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Franklin High School > Departments and Faculty > Business/Computer Technology > Designing Web Pages

Home Networking WebQuest

Networking Your Home WebQuest

Introduction

This WebQuest is designed to teach adults about basic networking including what hardware and software is necessary to connect from home to the Internet and how much it will cost.

Task

You are building a new home (or remodeling an existing one) and want to be able to connect multiple computers, in different locations within the house, to both the Internet and a printer(s). This network will allow your computer, your laptop, and a printer(s) to work together and, via a connection provided to you by your local phone company or your cable company, access the Internet.

Before you can connect your first network, you need to determine the following:

First, you need to understand network topology, specifically, a Local Area Network using Ethernet technologies.

Second, you need to know how data is transferred between two end points such using methods such as bridging, switching and/or routing and a little bit about Internet addresing.

Third you need to determine exactly what equipment will be needed to successfully connect your network together.

Fourth, you need to determine who will provide your Internet service.

Fifth, you need to determine how to wire your network and provide a diagram to your electrician.

Finally, you need to determine the intial cost of the hardware and software, the network and the monthly cost.

Process

1. Using these links, explore network topologies and LAN protocols.

Ethernet Technologies: http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/cisintwk/ito_doc/ethernet.htm
Ethernet: Distributed Packet Switching for Local Computer Networks: http://www.acm.org/classics/apr96/
Introduction to LAN Protocols: http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/cisintwk/ito_doc/introlan.htm

2. Next use the following links to understand bridging switching and Internet addresses.

Bridging and Switching: http://www.ictglobal.com/network_tech.html
What is Internet Addressing? (PowerPoint Slide Show): http://www.ext.nodak.edu/miv/15min/intadres/sld001.htm
Ethernet Hubs and Switches Explained: http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-hubs-and-switches.asp
What is the difference between a hub and a switch?: http://compnetworking.about.com/library/tips/blfaq011.htm

3. Use the following links to research what type of computer equipment and software you will need and how much it will cost.

Dell Home and Home Office Products: http://www1.us.dell.com/content/default.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
Gateway Home and Home Office Products: http://www.gateway.com/home/
HP Home and Home Office Products: http://www.hp.com/hpcentral/hho/solutions/home_homeoffice.html
The Apple Computer Store: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore/

4. Use the following links to determine how you will connect to the Internet and how much it will cost.

How To Differentiate Between Internet Connections: http://www.aarp.org/computers-howto/Articles/a2002-07-15-internetconnect.html
Choosing the Best Internet Connection: http://www.techsoup.org/howto/articlepage.cfm?ArticleId=130&topicid=4
The Definitive ISP Buyer's Guide: http://www.thelist.com/

5. Use the following links to start to think about a network diagram to give to your electrician. You can locate a network installer near you. Or, you could even do it yourself!

SmartDraw House Floor Plan Examples: http://www.smartdraw.com/examples/fpn-home/index.htm
Equipment to set up a home network and share a broadband connection: http://www.resnet.bristol.ac.uk/broadband/homenetwork.html
Home Networking from Electronic House Magazine June 2004: http://www.electronichouse.com/default.asp?NodeId=2037
How to create a home network from Advice.com: http://www.homenethelp.com/dir/
The Compass DeRose Guide to Ethernet computer network wiring: http://www.derose.net/steve/guides/wiring/
Find a network installer near you: http://www.homenethelp.com/dir/

6. From the resources sited in the previous sections, fill in the this worksheet. You may also want to take a look at the additional resources listed below.

Additional Resources:

Building A Home Network From Scratch - The Ins and Outs of Building a Home Network: http://www.tomsnetworking.com/Sections-article62-page1.php
Diagram of DSL Connected to Home Network: http://www.fullfont.com/homenetdiag.htm
Home Network Setup - Networking Advisor: http://compnetworking.about.com/library/advisor/blhomeadvisor.htm
The Complete Idiots Guide to Networking Your Home - Book: http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Shop/Books/Item/BK-NET/moreInfo/

Evaluation

You will be evaluated by this rubric.

Conclusion

You should have been able to learn about the basics of a network topology in order to be able to connect the hardware at your home to get access to the Internet as well as access across different machines locally at your home. Discuss your network model with other students in the class. After sharing network ideas, are there changes you would make to your network model? How can it be improved?

11385
Updated: Nov 15, 2004

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