computer networking
Computer Networking
Most of us are participants in the computer networking phenomenon without being aware of its details and basics. The below article is a brief overview of how it all works.
- LAN or Local Area Network which is a network of computers within a very small area, say one building. Its most distinguishing characteristics are high data exchange rates, very small geographic area coverage and no requirement for leased telecommunication lines.
- MAN or Metropolitan Area Network which is a network covering a larger area than LAN, say a network of all computers within a city. A MAN may be owned and operated by a single organization but is used by a larger number of individuals and organizations. MAN may also be used in cable television.
- WAN or Wide Area Network which covers a larger geographic area than either LAN or MAN. WAN offers four connection options - leased lines, circuit switching, packet switching and cell relay.
- Wireless LAN/WAN is the wireless variant of the LAN or WAN and is related to telecommunications network where the nodes are interconnected without the use of wires or cables. Wireless networking is usually implemented using remote information transmission systems which use electromagnetic frequency for the network carrier and such an implementation generally occurs at the layer of the network.
- Start with installing the appropriate operating system.
- Shut down all the participant computers and the router (optional) and turn on just one computer which would be used to set up the router.
- Follow the instructions for setting up the router. These instructions may come as a manual or as a CD.
- After your router is configured, turn off both, the router and the computer.
- Connect each participating computer to the router using a separate RJ-45 cable for each connection and turn on the router. Turn on the computers after a few seconds of turning on the router. Soon, you will get a pop up indication of network detection.
- If setting up a wireless connection, you would need to connect a wireless router to one computer and configure the router following the configuration instructions.
- Install wireless network cards on all other computers. Turn on the router and computers as mentioned above.
- Because of the wireless network cards, the other computers won't be required to be physically connected to the router.
- First of all, you need a server. You can either purchase one or use an existing computer as a server. If you're using an existing computer as server, make sure it has a 133 MHz or higher speed processor, a minimum RAM of 128 MB, up to 2 GB of free hard disk space, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive and hardware that supports console redirection.
- Install a server operating system on the server computer and follow instructions for such installation very closely.
- The final step of installation would probably show you a dialog box confirming successful active directory installation. Your server is now a domain controller and ready for client access.
- Once the domain is created, client computer accounts can be created and added to it.