Home networking in its simplest form will allow you to share files and resources between devices in your home environment.  Instead of having to copy a file from your desktop PC onto a USB thumb drive so that you can use it on your laptop, you can store this file in an area where all the PCs on the network can access it.

This series will show you what you will need and how to set up a simple home network.

Part 1 will cover the basics of what is minimally required to set up a network in your home.  Part 2 will cover additional items to make your home network more efficient.  Part 3 will delve into wireless networks and in Part 4 I’ll discuss more advanced uses of home networks such as media sharing and streaming.

Let’s start with some key terms