Setting up a traditional Ethernet LAN isn't fun: You've got to install all of the hardware and special Internet network cards, and then set up a server with special software. That said, an Ethernet LAN is about 100 times faster and more reliable than any of the alternatives. To install one, you'll need to get Ethernet cables (about $10 for a good 14-foot cable) and network interface cards (NICs) for each networked computer. Fast Ethernet NICs cost from $40 to $80 each. But the most important component is a router -- a box-shaped device for plugging in your Ethernet cables, so you can share a high-speed Internet connection. Fortunately, software packaged with today's routers will almost set up the LAN for you. Here are three user-friendly routers that are primed for the fast route to the Internet.
Fast: Most of us use 56-Kbps modems to get online. With 3Com's OfficeConnect four-port Ethernet hub, you can share that connection with four users. It's not the fastest router around, but this modest solution is easy to install and convenient for a burgeoning home-based business.
Coordinates: $299. 3Com, www.3com.com
Faster: ISDN lines are fast, but expensive. Installing one can cost several hundred dollars, with monthly service starting at about $50. But you can share one 128-Kbps ISDN connection using the Netgear Remote Access ISDN Router. The router can accommodate four Fast 100-Mbps Ethernet connections, allowing four computers to share files and printers and to get on the Web fast.
Coordinates: $449. Netgear, www.netgearinc.com
Fastest: Digital subscriber line service, available in parts of California and other areas, offers the fastest connection to the Internet. Netopia's R7100 SDSL Router takes advantage of such speed. It can handle a two-way, 1.568-Mbps Internet connection, which can then be shared by eight PCs connected to its Ethernet 10Base-T connections.
Coordinates: $449. Netopia, www.netopia.com
To get a big picture of how a home network works, we visited Ike Nassi's one-story house in Los Gatos, California. Nassi, chief technology officer of InfoGear Technology, says his at-home network "seamlessly integrates the Internet into our day-to-day tasks -- working, shopping online, and power-using email." Here is his setup.
1. Garage: In a connection box called a "punch-down block," the two analog phone lines and the two-channel digital ISDN line from GTE mesh with the multiple-phone and LAN lines that run into the house.
2. Wall Jacks: The home's wall jacks come with three plugs: one for each standard analog telephone line, and one for the home's internal AppleTalk LAN.
3. Kitchen: The kitchen has a two-line iPhone (made by Infogear) that has a large LCD screen, so that Ronee (Nassi's wife) can shop online while doing other chores.
4. Home Office: Nassi's study is ground zero for his home network, which requires a Netopia Router that connects the AppleTalk LAN and the Ethernet network, and lets everyone share the same high-speed ISDN Internet connection.
5. Jason's Room: Two years ago, when Jason, now a 23-year-old employee of Netscape/AOL, was still living at home, his room was often set up with a desktop Macintosh computer and a PowerBook laptop connected to the home network.
6. Alex's Room: Alex, 13, needs online access that doesn't interfere with other family members' phone calls. He gets that over the network through his Macintosh 8100/100 and an America Online account.
7. Mark's Room: A 20-year-old math major at UC Davis, Mark uses the network to copy software upgrades quickly from one machine to another and to test out programming assignments on the server in his father's home office.
Coordinates: Ike Nassi, nassi@nassi.com
Thinking about doing some networking? Before you begin, connect with these 10 commandments of network preparation.
1. Don't take on big jobs alone. If you need to connect more than a dozen PCs, you need a professional.
2. Upgrade windows. Windows 98 and Windows NT work better with these networking products, but that doesn't mean they won't crash.
3. Upgrade your drivers. Go to manufacturers' Web sites to download all new software releases for any peripherals that you'll be sharing.
4. Check your hard-disk space. You'll need at least 20 MB of disk space to get started.
5. Measure the distance. Know whether your systems are too far apart for your cables -- or for a good wireless connection.
6. Write down your dial-up settings. Chances are, when you install the network, you'll need those settings for your Internet connections.
7. Read the user's manual. Setting up a home network is more complicated than installing software.
8. Cut the power. I've seen professionals blow up network cards by sticking them into a live PC.
9. Put aside a weekend. There's a good chance that some essential device, such as a modem or a scanner, won't work the first time you install the network.
10. Back up all your files. In the confusion of setting up a server, you could delete critical work.
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