Custom Built Network

Networking computers and printers together is a simple task. The hardest part is deciding what hardware you may need and whether you want a wired or a wireless network.

Wired Network
A wired network is the safest network possible. The risks are not as high as they are with a wireless network, but there are still risks involved. The biggest risk would be if you are connected to the internet in any way. Other risks are not as high, and that would be that employees our visitors can get to sensitive data or accidentally delete important data. This could also happen without a network. It all has to be weighed in with the convenience, time savings, and cost savings that a network supplies. One area of cost saving that is easy to show would be if you had ten computers in your office, and each of those computers needed to be able to print. You could buy ten cheaper printers, or you could buy one very nice printer and network them all together.

Wireless Network
A wireless network has a lot more risks involved with it. Since your data is transferred through the air, there is always a possibility of someone being able to capture that data no matter what security precautions that you take. Wireless networks are more flexible. For example, if you had a wireless network, you could take your laptop with you wherever you are at in your building that the wireless network would reach. If you needed to show a presentation in a meeting, you could just carry your laptop into the conference room and you would have network access in case you needed to get to any files that you may need on the network or the internet.

What You Need
What you need for your network would depend on what you would like to do. Here are some basic components that you would need..
One network adapter (NIC) for each computer.
One cable for each computer (unless it is wireless).
Network ready printer, or a type of pocket print server.
A switch, hub, or router depending on your configuration. For more information on how to setup a small workgroup network, take a look at our how-to guide for setting up a small workgroup network.