Introduction
Welcome to the tenth edition of Networking For Dummies, the book that’s written especially for people who have this nagging feeling in the back of their minds that they should network their computers but haven’t a clue about how to start or where to begin.
Do you often copy a spreadsheet to a flash drive just so you can give it to someone else in your office? Are you frustrated because you can’t use the fancy color laser printer that’s on the financial secretary’s computer? Do you wait in line to use the computer that has the customer database? You need a network!
Or maybe you already have a network, but you have just one problem: Someone promised that a network would make your life easier, but it’s instead turned your computing life upside down. Just when you had this computer thing figured out, someone popped into your office, hooked up a cable, and said, “Happy networking!” Makes you want to scream.
Regardless, you’ve found the right book. Help is here, within these humble pages.
This book talks about networks in everyday (and often irreverent) terms. The language is friendly; you don’t need a graduate education to get through it. And the occasional potshot helps unseat the hallowed and sacred traditions of networkdom, bringing just a bit of fun to an otherwise dry subject. The goal is to bring the lofty precepts of networking down to earth, where you can touch them and squeeze them and say, “What’s the big deal? I can do this!”
About This Book
This isn’t the kind of book you pick up and read from start to finish, as if it were a cheap novel. If I ever see you reading it at the beach, I’ll kick sand in your face. This book is more like a reference, the kind of book you can pick up, turn to just about any page, and start reading. Each chapter covers a specific aspect of networking, such as printing from the network, hooking up network cables, or setting up security so that bad guys can’t break in. Just turn to the chapter you’re interested in and start reading.
Each chapter is divided into self-contained chunks, all related to the major theme of the chapter. For example, the chapter on hooking up the network cable contains nuggets like these:
What is Ethernet?
All about cable
To shield or not to shield
Wall jacks and patch panels
Switches
You don’t have to memorize anything in this book. It’s a need-to-know book: You pick it up when you need to know something. Need to know what 100BaseT is? Pick up the book. Need to know how to create good passwords? Pick up the book. Otherwise, put it down and get on with your life.
How to Use This Book
This book works like a reference. Start with the topic you want to find out about. Look for it in the Table of Contents or in the index to get going.
If you need to type something, you see the text you need to type like this: Type this stuff. In this example, you type Type this stuff at the keyboard and then press Enter. An explanation usually follows, just in case you’re scratching your head and grunting, “Huh?”
Whenever I describe a message or information that you see on the screen, I present it this way:
A message from your friendly network
This book rarely directs you elsewhere for information; just about everything that you need to know about networks is right here. If you find the need for additional information, plenty of other For Dummies books can help. If you have a networking question that isn’t covered in this book, allow me to suggest my own Networking All-in-One For Dummies, 5th Edition (Wiley), which is a much-expanded reference book that goes deeper into specific network operating systems and TCP/IP protocols. You can also find plenty of other For Dummies books that cover just about every operating system and application program known to humanity.
What You Don’t Need to Read
Aside from the topics you can use right away, much of this book is skippable. I carefully placed extra-technical information in self-contained sidebars and clearly marked them so that you can steer clear of them. Don’t read this stuff unless you’re really into technical explanations and want to know a little of what’s going on behind the scenes. Don’t worry: My feelings won’t be hurt if you don’t read every word.
Foolish Assumptions
I’m making only two assumptions about who you are: You’re someone who works with a PC, and you either have a network or you’re thinking about getting one. I hope that you know (and are on speaking terms with) someone who knows more about computers than you do. My goal is to decrease your reliance on that person, but don’t throw away his phone number yet.
Is this book useful for Macintosh users? Absolutely. Although the bulk of this book is devoted to showing you how to link Windows-based computers to form a network, you can find information about how to network Macintosh computers as well.
Windows 8? Gotcha covered. You’ll find plenty of information about how to network with the latest and greatest Microsoft operating system.
How This Book Is Organized
Inside this book, you find chapters arranged in parts. Each chapter breaks down into sections that cover various aspects of the chapter’s main subject. The chapters are in a logical sequence, so reading them in order (if you want to read the whole thing) makes sense, but the book is modular enough that you can pick it up and start reading at any point.
Here’s the lowdown on what’s in each part.
Part I: Getting Started with Networking
The chapters in this part present a layperson’s introduction to what networking is all about. This part is a good place to start if you’re clueless about what a network is and why you’re suddenly expected to use one. It’s also a great place to start if you’re a hapless network user who doesn’t give a whit about “optimizing network performance” but wants to know what the network is and how to get the most out of it.
The best thing about this part is that it focuses on how to use a network without getting into the technical details of setting up a network or maintaining a network server. In other words, this part is aimed at ordinary network users who have to know how to get along with a network.
Part II: Setting Up a Network
Uh-oh. The boss just gave you an ultimatum: Get a network up and running by Friday or pack your things. The chapters in this section cover everything you need to know to build a network, from picking the network operating system to installing the cable.
Part III: Working with Servers
One of the most challenging aspects of setting up a network is installing and configuring server computers and the software that runs on them. The chapters in this part show you how to set up a basic server, create user accounts, and configure file, e-mail, and web servers.
Part IV: Cloudy with a Chance of Gigabytes
The chapters in this part introduce you to techniques for extending your network into the Internet using what has come to be known as cloud computing. Included in this part are chapters about integrating the new breed of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers into your network, as well as extending your office network to your home computer.
Part V: Managing and Protecting Your Network
I hope that the job of managing the network doesn’t fall on your shoulders, but in case it does, the chapters in this part can help you out. You find out all about backup, security, performance, dusting, mopping, changing the oil, and all the other stuff that network managers have to do.
You will also learn about network security: backing up your data, protecting your network from evil people who want to break your network’s back, and hardening your network against threats such as viruses and spyware.
Part VI: More Ways to Network
The three chapters in this part cover some additional technologies you need to know to build and manage a successful network. First, you’ll see how you can use virtualization in your network so that you can save money by buying fewer server computers. Then you’ll discover about networking with the two most popular alternatives to Windows: Linux and Macintosh computers.
Part VII: The Part of Tens
This wouldn’t be a For Dummies book without a collection of lists of interesting snippets: ten networking commandments, ten things you should keep in your closet, and more!
Icons Used in This Book
Those nifty little pictures in the margin aren’t there just to pretty up the place. They also have practical functions.
Hold it — technical details lurk just around the corner. Read on only if you have a pocket protector.
Pay special attention to this icon; it lets you know that some particularly useful tidbit is at hand — perhaps a shortcut or a little-used command that pays off big.
Did I tell you about the memory course I took?
Danger, Will Robinson! This icon highlights information that may help you avoid disaster.
Where to Go from Here
Yes, you can get there from here. With this book in hand, you’re ready to plow right through the rugged networking terrain. Browse through the Table of Contents and decide where you want to start. Be bold! Be courageous! Be adventurous! Above all, have fun!
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