the LIFELINE of Technology Industry

Just about every home will have two or more computers with data their users will consider important. It would be just awesome to be able to connect those computers together so they could share files, the same printer, scanner, and Internet access.

When you understand the components of a Home Network, what each component does as well as the various types of networks, you will be armed with the knowledge of both networking your own systems as well as networking the computers in homes of your friends.

There are 4 basic types of home networks with the Ethernet and Wireless being the most popular.You can also use your phone lines of your home to Home PNA or Home Phoneline Networking Alliance or your power lines can be used to create the Home Plug system. Let’s briefly talk about each network and the basic components.

1) The WIRELESS HOME NETWORK
Even though Wireless Networks are not as fast as Ethernet networks, they rid you of the problem cables lying around. Radio waves traveling to and from a transceiver attached to your computer sends data back and forth. Security however, is the wireless network’s major concern. Routers, adapter cards and other components are needed to connect the wireless network but there will be no dangling cables to bother with.

2) The HOMEPLUG NETWORK
With the HomePNA network, you can connect your computers to each other without installing wires but the network will use your power outlets to allow data to travel to and from each PC. A RJ-11 jack is needed as a go between for each computer to send data through the Phone lines and can be daisy chained. In our next newsletter you’ll see each component needed for the HomePNA and other networks. You can get complete adapter kits containing every component needed to network.

3) The WIRED NETWORK
If you have your computers in the same room and are very close to each other, the wired network is for you. This type of network transfer data between systems with the help of cables to each system.PC network cards are istalled in each system and this type of network is considered faster even though you will have cables that may be an eye sore.

4) The POWERLINE NETWORK
The powerline network uses the electrical wiring of your home to transfer data to and from each computer in the network.Adapters are plugged into used wall outlets which are them connected to each system. This type of network is known to loose speed because of interference. Bridges, routers, and other equipment will be required to put together your powerline network.

Computer viruses can and do strike at any moment. They assault your computer by destroying data, and rendering your system useless. The very first line of defense is to boost your knowledge of these well hidden malicious codes.

Malicious codes come in three basic formulas:

• Viruses are small programs that reproduce themselves for the purpose of causing some damage.
• Trojan Horses are disguised as gifts which may come as an attachment in your email.Once run, its purpose is to cause harm to your system as well.
• Then you may come in contact with worms, which cause damage by copying themselves over networks as wells as individual systems.These codes alters not just one system but several within a network.

After you enhance your knowledge of malicious code, know the symptoms of an infected system. Strange PC behavior, an increase or decrease of data in a file, pop up messages, random graphics, and files being deleted are some symptoms of your system having a virus.

The best way to find and remove viruses is with the installation of popular anti virus software such as Norton or McAfee. These programs readily identify infections and promptly remove them.

What should you do to prevent virus infection if you don’t have anti virus software installed on your PC? We should all give a word of thanks for the Internet. Rush over to one the free virus scanning services that will scan your hard drive for malicious codes.

Don’t do it. Don’t say, “Yes, I will get anti virus protection soon.” It will be when you wait one day too many and realize your computer must have a virus because it is deleting files, randomly showing graphics, performing one task when it should be performing another task, and other strange things. Take the time or invest the money for virus protection right now.