The Home Office Network Quiz - Buyers Guide

SHOPPING FOR A HOME NETWORK? A dizzying array of choices makes it harder than ever. A few years ago, when Ethernet ruled the roost, the only thing you had to decide was how much cabling to buy. These days, a hodgepodge of wireless, phone-line, AC power, and USB products promises more flexibility than traditional Ethernet. Which is best? Take our quiz to find out. Each of the following five questions addresses a different aspect of your networking needs. Answer each, tally up your points, then see what kind of home LAN is best for you.

(1) Some networks are designed for just a pair of PCs, while others can handle dozens of computers with ease. How many systems do you want to connect on your network?

a. I have two PCs, and I network them infrequently. Typically, I only connect them to transfer files onto my laptop before I head out on a business trip.

b. I have two PCs--one is mine, the other my spouse's. Connecting them will let us share files, a printer, and an Internet connection. (10 points)

c. I have four computers--one for me, one for my intern, one spare, and one I use exclusively for faxing and scanning. I want them connected all the time. (10 points)

d. I have five PCs now and expect that number to keep growing. Although I need to connect them all to share peripherals, files, Internet access, and games, expandability is also very important to me. (15 points)

(2) Choosing a network is no different than finding the right software or peripherals. Your computer must be able to support the hardware you choose. What kind of computers do you have?

a. At least one of my PCs is an older model 486. It doesn't have any USB ports, so I'll have to install an ISA-based expansion card. It's running Windows 3.1, so it doesn't have any of the nifty Windows 95/98 networking or plug-and-play features. (15 points)

b. I have several PCs, and connecting them to a network seems straightforward. One of my computers is a Macintosh, however. I'd like to give the Mac the same data access as the PCs. (15 points)

c. My computers are all fairly new. They have PCI slots, USB ports, and plenty of horsepower. (10 points)

d. Although my computers are all fairly modern, I don't feel comfortable opening them to install PCI cards. I'd prefer to try something that I can plug into the outside of the computer. (5 points)

(3) Not all data is created equal. Slow network hardware can be frustrating if you work with large files, games, or video. What kind of data will you network most frequently?

a. I have several computers in my home office and perform a variety of different tasks on each. I need to access documents stored on any PC from any other PC. I'd like to access my Quicken database from any computer and edit PowerPoint slides from anywhere in the house. I'd also like to use one system to download files from the Internet, then access them from any other PC. (5 points)

b. I want to access files from any PC on the LAN, but I also want to play games with my kids. We have several programs that support multiplayer contests on a network. (10 points)

c. While I want Internet access, I don't need each computer to connect to the Internet directly. With only one PC offering Web access, I can download a file from the Web to that system and the other PCs can access the file via the network. (5 points)

d. I need each of my PCs to have a direct connection to the Internet. That way my spouse, my assistant, and even my kids can all surf the Web and check e-mail simultaneously from their own PCs. (10 points)

(4) The proximity of your PCs is a factor that affects the kind of network you choose. How close together are your computers?

a. I have several computers, all located within 12 feet of one another in one room. I don't expect to add more computers to the network, and I have no plans to put computers elsewhere in the house. (5 points)

b. My PCs are scattered all over the house. My home office has a pair of systems that are fairly close to each other, but there is also a computer in the study upstairs, as well as one in the kids' bedroom. (10 points)

c. I have a few PCs in various rooms, and I move around a lot. I sometimes use a notebook in the dining room, sometimes carry it up to the bedroom, and once in a while take it out to the back deck. Ideally, the laptop would be able to connect to the network regardless of where it is. (10 points)

d. The loft over our detached garage serves as my home office. Even though it's in a different building, we'd like to network the office PC with computers in several locations in the main house. (10 points)

(5) After your network is up and running, connecting to the Internet can be an important element of your office productivity. To choose the right network, it helps to know how you plan to use the Internet.

a. I rarely spend much time online. When I do, my time is spent reading and sending e-mail messages, and I visit Web pages occasionally.