Home Networking Do-It-Yourself For Dummies

Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Part I: Doing Your Homework
Part II: Installing Your Home Network
Part III: Setting up Your Windows 7 Network
Part IV: Keeping Your Network Safe and Healthy
Part V: The Part of Tens
Icons Used In This Book
Where to Go From Here
Part I: Doing Your Homework
Chapter 1: Why Do You Need A Home Network?
A Network by Any Other Name
A Home Network for Everyone
A Home Network for One
Building a SOHO: When Home and Office Become One
To Wire or Not To Wire
Chapter 2: Understanding Networking Basics
Understanding Basic Network Properties
IP addresses
Subnet masks
Default gateway address
Domain Name System (DNS) server addresses
Part II: Installing Your Home Network
Chapter 3: Getting Wired
Routers and Switches
Identifying Network Adapters
Working with Network Cables
Twisted pairs and RJ-45 connectors
Twisted pair categories
Unshielded versus shielded
Straight-through versus crossover
Length and color
Chapter 4: Going Wireless
Planning Your Wireless Home Network
Speed
Coverage
Buying a wireless access point
Part III: Setting Up Your Windows 7 Network
Chapter 5: Understanding User Accounts
Understanding User Profiles
Knowing the Difference in Administrator and Standard User Accounts

Chapter 6: Setting Up a HomeGroup

Chapter 7: Sharing With Others
Chapter 8: Connecting to the Internet
Choosing an Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Cable
DSL
Wireless (cellular)
Satellite
Dialup
Chapter 9: Connecting Remotely
Understanding Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
Chapter 10: Having Fun with Your Home Network
Networking Your PlayStation, Wii, or Xbox 360
Online Gaming Services for Gaming Consoles
PlayStation Network
Wii
Xbox Live
PC Gaming
Video card
Processor and memory
Sound
Game controllers
Automating Your Entire Home
Keeping Your Home Safe
Configuring Your Gaming Console for Wireless Networking
Part IV: Keeping Your Network Safe and Healthy
Chapter 11: Inside the Action Center
The Action Center Notification Icon
An Overview of the Action Center
Chapter 12: Windows Firewall and Windows Defender
Defining Malware
Viruses
Worms
Trojans
Spyware
Bots
Blended threats
Protecting Your Network from Malware
Antivirus software
Antispyware software
Firewalls
Security updates and fixes
E-mail Threats
Spam
Spoofing
Phishing
Social Engineering and Cyber Predators
Understanding Windows Firewall

Understanding Windows Defender

Chapter 13: Windows Update
Chapter 14: Backup and Restore
Determining Where to Save Your Backup
Hard drives (internal or external)
Writeable CDs or DVDs
USB flash drives
Network shares
Chapter 15: Building a SOHO Network
Recognizing the Benefits of Working from Home
Location, Location, Location
Regulatory Compliance
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS)
Health care
State privacy and disclosure laws
Data Confidentiality and Encryption
Part V: The Part of Tens
Chapter 16: Ten Great Windows 7 Resources
For Dummies Books
For Dummies Web Site
Windows: The Official Magazine
Microsoft Web Site
MSDN and TechNet Web Sites
Windows 7 News & Tips
Windows 7 Forums
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Chapter 17: Ten Reasons You Might Not Be Able to Join a HomeGroup
Verify a HomeGroup Exists on the Network
Ensure You Have a Network Connection
Confirm Youre Running Windows 7
Make Sure the Network Location Isnt Set to Home
Check to See If the Computer Already Belongs to a HomeGroup
Confirm That Someone Is Logged On to the Computer
Verify That HomeGroups Arent Disabled
Ensure Network Discovery Is Turned On
Confirm Peer Networking Grouping Service Is Running
Make Sure the HomeGroup Provider Service Is Running
Chapter 18: Ten Network Troubleshooting Tools
Running Windows Troubleshooters
Troubleshooting with the ipconfig Command
Ping!
Searching Google and Others
Viewing Problem Reports
Generating a System Health Report
Reliability Monitor
Creating a Play-by-Play with Problem Steps Recorder
Getting Help from a Friend with Remote Assistance
Consulting Windows Help and Support
Cheat Sheet

About the Author

Dedication

Authors Acknowledgments

Publishers Acknowledgments

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Doing Your Homework

Part II: Installing Your Home Network

Part III: Setting up Your Windows 7 Network

Part IV: Keeping Your Network Safe and Healthy

Part V: The Part of Tens

Icons Used In This Book

Where to Go From Here

In this part . . .

In This Chapter

A Network by Any Other Name

A Home Network for Everyone

A Home Network for One

Building a SOHO: When Home and Office Become One

To Wire or Not To Wire

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Understanding Basic Network Properties

IP addresses
192.168.1.200

10.0.0.1 to 10.255.255.254
172.16.0.1 to 172.31.255.254
192.168.0.1 to 192.168.255.254

192.168.1.1
192.168.1.2
192.168.1.3
192.168.1.4
192.168.1.5

71.156.85.214

Subnet masks

192.168.1.2
192.168.1.2

192.168.1.254

255.255.255.0
255.255.255.0

192.168.1.0

Default gateway address

192.168.1.1

www.microsoft.com
207.46.232.182
www.microsoft.com
www.microsoft.com

Domain Name System (DNS) server addresses

www.facebook.com
www.google.com
www.microsoft.com
www.wiley.com
www.youtube.com
www.microsoft.com

207.46.232.182

Manually Configuring Network Properties

Automatically Configuring Network Properties

Configuring Your DHCP Server

192.168.1.1
192.168.1.2

2
1

192.168.1.1

192.168.1
.1

.254
192.168.1.20

In this part . . .

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Routers and Switches

Identifying Network Adapters

Working with Network Cables

Twisted pairs and RJ-45 connectors

Twisted pair categories

Unshielded versus shielded

Straight-through versus crossover

Length and color

Putting It All Together

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Planning Your Wireless Home Network

Speed

Coverage

Buying a wireless access point

Installing Your Wireless Access Point

Configuring Your Wireless Access Point

207.46.197.32
www.microsoft.com

00-26-C7-04-70-C4

Securing Your Wireless Access Point

Configuring Your Wireless Network

192.168.1
192.168.1.1

192.168.1
.1

.254
192.168.1.20

10.0.0.1 10.255.255.254 172.16.0.1 172.31.255.254

Connecting to Your Wireless Access Point

192.168.0.1 192.168.255.254

Setting Up an Ad Hoc Network

In this part . . .

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Understanding User Profiles

Knowing the Difference in Administrator and Standard User

Accounts

Creating a User Account and Password

Changing or Removing Your Password

Changing Your Account Picture

Renaming Your Account

Deleting a User Account

Turning the Guest Account On or Off

Creating a Password Reset Disk

Using the Password Reset Disk

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Creating a HomeGroup

Joining a HomeGroup

Changing the HomeGroup Password

Changing Sharing Options

Leaving a HomeGroup

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Sharing in a HomeGroup

Using Public Folders

Turning Off and On Network Discovery

Turning Off and On File and Printer Sharing

Turning Off and On Public Folder Sharing

Changing Media Streaming Options

Changing File Encryption Settings

Turning Off and On Password Protected Sharing

Changing HomeGroup Connection Settings

Sharing Other Files and Folders

Sharing an Entire Disk

Accessing Shared Disks and Folders

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Choosing an Internet Service Provider (ISP)

Cable

DSL

www.microsoft.com

Wireless (cellular)

Satellite

Dialup

Installing Your Cable Modem or DSL Router

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Understanding Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

Setting Up a Virtual Private Network (VPN) on Your Home

Network

Setting Up a Remote Computer to Connect to Your Home

Network

Connecting to Your Home Network over a VPN

Setting up Remote Desktop

Using Remote Desktop

Customizing Remote Desktop

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Networking Your PlayStation, Wii, or Xbox 360

Online Gaming Services for Gaming Consoles

PlayStation Network

Wii

Xbox Live

PC Gaming

Video card

Processor and memory

Sound

Game controllers

Automating Your Entire Home

Keeping Your Home Safe

Configuring Your Gaming Console for Wireless Networking

Configuring the Wii

Configuring the PlayStation 3

Configuring the Xbox 360

In this part . . .

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

The Action Center Notification Icon

An Overview of the Action Center

Changing Action Center Settings

Changing Customer Experience Improvement Program Settings

Changing Problem Reporting Settings

Changing User Account Control Settings

Viewing Archived Messages about Computer Problems

Accessing Other Control Panel Items

Hiding the Action Center Notification Icon

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Defining Malware

Viruses

Worms

Trojans

Spyware

Bots

Blended threats

Protecting Your Network from Malware

Antivirus software

Antispyware software

Firewalls

Security updates and fixes

E-mail Threats
Spam

Spoofing

Phishing

Social Engineering and Cyber Predators

Understanding Windows Firewall

www.microsoft.com
www.microsoft.com

207.46.232.182

207.46.232.182

207.46.232.182

Understanding Windows Defender

Viewing the Windows Firewall Dashboard

Allowing and Blocking Programs

Turning Windows Firewall On or Off and Changing Notification

Settings

Restoring Your Windows Firewall Default Settings

Changing Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Properties

Scanning Your Computer with Windows Defender

Changing Previous Actions (Allow/Quarantine) in Windows

Defender

Changing Microsoft SpyNet Settings

Configuring Tools and Settings in Windows Defender

.jpg
.mp3

.zip

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Manually Checking for Updates

Changing Windows Update Settings

Removing Installed Updates

Hiding Updates

Restoring Hidden Updates

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Determining Where to Save Your Backup

Hard drives (internal or external)

Writeable CDs or DVDs

USB flash drives

Network shares

Setting Up Backups

Managing Backups

Restoring Files from a Backup

.docx .xlsx .jpg .mp3

Turning the Backup Schedule Off and On

Creating a System Image

Creating a System Repair Disk

Restoring a System Image

Tasks Performed in This Chapter

Recognizing the Benefits of Working from Home

Location, Location, Location

Regulatory Compliance

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS)

Health care

State privacy and disclosure laws

Data Confidentiality and Encryption

Setting up Encrypting File System (EFS)

Creating and Backing up an EFS Certificate

In this part . . .

In This Chapter

For Dummies Books

For Dummies Web Site

Windows: The Official Magazine

www.officialwindowsmagazine.com

Microsoft Web Site

www.microsoft.com

MSDN and TechNet Web Sites

msdn.microsoft.com
technet.microsoft.com

Windows 7 News & Tips

www.windows7news.com

Windows 7 Forums
http://windows7forums.com

YouTube
www.youtube.com

Facebook
www.facebook.com

Twitter
www.twitter.com

In This Chapter

Verify a HomeGroup Exists on the Network

Ensure You Have a Network Connection

Confirm Youre Running Windows 7

Make Sure the Network Location Isnt Set to Home

Check to See If the Computer Already Belongs to a HomeGroup

Confirm That Someone Is Logged On to the Computer

Verify That HomeGroups Arent Disabled

Ensure Network Discovery Is Turned On

Confirm Peer Networking Grouping Service Is Running

Make Sure the HomeGroup Provider Service Is Running

In This Chapter

Running Windows Troubleshooters

Troubleshooting with the ipconfig Command

cmd
ipconfig

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig
/flushdns

www.microsoft.com

207.46.197.32

Ping!
cmd
ping 127.0.0.1

netsh int ip reset c:\iprebuild.log

ipconfig /flushdns

ping

ping

Searching Google and Others

Viewing Problem Reports

ping 10.0.0.2

ping 10.0.0.1

report

Generating a System Health Report

Reliability Monitor

reliability

Creating a Play-by-Play with Problem Steps Recorder

psr

Getting Help from a Friend with Remote Assistance

remote

.msrcIncident

Consulting Windows Help and Support

To access the cheat sheet specifically for this book, go to

www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/homenetworkingdiy.

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