Fret not. You also can create your own network relatively easily and cheaply. Wired or wireless, it's easier than ever to get connected.
New Life for an old PC
Let us start by discussing how you can use the old PC you may have available. Maybe you just purchased the most state-of-the art PC with the fastest processor, tons of disk space and memory probably last you a lifetime. So now what do you do with the old?
Of course you
can donate it, but recycle the old PC can add a lot of functionality to your computing experience. Besides, it feels good to hold hard to recycle items from landfill.
Getting Started
There are a few things you must do to prepare the PC for its new use.
Remove Unneeded programs. If you do not intend to run any programs from your "new server", remove any programs you do not intend to use. Simply go to Control Panel, select Add / Remove Programs and delete anything you do not.
Clean Up The Hard Drive. Get rid of temporary files, browser cache, and everything else you do not want to free up disk space. PC World has a great article on how to Reclaim space on your hard disk.
Install a network card. If the machine does not have a network card, install one. You can get one at almost all computer accessories dealer for around $ 15. To install the card, you should take precautions. First you have the PC off and unplug the machine. You must remove the lid to find an empty PCI slot, so avoid static damage by wearing an antistatic wrist strap while working inside your PC. Locate a vacant PCI slot and remove the cover. Carefully insert the network card and use a screw to fasten it down.
When you start the machine, Windows detects the card. To install the drivers, follow the instructions that come with your server.
Set it to use
Now that you have your PC set up network, you can use it as a file server, print server or to share an Internet connection. Nobody likes to fight over the only computer with Internet access, or be kicked out so that others can use the printer. Not to mention the hassle of driving back and forth, to transfer files. Use the following steps to implement your own file server, print server and shared Internet access.
File Server
To use the old PC as a simple file server, all you really need is on your hard disk. If you have 20 GB or more, which should be enough to use it for simple file sharing and backup. But if you want to save a lot of files, or share and store digital media, you might consider adding another, larger capacity hard drive.
Enable file sharing. Depending on your operating system, right-click the icon Network Neighbourhood or My Network Places on your desktop, then select Properties. Then, for Windows 2000 or XP, right-click Local Area Connection, select Properties and check the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks. For Windows 98 or ME, click on File and Print Sharing button and select we want to be able to give others access to my files and click OK. Then restart your PC.
Share Drive (s). Now you just have to put parts on the drive you want to share, then double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop. Then right-click the icon for the drive or folder you want to share and select Sharing. Then just follow the instructions on the screen to create division. You can choose to share full access, read-only access or password protected access. Do the same for all other drives you want to share.
Print Server
Enabling printer sharing is very similar to the setup for file sharing.
First you must install the printer. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing your printer and make sure that all drivers are installed.
Enable Printer Sharing. The above steps have you already enabled file sharing. For those of you with Windows 98 or ME, follow the instructions in Step 1 above and also check we want to be able to allow others to print to my printer dialog box. Restart your PC.
Share the printer. Again, depending on which operating system you use, go to your printer folder. For Windows XP. Select Start> Printers and Faxes for Windows 98, ME or 2000, select Start> Settings> Printers. Right-click the printer icon you wish to share and select Sharing. Then just follow the instructions from there.
Share This Internet
Now that you have your server up, you can also use it to share an Internet connection.
Install a modem and / or additional Network Card. If you use a dialup connection, you must install a modem if one is not already installed on the server PC. Follow manufacturer's instructions for installing the modem. If you use a broadband connection, network card you have installed when you set your network will work fine. You'll need a second network card for cable or DSL modem, unless you have a USB broadband modem.
Setup ICS. For Windows 98 or ME users, go to Add / Remove Programs in Control Panel and select Windows Setup tab. For 98, double-click Internet Tools or ME, double-click Communications. Select Internet Connection Sharing, click OK and run Internet Connection Sharing Wizard, or Home Networking Wizard. For Windows 2000 and XP users, right-click My Network Places icon on your desktop and select Properties. Right click on the broadband modem connection and select Properties. For Windows 2000, click the Sharing tab and check Enable Internet Connection Sharing for this connection. For XP users, click the Advanced tab and select the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection.
Voila! You now have your own home network.
Congratulations!
Manage your home network
Now that you have your own home network, we can help you make it a little easier to handle. Micro 2000 has submitted a 5-seat version of Remote Scope for home users who want to manage their network of up to 5 PCs from a remote location. It can be a hassle, not to mention time consuming, making sure each PC has been defragged, backed up, or had the latest virus installed. If you want to be able to manage each of your PC's from a machine you can. Remove Operate each PC, install applications and patches, set up backup and defrag tasks or help keep your kids protected online monitoring spots. To find out more about Remote Scope features visits Scope Remote Network Management.
