Apple p44-49 manual 1Buy an adaptor, 2Buy a router, For Laptop Computers, For Desktop Computers

HOME NETWORKS

HOME NETWORKS

How to set up a computer network in your house, and whether a media PC will add to the fun

There’s nowhere the richest man in the world would rather be than your living room. Microsoft boss Bill Gates is betting that computers will move out ofthe study – and that they’ll expand to gobble up your music collection and hi-fi, your DVDs, even your family photo album. And queuing up behind him are his rivals from every other

home computer company.

The computing industry wants to send music, video and the internet all overyour house – especially the rooms where you spend lots oftime lounging around – through home networks.

These networks are particularly well suited to media PCs, which store TV, music and photos. It’s an exciting development butyou need to know what to buy and what to expect.

1Buy an adaptor

The first thing you need to set up your network is a wireless (WiFi) adaptor.The best type for you depends on whether you’re connecting a laptop or a standard computer.

FOR LAPTOP COMPUTERS

If you’ve bought a laptop computer in the last couple of years or so, it probably has WiFi built in. For example, all laptops which bear the Centrino logo are WiFi compatible.

If not, you can buy a card that slides into one of the card ports on your laptop.They’re called PC cards (or sometimes CardBus or PCMIA cards) and cost around £30.

FOR DESKTOP COMPUTERS

You can buy wireless-adaptor cards for your standard PC but we don’t recommend them: they’re a hassle to fit and line up for a good reception.You often have to move the receiver around a bit until you’ve found a good position – awkward if it’s inside a hulking great PC.

The more convenient alternative is an external receiver (around £30) that plugs into your computer’s USB port. Most come with an extension lead and cradle so you can place it on top of your computer’s case or display to get a better signal. (You can plug the USB adaptors into a laptop but it’s obviously less convenient to lug them around everywhere.)

Store video on your PC – play it on your TV

2Buy a router

Once you have a couple of computers with adaptors, one can broadcast the internet to the other. A PC in your study, say, could send data to a laptop in the kitchen.

The problem with this is that the computer with the internet connection has to be left on. To solve this problem, buy a router which plugs directly into your internet modem (see p46 for Best Buys).The router sends the internet signal to various computers at the same time.

YOUR OLD INTERNET MODEM

Most people have a USB modem that plugs straight into your PC.You can’t connect this to your router, so you’ll have to buy a new modem for about £40 – ask for an Ethernet modem.

If you’re upgrading to broadband and wireless at the same time, you can buy a modem that has a built-in wireless router for around £60.

Neither of our Best Buys has a built-in modem.

44JANUARY 2006 WHICH?