Networking for Fun and Profit
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Written by Atila on July 23, 2008 – 6:10 pm
Networks serve two very important purposes: they connect one computer to another for information exchange, and they allow network members to share hardware, including storage devices, printers, and modems (including those that connect to the Internet).
The first generation of laptops had to be adapted to offer a wired interface to a network. The second generation came with a built-in network interface card (NIC). And today’s current machines build on that wired connection with a high-speed WiFi wireless transmitter/ receiver.
Ethernet
Most modern laptops offer built-in network interface circuitry and a port that allows direct wired connection to an Ethernet system. You need a cable with an RJ-45 plug (an oversized cousin of a familiar telephone connector) and a hub, switch, or router that provides access to the network.
It’s also possible to directly connect the Ethernet port on a laptop to the equivalent port on a desktop with a single cable and set up a peer-to-peer network between the two. You can purchase Ethernet cables (called CAT-5 in some descriptions) of almost any length, although you’ll have more reliable communication and you or your laptop are less likely to suffer a tumble if you keep the cables short and neatly coiled.
Network use requires no switches or additional hardware; the software side of “enabling” a network is accomplished by Windows settings. If your laptop doesn’t offer a built-in network interface, you can add one by using an adapter that inserts into an available PC Card slot or that attaches to a USB port.
Telephone modem
In the early days of personal computers, dial-up networking to the Internet or direct connection to another machine was a marvel; today for most users dial-up has been mostly relegated to a backup to much faster and easier-to-use wireless or broadband services. However, you may still find it useful to use a standard telephone line to call an Internet service provider (ISP) when you’re on the road.
Most modern laptops include a built-in modem and connector. (You may hear mention of something called a soft modem, which is a design that uses some of the computer’s microprocessor and memory to emulate a hardware modem; a soft modem is perfectly acceptable for most users, although it may slow down other tasks that run at the same time.) To use a modem, you need a standard telephone cable with an RJ-11 connector and an outlet in the home, office, or hotel room that has an analog dial tone.
An analog signal is the most common phone system, but laptop users should take extra care before plugging into a hotel or office system that might use a higher-voltage digital system; in the worst of mismatches you could fry your laptop’s circuitry or at least damage or destroy the internal modem. Ask before plugging into an unknown system.
If you must use a digital phone system with your laptop’s built-in analog modem, purchase an external digital-to-analog converter. One end of the converter plugs into the wall and the other end offers a safe outlet for the laptop.
