Home Networking Simplified

Product Description

An illustrated home networking handbook for the everyday user

Building a network doesn't have to be all work and no play—it can actually be fun! Home Networking Simplified is an illustrated home-networking book for everyone from Grandma Mary to your tech-savvy teenage neighbor.

Home Networking Simplified gives you the most basic need-to-know info and then teaches you how to get the most out of your home network:

• Learn the basics of home networking, from connecting to the Internet to connecting your computers
• Create a basic home network
• Grow and update your network with confidence
• Secure your home network and protect yourself from hackers and viruses
• Go wireless to put your computers where you want them—not just where cables reach
• Learn about the latest technologies, emerging trends, and coolest toys

Whether you’re a newbie, a geek, or someone in-between, Home Networking Simplified helps you harness the power of home networking.

Debugged by The Geek Squad

This book is part of the Networking Technology Series from Cisco Press®, the only authorized publisher for Cisco Systems®.

Links

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Interview(s)

Computer Outlook Radio, August 11, 2005

Investor's Business Daily, July 8, 2005

Computing Unplugged, July 2005

Geek Speak Radio, July 4, 2005

The Wall Street Journal This Morning, July 4, 2005

Entrenched Radio, July 2, 2005

TheDeal.com, June 27, 2005

Into Tomorrow, June 26, 2005

Computer Talk with TAB, June 11, 2005

TechTalkRadio, June 1, 2005

Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful The Best Book on the Subject, June 15, 2005 By  John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews    This review is from: Home Networking Simplified (Paperback) The firs thing that struck me as I picked up this book is that it was from Cisco Press but didn't have any Cisco equipment in it. Instead it is profusely illustrated with all kinds of rather simple but informative drawings. Then when I did see some photographs of equipment it was of Linksys gear. Only started to read the Foreward of the book did I read that Cisco purchased Linksys. Now it makes sense for them to do a book about Home Networking. Cisco specialized in things like big heavy duty networks. I was concerned that they might write a book on home networking the same way. But they didn't. The authors are Cisco people (well, one of them recently left Cisco) but then they tied in with the Geek Squad a volunteer group that offers computer support on the web (www.geeksquad.com). It appears that these guys have seen every problem the end user is going to have. They probably read the book and made suggestions, and then once in a while they add a little comment to further... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink  Comment 9 of 10 people found the following review helpful A very useful guide to setting up your home network., August 21, 2005 By  Mr. Terry Miller "Once a Marine" (Phoenix, Az USA) - See all my reviews    Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Home Networking Simplified (Paperback) This book will take you through all the steps required to set up a home computer network and connect it to the Internet. It covers cables routers switches and configurations. Be aware that this book is for Windows® users so although the concepts are the same for Linux or for Mac OS all the examples are for Windows® users. Great book, well layed out and very concise. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink  Comment 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful Best in class, February 3, 2006 By  Sparky Wallmoon - See all my reviews This review is from: Home Networking Simplified (Paperback) This book has been widely reviewed on other sites and in almost every case it was rated very high, including the review from Computer Times (http://www.computertimes.com/Aug05HomeNetworkingSimplifiedReview.htm) which is what led me to buy the book. The examples throughout the book are good and there are lots of pictures and diagrams. Having read the whole book I was surprised by M.F. Anderson's review below. The topics he says are not in there are in fact covered (there is a full chapter just on file sharing and a step by step description on how to set up a work group). Either he did not actually read the book, or he's a friend of the author of the book he recommends. Maybe both? This is one of the better books on the topic I have found with regards to topic coverage and completeness. Add in the great diagrams, funny comments from the Geek Squad and the overall readability (which is really important considering most of the books on this topic are 200-300 pages long)... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink  Comment

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Praise For Home Networking Simplified

Accolades for Home Networking Simplified

It takes a lot to impress us when it comes to books, but Home Networking Simplified is impressive. This is not just a boring list of instructions. It is a completely illustrated home networking handbook for the everyday user that provides lots of pictures to help you understand every facet of networking your home. This book will meet the needs of everyone from beginners to tech-savvy teenagers.
- Computer Times (This book was selected as an Editor's Choice by the editors of Computer Times.)

"Home Networking Simplified is one of the more entertaining networking how-to books we have ever read. The general tone of the text and especially the Geek Squad chapters and blurbs both add considerable mirth to what can be a crushingly dry subject....For $25, Home Networking Simplified is a bargain for readers interested in the subject. Its quality as an instructional text comes almost as much from its readability as the information it contains. It's rare to laugh while learning about networks, so we'd like to encourage this concept in future releases."
– PCstats.com

"Home Networking Simplified, by Jim Doherty and Neil Anderson, explains setting up a home network as well as I ever have seen it done. You will find, of course, that the book uses Cisco's own Linksys products to explain the steps needed, but one can use the same stuff from D-Link, Netgear and Belkin. Networking, by definition, uses the same technology regardless of the maker. Just follow the screen shots and diagrams laid out by the authors, and you'll enjoy rather than dread setting up your home with a wireless network."
– James Coates, "Ask Jim" column, Chicago Tribune

"It is copiously illustrated, and it is written in a simplified style that non-IT people can understand. But it never stoops to the (often strained) forced 'humor' of some guides prepared - by their own admission - for 'idiots' and 'dummies.' Get a copy of this book. Even if you find it's not useful to your enterprise network (and I would find that hard to believe) it'll make a great gift for that friend, neighbor or family member who is always cornering you to help them fix a PC problem."
– Network World

"This book helps IT professionals understand the ins and outs of home wireless networking."
- J. Gerry Purdy, Ph.D., Principal Analyst with MobileTrax

"For the curious reader on this subject - a novice with little networking experience, this is a good book."
- Mike Kahn, Managing Director The Clipper Group, Inc.

"I found the book [Home Networking Simplified] surprisingly good. My surprise certainly didn't come from the book being good, but rather from the comprehensive nature of the topics covered, the depth to which they were covered, and the clarity of presentation. Further, whereas other books may tell what to do, this book also tells - and, in many cases, shows - how to put in practice what it preaches."
- Jon David, senior editor, Computers & Security

Appendix

Download - 124 KB - Appendix A: Binary Number System—The Language of Computers
Download - 370 KB - Appendix B: MAC Address Locking for Wireless Security
Download - 63.5 KB - Appendix C: Linksys Product List
Download - 85 KB - Appendix D: Future Stuff

Table of Contents

Chapter 18    From the Geek Squad Files

Security Checklist

Part V           Advanced Home Networks

Chapter 19    Wireless Print Servers: The Cure for Joy

How to Build It: Wireless Print Server

Set Up the Wireless Print Server for Your Wireless Network

Connect Printers to the Wireless Printer Server

Install the Wireless Print Server Driver on Each Computer

Print a Test Page

Chapter 20    Video Surveillance

How to Build It: Wireless Internet Video Cameras

Set Up the Wireless Internet Video Camera for Your Wireless Network

Configure the Video Camera Security

Viewing Video from Within Your House

Viewing Images with an Internet Browser

Installing and Viewing Images with the Viewer Client

Viewing Video over the Internet

Problems with Viewing Video over the Internet

Use the Video Camera as a Motion Detector

Chapter 21    Internet Phone Service

How IP Telephony Works

Broadband Phone Services

Broadband Phone Providers

Virtual Phone Numbers

Voice-Chat Services

How to Build It: Internet Phone Service

Setting Up a Broadband Phone Service

Choosing an Internet Phone Adapter

Setting Up the Internet Phone Adapter

Setting Up a Voice-Chat Service (Using Skype)

Chapter 22    Networked Entertainment Systems

How to Build It: Networked Entertainment Systems

Set Up the Wireless Media Adapter

Connect the Home Entertainment Center to the Wireless Media Adapter

Install the Adapter Utility Client on Your Home Computer

Playing Music

Viewing Photos

Chapter 23    Online Gaming

Gaming Servers

Options for Online Gaming

How to Build It: Online Video Gaming

Set Up the Wireless Game Adapter

Connect a Video Game Console to the Wireless Game Adapter

Connect to an Online Game Provider

Setting Up an Online Game Account

Detailed Troubleshooting Steps for Online Gaming

Chapter 24    From the Geek Squad Files

Glossary

Index

Downloadable Sample Chapter

Download - .98 MB -- Chapter 16: Other Vulnerabilities (Spam, Cookies, Pop-Ups, Spyware, and Scams)