Chapter 51. Creating a Home Network
If you have two or more computers, you may already be using what's known as a sneaker network. For example, to get files from one computer to another, you copy files to a flash drive or CD. Then, you walk over to the other computer and copy the files from the disk to that computer. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just drag icons from one computer to the other without having to use a floppy or CD?
What if you have several computers, but only one printer, one Internet connection, or one DVD burner? Wouldn't it be nice if all the computers could use that one printer, that one Internet connection, and that one burner? All of these things are possible if you connect the computers to one another in a local area network (LAN).
After you've purchased and installed networking hardware, you're ready to set up your network. Windows 7 includes features that remove the complexities commonly associated with network configurations.
This chapter describes how to configure Windows for different types of hardware setups. Remember, you should always follow the instructions that came with your networking hardware first. After all, those instructions are written for the exact products you've purchased.
What Is a LAN?
A local area network (sometimes referred to as a
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