting up Dial-up Networking (DUN), setting up routers, and sharing connections. Another chapter covers ethernet cabling.
This a sound introduction that should satisfy the needs of most home users running Windows. Plenty of helpful illustrations, clearly written, and practical. A good library acquisition.
|
Kathy Ivens: Home Networking for Dummies 3/e ISBN 0-7645-8849-4 Published by Wiley, 385 pp, RRP $39.95 incl. GST |
 |
Reprinted from the Jan / Feb 2006 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne
PC User Group, Australia
