Fifty years ago, most households had only one television and one telephone. As the price of these technological marvels dropped, families began purchasing additional televisions and telephones — and the home network was born!
Think about it: Your televisions are basically networked together on a cable network. Okay, not a perfect analogy — in the early days you had rabbit ears, which are more of a wireless network except it’s not exactly a network. Your telephones are wired together in serial — multiple phones with one gateway (your telephone number).
In the not too distant past, the home computer sat on a desk in a study or family room and everyone went to the computer to use it. Today, computers have become the next technological commodity, and it is not uncommon to have multiple computers in a single household. And with wireless networks, the computer goes with you to wherever it’s most convenient for you to use.
From being able to watch your favorite TV show or answer the telephone from any room in the house to doing work in a home office, networks are all about convenience.
This book helps you set up your home network — the computer kind, not the television or telephone type! I show you how to connect to the Internet, connect your computers and other devices, share files and music, secure your network, and much more!