Below are some of the most frequently asked questions involving a network in your home of office.  If there are further questions email our staff and we will answer them as quickly as possible.

Frequently Ask Questions:

Q: How much time will it take you to install the network?
A: Good question. We value your and our time. Normally it takes from one to two hours to complete the task. However, in some cases there could be unexpected delays but they are very rare.

Networking Benefits
Q: Can I have one in my home as well as my office?
A: Yes networks are just as useful at home and the office. A network can help you get more out of your computers, printers, large hard drives and other computing resources in the home or office.
Q: What are the benefits of a network?
A: A network helps everyone get more out of their PCs by providing:
Convenience. No need to take turns accessing the Internet. No need to carry floppy disks to another PC if you want to copy a file or print a document. Drive sharing allows for simple back up from one PC to another.
Cost savings. Two members can be on the Internet simultaneously without the need for two phone lines or two separate Internet accounts. And, since devices can be shared, there's less need to purchase an additional printer or hard drive.
Q: How can a home network benefit my home office?
A: A home office is the perfect place for a home network. With a home network, you can share Internet connectivity, printers and files. Plus you can access the home office PC from any PC on the home network - you don't have to actually be IN the home office.

Purchasing a Network
Q: Which home network 10 or 100 Mbps (mega bits per second) is right for me?
A: Choose between 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps (Fast Ethernet). The 100 Mbps solution is a top technology that you can easily have. Choose it if you plan to copy large files, such as high-resolution graphics, from one computer to another often or if you are looking far into the future of networking capabilities, such as the distribution of full motion video. However 10 Mbps is more than enough in most cases and, of cause, cheaper. 

Installing and using the network
Q: How big is the home network equipment?
A: The network adapters such as PCI or PCMCIA cards are internal and do not take any place. A network router is an external device and is available in different sizes (depending on the amount of computers connected) from about a cigarette package to a cigarette carton.
Q: How many PCs can I connect on the network?
A: This is up to your requirements. Are 25 computers enough?

Printer and peripheral compatibility
Q: Can I use the network with my new color printer?
A: Yes. The network supports most printers.
Q: My new printer has some diagnostic utilities to determine ink levels, when the paper is low etc. Will this utility work when accessed via a home network?
A: Normally they do, if printer drivers are correctly installed on both the server (a computer to which the printer is connected) and workstation (a computer from which the printer is accessed).
Q: How many printers can I hook up to a network?
A: The home network lets you share all your PCs' printers, whether they're connected to a PC's parallel port(s) or USB ports.

Sharing Internet access
Q: Can I use the home even if another PC user is on the Internet?
A: Yes. You can connect to the Internet and still print files to other PCs printers, share files, the remainder of the network still works independently.
Q: Will the network increase the speed of my Internet connection?
A: No. The network utilizes your existing Internet connection through your existing modem, DSL connection, or cable modem. The network does not enhance your current Internet access speed.
Q: Will the speed of my Internet connection be cut in half if two PCs are online at the same time?
A: No. Data sent across the Internet is typically not continuous, but sent in chunks. Requests for and downloads of data often occur randomly as users click on links while surfing the Web. This allows multiple users to be online at the same time without dramatically reducing overall performance.
Q: Does the network work with broadband, high-speed Internet connections?
A: Yes, the network lets you simultaneously share access to the Internet across multiple PCs, even if only one connected PC has a broadband Internet connection, like a DSL or cable modem. And it lets all connected PCs share the speed of the broadband connection.
Q: My laptop is configured for my office LAN. Can I use it on the home network?
A: Yes. Microsoft Windows 9.x and above allows multiple network configuration.
Q: Can I use the network if I have a cable modem installed? Isn't a cable modem really "another network"?
A: Your network allows sharing the benefits of cable modem Internet access among all your connected PCs. The Internet sharing software is designed to install when a cable modem is present, even though most cable modems "look like" a network adapter in the PC. In case of having a high speed Internet connection you will utilize the full benefits of shared Internet access with your home network.
Q: Does the Ethernet home network work with Windows NT or Linux?
A: Yes. Windows 3.x, 9.x, 2000, VP, ME, NT, Linux and even DOS-based PCs are supported. However the researches show that Windows 9x and above are by far the most widely used operating systems in multiple-PC homes.
Q: Do you support the MacOS?
A: Yes, it is possible. However I do not deal with Macs at this time.

 

Cedar Rapids, IA
sales@esolutionsanddesign.com