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Computer Networking

Find computer networking solutions and services for networking office computers. Resesarch computer networking companies offering consulting services. Identify a provider of computer networking services and software that meets your business needs.
Networking Cable & Accessories
Browse our online store for a complete range of networking products including CAT5/6, modems, routers, ethernet cards and much more.
Component Cable | Digital Audio | Premium RCA cable | Contact Us
www.cablewholesale.com
Onsite Computer Repair and Network Support - eZigma
Affordable IT Outsourcing for Small and Mid Sized Businesses. From On-Demand to Monthly Support Contracts. Call us today for a Free Consultation.
wWw.eZiGmA.cOm
Local I.T.Network Experts
Computer Network Setup & Security Your One Source for All I.T. Needs
www.AccentOnIT.com
PowerConnect Networking
Build a network that grows with Dell switches for large business.
www.Dell.com
Computer Consultant
Computer and Network Consultants. Network Support & Troubleshooting.
www.precisioncg.net
Cox Business Data
Tailored data options & features for businesses great or small
www.CoxBusiness.com
Online Networking Degrees
Advance your Computer Networking career with a degree or certification.
www.Online-Education.net
LA's #1 Computer Support
Microsoft Gold Partner. We help Los Angeles companies. Free Audit.
www.csgsupport.net
Computer Networking
National IT Outsourcing Provider Small & Medium Business- Free Quote
www.directpointe.com
CA Computer Networking
For Your Computer Networking Needs, Call Us in Woodland Hills Today!
www.DCyphered.com
Sunrise Computers
Professional and Reliable Tech Support for Your Business
www.SunriseC.com
Pro Computer Center
Data Recovery Specialist Since 1985 Sales, Service, Rental
www.procomputercenter.com
Listings
Computer and Network Cables
Supplier of Computer and Network Cable Products.
www.warehousecables.com(Paid)
Ethernet Extender Kits - Ethernet Extender Experts
Superior Performance, Low Cost, Most Reliable Ethernet Extender Kits with 30-day Money Back Guarantee. Direct from Manufacturer.
www.ethernetextender.com(Paid)
Networking Cable & Accessories
Browse our online store for a complete range of networking products including CAT5/6, modems, routers, ethernet cards and much more.
Component Cable | Digital Audio | Premium RCA cable | Contact Us
www.cablewholesale.com (Paid)
Online Networking Degrees
Advance your Computer Networking career with a degree or certification.
www.Online-Education.net (Paid)
Onsite Computer Repair and Network Support - eZigma
Affordable IT Outsourcing for Small and Mid Sized Businesses. From On-Demand to Monthly Support Contracts. Call us today for a Free Consultation.
wWw.eZiGmA.cOm (Paid)
Radient Software
Developer of Internet communications software for Secure Shell (SSH2), Telnet and modem dial-up connections.
products | downloads | company info
www.radient.com(Paid)
  • SMC Networks
  • Transition Networks
Local I.T.Network Experts
Computer Network Setup & Security Your One Source for All I.T. Needs
www.AccentOnIT.com
PowerConnect Networking
Build a network that grows with Dell switches for large business.
www.Dell.com
Computer Consultant
Computer and Network Consultants. Network Support & Troubleshooting.
www.precisioncg.net

Guide to Networking Your Computers

It's easier than it used to be and can make your team more productive


Back in the pre-PC days, mainframes were the center of the computer universe — and the well of all data. The rise of the personal computer gave people new power to do their work, but it also created lonely islands of info. Enter the network. Simply put, it's connecting PCs so that workers can collaborate on data, share printers, scanners and Internet access and centralize services like e-mail and Web security.

Here are three things to know now about networking your computers:

  1. Once, a full-time tech was nearly a requirement for even a small network. But most PCs now come out of the box ready to talk to one another.
  2. Wireless networking options suitable for a small business are making even the hardware part a snap.
  3. Increasingly, too, Web applications and managed hosting will allow some to skip complex networking and simply use the Web as a connection.


Action Steps

The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make sure you really need a network If you have two or three machines in a small office, a full-blown network may well be a 'nice-to-have' you can avoid for now. If the machines are physically close together, say a few dozen feet along a single wall, you could get away with some cables and an inexpensive router, a small switchbox that directs data traffic. Cheap but effective!

I recommend:  Get a sense of how complex — or easy — doing it yourself could be by taking short, non-pro tutorials offered by Microsoft and Apple. Technology portal CNET and online tech bible Webopedia also offer good secular overviews of networking basics.

The right hardware is a must Most computers, whether PC or Mac, now come with networking hardware installed. It will be cheaper and simpler to buy new than to drag older machines into the networked world.

I recommend:  Networking hardware comes in two flavors: Ethernet and wireless. Ethernet assumes your connection to the Web and to other computers will be via a thick, often blue cable, usually leading to a wall jack (and thus to a central server) or, failing that, to a router. Tech support services such as Geek Squad can install your two- or three-computer system for a couple hundred bucks. For just a bit more, Dell will send a tech to your office to work up a plan. Larger companies should consider similar offerings from HP or IBM, along with Dell. Of course, plenty of IT folks moonlight and, for them, a SOHO set-up is a day or a weekend.

Cut the cord Using built-in wireless networking in laptops can save you money and trouble, but be sure that occasionally-slower performance won't hurt your productivity. Wireless is a breeze if you do office tasks and Web but problematic for graphics-heavy design or engineering shops.

I recommend:  The simplest way is WiFi, which is Internet signals converted into radio waves. Range is short at 100 feet, best for a small office with thin, prefab walls or a single large room. Some popular wireless routers include D-Link, Linksys, Belkin and Netgear, as well as Apple's elegant AirPort Express.

Reduce your risk Networking professionals have a sly hobby of riding around with their laptops looking for unsecured networks. After riding along on your Internet access for an hour, they'll send you a note shaming you for leaving the door wide open. And they're right.

I recommend:  Once the wireless system is up, immediately set a password (details at WiFi Alliance). The state of the art is WAP, or 128-bit encryption — tough enough to keep out nearly anybody — but the next step is using your machine's MAC address, a specific requirement that means only your computer or computers can access your network. That will limit visiting clients who might want to check e-mail on their wireless laptops, but the door will be closed. Also, even a cabled network is vulnerable to hackers through the Web. Set up a firewall and buy a reputable anti-virus suite. These include Symantec and McAfee.

Networks are so 1996 The next generation of digital connectivity assumes you need total, even global mobility, and that associates, partners or clients could be in distant time zones. Thus the launch of Web-based collaboration services which mimic much of what a real-world network does, only via the Internet. If you can operate Web-based mail like a Yahoo! or Hotmail account, you can do this just as easily.

I recommend:  WebEx, Microsoft SharePoint and Office Live Collaboration, Office.com and about a hundred others offer what amounts to a virtual office. Any computer connected to broadband can reach a passworded site and be in the loop on projects, messaging, documents, workflow and live meetings. If even one important cog in your organization is on the road or permanently offsite, start here before spending to wire up your small office. You might get a lot more out of buying a subscription for Web-based collaboration.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
  • Bringing your hardware and operating system up to date is the absolute first step. It will make everything else about networking nearly automatic, and PCs are dirt cheap now.
  • Be realistic about your own technical ability. Some systems come together right out of the box, some don't. However, any mildly geeky nephew or friend in IT should be able to hook you up as a favor.
  • Laptops, increasingly, are becoming the tool of choice over desktops, particularly for roaming executives. Make that choice — desktop or laptop — first. It will help decide what flavor of network will serve you best.
  • Think hard before swallowing a salesperson's line about your need for a server. It will run you thousands and probably last fewer years than a used car. If your company manages major data second by second, it's probably a must. If not, almost certainly you can do without one.
  • Warning: Do not let your broadband provider charge you monthly 'networking fees.' Nothing about your network requires any effort from the phone company.

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Guide author
By Greg Brown
It's easier than it used to be and can make your team more productive
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