Networking Introduction

You can connect up to ten computers in a workgroup. A workgroup does not require a server, which is a major benefit because servers are very expensive. A workgroup is nice to have because you can share resources amongst the computers like printers and hard drive space. It is also nice because you can backup data onto multiple computers and doing this provides a safety net against hard drive failure.

A major difference between larger networks and workgroups is that the larger networks require a lot more setup work. For example, you would need to setup user accounts, computer accounts, and permissions for each user. A workgroup does not require each of these tasks and once they are setup there is virtually no maintenance that needs to be performed on the network itself.

In a workgroup, every computer in the workgroup can take over server functions and use all of the resources of all of the computers in their workgroup, and it can even be done at the same time as all of the other computers may be using the same resources. All of the computers have the same rights and this is why this type of network is known as a peer-to-peer network.

Introduction to Networking
Buying the Network Hardware
Connecting the Computers
Installing the Network Card(s)
Configuring the TCP/IP Protocol
Setting the Computer Names and the Workgroup Name
Sharing Folders
Sharing a Printer