If you are planning to run your own home based business then you will need to set up a home network. You will need a computer, a printer, then a copier and as your business grows you will find out that you need more and more sophisticated equipment to automate and make your home based business not only easier to manage but also a pleasant experience, something that you enjoy to do.

So what is a home network?

It is simply the computer network that you have in your home. In other words the computers, equipments and all the accessories that you connect together form your home network.

For your home based business network, you will need cables or radio beams to make the connection from one computer or equipment to another. These two basic options make up the difference between what is called a cabled or wired network versus a wireless network.

Cable connection used to be the primary way of connecting your network but with advances in technology it is now cheaper and less clumsy to create a wireless network.

When using cable connections, there are junctions called nodes that can be in the form of computers, switches or routers.

• Switches.

They provide a place to plug the cables and therefore allow physical connections between communicating computers and other equipments.

• Routers.

Routers on the other hand perform a similar purpose but with more functions and capabilities. For instance routers have the ability to connect multiple networks together and at the same time route traffic intelligently between them, something that the switches can not be able to perform.

• Computers.

Computers have become very sophisticated as time passes by. Most computers now days perform these functions by themselves without the need of using external switches and routers.

Software within the computer system can use the network cards in each computer, with a simple switch in between, to allow communication between them. If your needs are fairly simple then computers by themselves can be the cheapest and easiest way to create a Home based business network.

Home Based Business Network System.

But again if on the other hand you home based business network is fairly advanced and requires more complicated connection then definitely you will need routers and some switches.

Let me also point out here that there are also other possible components you will need in order to fully set up your home network. Familiar devices that go under the general name of peripherals are often part of the home network, for instance you might need a printer, fax or scanner among multiple computers.

Also for your home based business network you will need to include a firewall. This is a software/hardware that allows the passage of information sent by trusted sources, but blocks other types of data from being send or received from other non trusted sources.

It is essential that you home based business network system stay protected by using a firewall. The good thing is that most routers if not all typically contain some inherent firewall functions.

Lesson 2 on home networking continues tomorrow.