Amazon.co.uk Review
Home networking isn't just for nerds with spare time anymore. Unifying the computers in your home on a local area network (LAN) makes it easy to share resources, like a fast Internet connection or a high-quality printer.
Home Networking Visual JumpStart shows you just how easy it is to put your home computers (at least those running Windows 98) on a network. Better yet, author Erik Sherman shows how to do a classy job of home networking (if you want) by concealing cable inside walls and installing flush-mounted wall jacks. It is a pleasure to see this emphasis on quality work in a market full of books written by people who evidently don't think twice about having Ethernet cables run all over the floor.
Sherman's diligence extends beyond wiring. He explains what hardware--network interface cards (NICs) and hubs--you need to make your computers (and printers and modems) talk to one another, and details the steps you need to follow. Readers would probably have appreciated more information on dedicated home firewall products (they are a really good idea for homes with cable modems), and enough home networks include Macintosh machines that some coverage of cross-platform networking would make an appropriate addition. But the extras that do appear in this book (including excellent sections on setting up networked applications and diagnostic utilities like Winipcfg, usually neglected in books about home networking) distinguish it favourably from its competitors. --David Wall
Product Description
This guide provides easy, visual steps on how to design, install, and run home networks.
