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Your Network - What To Buy

Your network requires several components regardless of how you share your Internet connection. These are readily available and relatively inexpensive. A few years ago a basic 10 MB Ethernet network could cost hundreds of dollars to assemble but you can now buy the parts or a "Network In A Box" kit for a 100 MB switched network for under $100. This network will have 4-5 "ports", or connections for PCs.

Given today's low prices we recommend buying a hardware Gateway, often called a Router. This will support 4-5 PCs for a cost of $100-200, and sometimes under $100. This will give you a network running at 100 MB full duplex, which is equivalent to running at 200 MB.

Networking Components

A Switch interconnects all of the PCs and your gateway. Switches typically have 4, 5, or 8 Ports.

  • A Switch can run at 100 MB in Full Duplex mode, giving an effective speed of 200 MB. 
  • A Hub is similar to a switch, slighly less expensive, and much slower. Hubs only run in Half Duplex mode, which causes performance to suffer when several people are downloading files.
  • A hardware gateway, called a Router, consists of a 4-5 port switch and a gateway (see below).

Each computer needs a Network Interface Card, or NIC, to connect to the network.  This is also called an Ethernet Card. You need one NIC and one Category 5 Cable per computer.  

  • Buy a 100 MB PCI NIC from a brand name company such as Linksys, DLink, 3-Com, or Intel. An off-brand NIC may be difficult to configure, unreliable, and not upgradable.
  • Buy a Category 5 Cable to connect each computer to the switch or hub. Other types of cable will not work reliably. A kinked or damaged cable should be replaced promptly.
  • Be certain your NIC has the correct drivers for your version of Windows. Older drivers don't work well with the newer versions of Windows.

You must have a Gateway to share an Internet connection.

A hardware gateway, or Router, usually includes a switch and a firewall, making it an ideal core for a small network. Routers come with 4, 5, 8 and sometimes more ports. A router replaces a switch in a small network.

A Software Gateway runs on a PC, which must be left on all the time for Internet sharing. PC performance may suffer and the connection may be slower than with a hardware gateway.

A "Network-in-a-Box" kit can be a cost-effective means of putting together a network with a software gateway. Many kits include gateway software.

What to buy?

If you are putting together a network with up to four workstations you will need the equipment listed below.

Item
Hardware Sharing
Software Sharing
NIC, 100 MB PCI bus 1 per PC 1 per PC
1 additional for the gateway
Category 5 cable 1 per PC 1 per PC
1 additional for the gateway
Router, 4 port 1 per network
n/a
Switch, 100 MB
n/a
 1 per network
Internet sharing software
n/a
 3 or 6 user license, as needed. May be included in a network kit.
Support for additional PCs Purchase 1 switch and 1 Cat 5 cable to "daisy chain" another switch into the network. You will lose two connections for each switch added.


 

This information is provided for your convenience. We make no claims for its accuracy, its reliability, or its completeness. Please use your discretion and common sense when making any type of buying decision and when dealing with computer professionals, retailers, and service providers.

www.Eagle-Wing.Net    11/10/2002