Home LANs and Sharing Your Internet Connection: How To

Note: Please check out the ACCC Web page based on this newsletter issue: Connecting from Home - Using Cable or DSL and specifically, Home LANs and Sharing Your Internet Connection: How To. We keep it updated.

Do you have more than one computer in your house? Ever wish you could use the printer in the basement from the laptop in the family room? Or do online banking while your daughter is surfing the Web? You can, by connecting the computers in your house with a home LAN. You won't need a server and most likely you already have the software you need for a basic peer-to-peer LAN.

You will have to buy some hardware, but you won't have to search through aisles of hardware to find it. In all, we're talking a couple hundred dollars and a few hours of your time.

• There are a bunch of very good "network in a box" products. The details change, do a Google search for:
  home "network in a box"
  and you should see what's available now.
• Or, if you have a broadband cable/DSL connection that you want to share, consider a broadband cable/DSL router with multiple ports: buy.com's Routers

But before you do anything, check out these three sites; they will give you the practical information that you need to know to set up your home network/Internet connection.

And you're not finished until you secure your Internet connection.