FOR PC, MAC & MOBILE DEVICES ——~) The Complete Home Networking Manual The essential step-by-step guide to mastering your home network and smart devices me & Papercut Coarse1 \D AMAZING APPS & GAMES INSIDE; =e a. Head over to your web browser and follow these simple instructions... 1/ Enter the following URL: www.pelpublications.com/exclusives 2/ sign up/in and from the listings of our exclusive customer downloads, highlight the Tech Shopper Magazine option. 3/ Enter your unique download code (Listed below) in the “Enter download code” bar. 4] Click the Download Now! Button and your file will automatically download. 8/ Your file is a high resolution POF file, which is compatible with the majority of customer devices/platforms. PCL37862RE NOTE This is limited reader offer running from Ist January 2025 to Ist September 2023 Terms and conditions apply and can be found at www.pelpublcationscomThe Complete Networking Manual Your home network is constantly under pressure to serve volumes of data to your computers, smart TVs, games consoles and more. While most of the time they work without too much hassle and interference, there are times When the router will drop its connection to the Internet, or your Wi-Fi stops working altogether. These are the times when knowing a little bit more ‘about how it all works will help save you a lot of headaches - mostly from other members of the family! This book will help you get to grips with the technology involved in creating your network. What equipment is needed, and what it does, and how you can get the best from every piece of the networking puzzle. Inside you'll discover how best to setup a home network, how to improve it, and how to secure it. There are sections on protecting yourself online, how to avoid viruses and malware, how to encrypt your data, how to recover from a digital disaster, and how to become more Internet and social media aware ‘and secure. There are in-depth guides on using a Virtual Private Network, ‘advanced tips and tricks on Windows networking commands, and how to protect your data when out and about. if you want to improve your networking, and digital security knowledge, then this is the book for you £5) Papercut www.pclpublications.comHOME\NETWORKING 8 YourHome Network 10 Routers: How do they work? 6 _ Introduction to Home Networking, 12 Switches: What are they, howdo they work? 14 WiFi: Whatisit,how doesit work? 16 Powerline Adapters: Extend Your Network 18 Network Extenders: What ae they, how do they work? 22 Benefitsofawireless Network 24 Makinga Plan 26 Wireless to Wired and Back Creatinga Wireless Backbone 28 Improving WiFi Security OCMC uae ~~ 30 Getting the most from Wired Networks 32 BenefitsofaWired Network 34 Toolsand EquipmentNeeded 36 HowtoWireand Ethemet Cable 38 Installing YourWired Network Networking an Entertainment System The Google Home Collection Google Home First Time Setup 48 AllAbout Google Stadia ad > oo oco(dh Ce —?S 2 e¢ @@ @.-Ser 52 Combat Network Issues 112 Howto Secure Yourselfon Twitter 54 Windows Networking Command Cheat Sheet 114 How to Secure Yourselfon WhatsApp 56 LinuxNetworking Command Cheat Sheet 116 What to Avoid when Creating a Password 58 Troubleshooting Your WiFi Network 118 Password Generators and Tools 120. Top Ten Password Managers 122 ShoppingOnlineand Security 124 60 Troubleshooting Your Wired Network Rasa eal 64 Typesof Security Risk 66 Hackersand You 68 TheVirusTop Ten 70 BeSmart 72 Setting Up Windows Security 74 WhyUpdatingis important 76 Whatto Keep Updated and How 78 Howto Secure Your Web Browser 80 Howto Secure Your Home Network Coes 7 How to Remove Virus or Malware from a Windows PC 82 Whatare Wireless Security Standards? 128 Windows Privacy Settings 84 — Howto Secure Your Wireless Network 130 Howto Check which Apps are Sending information 86 Whatis Encryption? 132 Whatisa Firewall? 88 Encrypting Your Windows Laptop 134 Improvingthe Windows Firewall 90 Top Ten Encryption Tools for Windows 136 creatinga Security lan 92 WhatisaVPNn? 138 Windows Security Checklist 94 HowCanaVPN improve Windows Security? 140 Whatisa Sandbox? 96 TopTenVPNs 142 RunningWindowsasa Sandbox 98 —Usinga VPN for Added Security and Privacy 144 InstallingVirtualBox 1146 Installing Windows in VirtualBox 148 Creating VirtualBox Snapshots of Windovis 150 CreatingaWindows Recovery Drive 152 Howto Back Up Windows 154 How toCreate a Windows System Image 156 Extreme Windows Lockdown Tips 158 Cyber&Windows Quiz 160 Whatthe Experts Say Sam 1100 Online Protection & Disaster Recovery 102 HowDoes Information Move Around the Internet? 104 HowCan Intemet Data be intercepted? 106 10Tipsto Protect Yourself Against Interception 108 Howto Secure Your Devices, VirtualBox 110 HowtoSecure Yourselfon Facebookroduction to Home Networking Your Home Network Your home network is something most of us don’t even consider when we power on our devices and computers and surf the Internet; however, there's more to it than you think. How do we get on the Internet? How do we print from all our devices? How does it all work? Let's have a look. Consider the average user: they contact an internet Service Provider (SP), sign up for broadband deal, andin day or two they receive theirrouter through thepost. This they hook upto their exiting telephone tne, power up, then wait as the lights on theroutertum a certain colour indicating that a connection is made They canthen turn on their computer or device, locate the Service Set, entier (S810, therouter'sname), enter the wireless password and connect tothe ntemet. _After that, they tend to forgetallabout the routerand what's geingon. Unless theresa problem then usually {qckreboot ofthe router wil soe the issue MAE imetolearn a itie about how networking ors, then youlldiscoverthat you're able to got more out of your network This Includes better speeds, more capability suchas setting upahome entertainment jst, betta security, and yout beable to ‘quickly diagnose any problems should they ever aris. Inshert,ceatng and msintaininga good homenetwork wll make your digta and online ie significantly better inthe ong un. Getting the most from your network Wile you may thinkyournetworkis running perfectly fie, there are Undoubtedly areasofimprovement. These ares include suing the Internet online gaming, watchingstreaming video services, watching contention multiple devices around the ome, being able to get acess to yournetwerk rom the extremities of yourhome or garden, and more All these lementscan be enhanced on it'sust knowing what to tweak and howto get the most from what you have available Before we begin tolook at how toimprove your network itswonthnting thatyoudohave a physical imiton what you can achieve. Thee’. only so much bandwidth available to your home from your ISP, sowhileyou can streamline your access tothe inemet, you'renot going tobe able teincrase that imi Likewise the data that moves around your home willalo ita physical iit Most wireless devices wilfind thefastst possible connection toyour outer, and wired devices (using an Ethernet cable) and computers willcommunicate at ther 100M or 1000s (or 1Gb/s} It's possible to improvethe connection, but nt increase the imitsof the actual hardware, good rule ofthumb to always remember hen networking, ether ona home network office networks orthe centre Internet thatthe connection speed isonly as fastas the slowest component onthe networkir Home Net eet xe eee eee a Se SJ Sees ee Sere, et eee) ee ee ets eee ec eee rd PTE EL Se ere nese word oftelecommuncatioghthe era Pees een eet y See. etn your home networkwwith a eee ae Le ii Bytes J De eet ene a eee ee Dee ere: Cee cece ee eee. te eee} See ene on nw Cen Oe eae oe Gee er ee ee ee ee ee eee ee Ce ee ee tee eed ee eee een ey ene Ce ec ee reer ees Se eee eee eee ee ee ee See ee eo See Ee en ee OS ete network isin atip top shape as possible. ifit's working well, then you'll ee eeeIntroduction to Home Networking Routers: How do they work? Every Internet connected home, office, and multi-site megacorporation in the world uses a router to connect to the Internet. The router is the bridge that gaps your home network to the wider world of the internet, as well as being the hub of all your connected devices. -Arouteris simply a piece of hardware that's designed to interconnect ‘onenetwork to another. They can be usedto connect two individual office networks together, so the teams in each can share resources, but ‘more specifally,interms ofthe home use, they reused to connect all ‘your deviesto each other and ultimately the Internet. Routers come invarious shapes and sizes offering many features with some ofthe higher end models offering more. Typically, a route, theone youLreeivefomyourISP when yousign upto a broadband deal willbe abletodo the flloing Connect to the Internet Yourrouterwlfuncton asa bridge between yourcomputer andthe Internetvia thelSP's network What this means, yourlS® has sentyou device that's configured to access their network, o when you connect itat home, wil bein to transmitand receive datato and from your computer and the ISP.The SP itself ilhaveits own connection tothe Internet, avery bigone, nd willshare that bandwidth out with ltt customers Withyou being a customer, you'll gta shar of bandwidth ‘equalto the broadband package you're paying fr Assign Individual IP Addresses to Connected Devices (One ofthe outers primary funcionsisto allocate IP addresses. An IP adéressis a unique network identifier that allows communication acress ‘the network every computerconnected to the ntemet has aunique \Padkdress. These addresses workin muchthe same vay 36a postal adress they contin the information needed to ge to whee they e goingand where toretur, ‘There aretwotypesoflP address the fists Put: IPv uses 32 binary bits tocreate a single address onthe network. An Ped address expressedby fourrumbers separated by dots. Each numbers the decimal representation fran eight digitbinay number alsocalled anoctet. For ‘example: 192.168,.150 1P6 uses 128 inary bits to create angle unique address onthe network An IPv6 address is xpressed by eight groups ofhexadecimal numbers separated by colons 3s in 2900237:87:d1O1:8al:c3d7-baTs bb. Groups of numbers that contain all zeros are omited to save space ‘when viewing the adress leavinga double colon separator to mark the sap, such as fest tfetd115. Eachof yourdevicesathome willconectto the router andthe router vwillallocate an Pvt and Pus acdressfromits available poolof adresses. The outer itself has its oun Padres which tconneets tothe SP with, ‘ofwhich he ISP llhave purchased large groups of P address frm the ANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Author) Form a Layer of Security to Protect Your Home Network ‘Yourrouterwilcontain a bultin firewall, hich is designed tohelp stop unwanted access tothe devices on yourhome network Forexample, hacker from the nteretil neato get pat your routers frewall security before that can access yourhome network Offer Wireless Connectivity to Devices Cutan oviousne this The outer have bul protocols aniennaeto communicate and allocate Padressestoany wireless devices that have cleared the password stage, _ABuiltn Sth, so Multiple Devies can Connect via Ethemet Cables Most routers wl featurea four port switch (more on switches ltr) that allows multiple wired computers and devices connection tothe route ‘Thesuitchillastomaticaly sense thenetworkspeed of thedevice connected and communicate with taccordingy Network Address Translation (NAT) Neco dess Translation translates the adessesofomputers inthe home network asngleP aces That singe Pacresispart cote isPsrang of adresses Basal, NAT conserves the number of public adresses used within an orgnistin and itatows foster contolofacessto escurceson both ses theater. For example, advice inside a network makes arequest toa computeron thelnteret Routers within the networkrecognise thatthe request isnot fora resource inside the network, so they send therequestto the firewall, ‘Thefrewal sees the request from the computer wth theintemallP. It Routers: How do they work? Cal then makes the same equestto the ntemet using its ‘wn public adress, and tus the response fom the Intemet resource tothe computer inside the private network, From the perspectvecftheresourceon the Internets sendinginformationto the addressof the rewal rom the perspective ofthe workstation, it appears that communicationisclrety withthe siteon the nteret When NAT istused in thisway al ses inside the home network acess the intemet with the same publilP address. That means only one public addressis needed for hundreds or even thousands of uses Resource Sharing As theroiter connect al the devices tothe same natok thay al abet intercommuniate with eachother andtheeoesharresources For raglalldeicescn it toyour harm's networid itr Parental or Safety Controls More modem routers now fle better parental const help cur the amount ef time younger people have accasstothe intent. Nt, they canbeuse to limit the websites that younger people can have acessto Port Forwarding Por formating santher bind the scones rocesthat he outr tates on intercepts tfc oan fom home networked devices tothe Internet and can redirect them toa specific devie on thenetwork, ‘Alinetworkconnections include a port number Port 8 isused or HTTP requests, and these ports define whatthe service's. For example, if youwanttohostaMinecraft server, you would need toallowoutside Minecrafeusers access toyour server. They would connect to your Router'sIP address and the specific Minecraftport, which ells the router what computer i hosting the Minecraftserver. Upgradable Firmware As telecommunicatonsprotcos advance, and as secuyfowsar screed an SP hs responsi tensuretatalithe routes Rhassentouto ns customers are uptodate. The Pcandothisby automaticly parading stwaron theroute called the fmware. The new firwarewilcontainupdates,patchesand upgradestosecurty and wil add new features and improvementstothe routerke) Introduction to Home Networking Switches: What are they, how do they work? Most modern routers contain at least a four-port switch built into the back of the unit. These ports allow for physical, Ethernet connection to the router from networked devices. But what are they, and how do they work? Switches omen mays Se ae ate Yiyj, smal ofengjustafenporsto comet Mi, aac edgy i Weems g- inthe simplest terms, a switch trblsulieconpues eae E sphntaincaladon E heme or cb Each computerisconnecte tothe ‘vith, and matte switchescan be connected to eachother. Thisallows "hundreds of computers lt'ssay onthe loro _anofficebulding, tobe connected tothe Roorsabove and below, aswell astothe company/'sservers and routers Sites also come witheliferent backbone speeds, whichis the physical lithe datacan travel toand from each ofthe ports. These speeds range from 10b/st01006b/s The most popular, al the one that’s likely buitinte your routes 1Gb/ although 100Mbys stil possbleto find on some routers. While Etheretisthe primary connection port ype, alotof witches wil also have fibre port connections too, wich is much faster Thsallows multiple svtches to connect to eachother and forma, inch faster bandwidth backbone connection, ‘The primary fnetionof a switchs to transport data around the network, usualy rom areas ofthe networkthat are outof each from ts core For example, youcan haveallyourcomputersconnected to yourrouter's switch, butifyou wantthe computersupstas connected, youl need to factorina witch, You would ase aswitch with the required number cof ports, use one ofthe portsfora cable that will rn downstairs tothe routersswitch then connect your upstairs computersto the new stch, ‘You've now crated a mult-svitch networks the one upetsirsisconnected tothe witch thats bultinto the router, and allthe computers can happily sain acessto the network andthe Internet ‘That's very simplistic example, butts nt toodiferentfrom how a ‘cal. world uation will work nthe ofc you would have multiple Noor, ‘teams rooms and soon. achofthese probably has is own switch, which is inturnconnectedto the main switch that the company's servers re connected to. Naturally dependingon thesia ofthe company and bow‘many computers printers and soon are connected tothe network the setup can quickly become quit lage, molving many switches across ‘mutile floes andeven buildings. Managed Networks Aoother core function of asvtch sto manage the network, Thismens thataswitchiscapablofbuiltinga mapoftscomected devices, and crsngthat the conect dats sent tothe comect devicein as te tine as posible, anda cleanly as possible bythe shortest rut. ‘A good example isifcomputerA needs to send something to Computer Both computers arelocatedinclfferent partsofthenetwork. Aswitch Isabletomonitor and deliver the data package om computer directly tocomputerB without having tointerogate anyother connected dviee ‘onthe system. Should computer orB be moved inthe future the switch an nteligetty alter tsunderstanding ofthe location ofthe devices and change the route accordingly; building amap ofthe network for beter ceffcieneyand avoiding packetcolisions onthenetwork, which wil ‘realy degrade the overall speed ofthe network. “The typesoswtches found bultint outers are usualy unmanaged, but thisdoes"tmean they don’t managethe netorktosome sal degre ‘An unmanaged switch wil stil automaticaly er and mapthe network, _voidingcolisons by routing data to‘tintended devices, the ust wont feoturesome of more conplexelementsofamanaged switch. Switches at Home you have no wireless devices inyour ome then using switches to connectalthe computerson the networks yourbest bet. Asuitch oul therefore be positioned upstairs fedingto the builtin sitchin ‘the router another could be located inthe garage, fedingtothe router, ‘and anothercould bein your shed atthe bottom ofthe garden, again {feeding into the router. The router ill nowbelackingin ports, <0 one ‘more switch forthe dovnstars willsatisy any computers connocted| si and feed into the router: Inti Hy \ jy, senao,evegbing's “i, connected teach cotherand ultimately ‘therouter They canall'ee each other aswellas sgainaccesstothe Internet andother Aaa (Switches: What are they, how do they work? Cal fee perenne eee ee eee ee ee ee ee aeons td eae PEs eee ce Se eee See eee eet See eee eee ee repeated asitflowsin.Arepeaterhubcan therefore only receive and forward ata single peed, Since every packets repeated packet collisions affect the entre network, Neyo) Deere eat teeta dware een eee es mayinterconnect devices ina home or office. The bridge learns See ee eee eee ey eee ee cd Ceres Alayer3 switch can performsomecr allofthe functions normally Pets ey See ota Coes en ea ee eee oe ee Lone ee eee eee ee ets Atayer7 eee ere eee target Uniform Resource Locator (URL), and may include a web cache, voneutaigWi-Fi: What is it, how does it work? It's not that long ago when wireless communications across the network was akin to witchcraft Atthe time we had coaxial cables networking everything, then Ethernet, and then Wi-Fi began to emerge, and it was utterly brilliant. We take WEF and wireless connectivity for granted these days. Thephone that most cofuscarry around, with its or Bluetooth psrto another devs is simply an amazing piece oftechnology. Aswe sida theinto it wasn’ althatong 3g0 rman hen coneetingto anetwerkevera i: wireless setup was simply out of the question. While ithas existed since the early seventies, as UNF wireless packet networking wasn worth he exorbitant ost fintallaion,etp and maintenance. But WF, hich stands for Wireless Fly, has come alongwayinashortime, Inessance, 2s you steady suspect, Wi Fiswitelessconnectaitythe ability to connec toa network and therefore the Internet wees. ts ase protocols and data packet exchanges that enable aC, laptop, tablet and soon to connect rectly toa routeror other Acros Point using a number of available radio equencies. ability tw connect to anetwork, These fequencles ange from 900M, through tothe 3.6GHe,4.96He, Sl, S96, and 60GH bands; and are caledchannels. They use a set of protocolscalled IEE 802.11, and sptinto standards such a¢a,b, ‘:n,ac andax, These standards basally denote the age ofthe wireless vic, where 802.11 was the fist standard ad createdin 1997, 802.112 camenet in 1998, then 802 11b, 892.11g, 802.11, 802.13a¢ and finally 802.11 Youcan aio get 802.11 and 602. LLady, but these are reserved for higherrate communications. Each ofthese standards connect to wireless at access point such as your outer, at deren speeds, 2.4GHz isthe most ‘commonconnection channel and cancterupa theoretical speed of js, Dualband WeFidevices areableto connecton both 24GHe nd Sct channels, and have 9 maximum throughput of up {07Gb/s(althoughin theory. sidan hit 126),With WiFibeing constantly updated, there ae equent incteasesin the connection sped between wireless devices. Generally an accepted improvement from one wireless standard tothe nextoften means a perfomance increase of around 30 to 40 from the previous generation standard. There ae other factors at worktoo, suchas MU-MIMO (Multi User Multiple input, Mutiple Output, which nceasesthe number of antenna ina route fr transmitting and receiving dats, thus improving the capacity for wieless connections Working with Wi-Fi Ais Firuteworksby converting the netwocommuniations signals ito aio waves thentransmitngthem arunditselcretingtsown smallLocaea Networ hich icidetly sy itscaled WLAN, Wises Locale Network. a ae Devicesthatcan pick up and receive the radi signal, such asatablet ‘orphone, are ableto connects the WLAN and decade the radio waves backinto readable form of network communications The paver of ‘the routers Wi Fist very strong, and doosnthavea otf range, but independ onthe fequencybeingused astohow faryou'reableto ‘communicate witha router Forexample,a24GHzband canreach upto round 150 feet, and'SGHscan reach even futher: However, asrouters are placedinsde curhomesthere's alot ofinteference forthe signlto get ‘through. Walls, doors andl even some furniture no, Christmas lights don't affect your WF) ill apy degrade the signal, so while the theoretical stances sound good at several hundred fet, in realty youllbe lucky to _geta good signal within thirty toforty feet of your router. ‘Ontopofthat,thesignalwillbecome weaker thelongerthe distance, and ielstarttodop in power very quickly too, Due this, yourrouter needs (_ Wi-Fi: Whats it, how does it work? Cal tehave several antennaein orderto transmit and receive the signal, and they need tobe ‘powerful eroughto push tha signals fara posible beforet naturally start todop. Interesting one ofthe hey festures of eepingthe signa ascleanas possible ascreated as aby-productof alld experiment to detect exploding miniblack holes the size ofan atom particle; and was Invented by an Australian ado astronomer called ‘Dr John o'ulivan, together with his colleagues Terence Percival, Graham Daniels Dit Osty and John Deane. The Future 1n 1928, Nikola Tesla thoorisel the Wer Wireless System’ and he sid, “We shallbe able to communicate with one another instant mespectve of dstance. Not ony this, but through television and telephony we shal see and hear one another as perfect asthough we were face toface, despite intervening stances of thousands of mils; and the instruments ‘through which we shall beable todo his wl be amazingly simple compared with aur present telephone. Aman willbe abletocarryonein hisvest pocket” Tesla may havehad hisow personal demonstobatl,butyou haveto admitthe man was pretty muchon te ball But what oes the future hol for Wi? sheen tong thought thatthefutureof WF be tighter frequencies, but with cextraoiinarly boosted power. This entra powervillbeabletocutthrough most oftheabstacles that facecurent WF frequencies, and throughthe sect more secure roaming hotspots, \wellbe permanently connectedto aW- network as we move around, There are even conceptsbeing worked onby ‘communications companies to eventually remove wited telephony, an Instead ourhome routers ill communicate directly va WiFitothe ISP. Ofcourse althats some yearsf Until then, wellenoy the ever Increasing speeds of Wi andits ease of sein ourhomes. ome wating=> Introduction to Home Networking Powerline Adapters: Extend Your Network Ifyour home network doesn’t reach the furthest corners of your house, maybe because some rooms are too far from the router, or a thick stone wall blocks your Wi-Fi signal, powerline adapters area potential solution. But what are they, and how do they work? ‘There are many reasons why yourhome Wi networkdoesn'treach into every partof your house. The outer’ wireless signal might nothave therangeto geo the furthest roome, or the walls might be very thick and heavy, which makes it ficult for Wil to penetrate Somaybe you need tomakea cabled connection toone ofthe router's Ethemet ports, butdon't want trailEthemet cables through the house. Powerline adapters are a potential solution forextending both your wirles and ‘abled network using your home's electrical cabling as data cables. [Apowerline adapter kit comes withat leat wo plug adapters, which aresmalldevces that pluginto your electrical sockets. They usually have atleastone Ethernet port, and they might alo have Wi-Fi access points and“through ports, whereby you can plugan electrical device into the adapter, and thus use itwithoutlosinga socket. One of these plugs shouldbe fted near your router. Plugs with through ports are very useful here 35 you can plug the powerline device nto the mains, ‘then plug the outerino the powerline adapter. Anthemet cable — ‘which should be supplied with your powerline adapter kit- should be used toconnect the adaptrto the router. The second powerline adapter should be positioned elsewhere nthe house, somewhere your curtenthome network antreach, litle more setting up might be necessary, probably using fre software supplied bythe powertine adapters manufacturer, When youre done, the two powetine adapters ‘communicate wth each other andcan transfer data between ther, some eng ea Using the household ekectrcal cabling asdata cables. the adapter that'snot connectedto your router offers Wireless Access Point, WiFi enabled device can connectto it and get online (and alzo onto your local network ofcourse, by connecting wirelessly tothe powerline adapter. Thisadapter then connects tothe router's powerline adapter, through the houses electricaleables, and thus to the router tsounds complicated, butts just works Cabled Connectivity Wile mostntee devices connect your rer sng fr some things you might prefer acabld connection Agumesconsoe for example right benefit om the addtional stability offered by there, adiour 1 shows regulary butler de to congested wos network, uegngnan thrnet able might sche your problems, Kyourrouter ‘Is close enough to the device in question, there's no problem; simply, connec the twowthan Ethernet cable Unfortunate sistent thecaseTheconsclorSmat TV might bea log distance frome router quite pssibyn a ferentroomentely Thisiswherpewerine dapescomein handy Instead of walling Ethernet cables trough the house, and ciingholes in ‘the wallsto passthem through to the next room, youcanusea powerine adapter satup With an adapter connected to yourrouter, you simply need to plugthe second untnearthe devze you want to connect throughEthernet. You then connect the console, TV, video streamer or ther such ‘device tothe nearby powerine adapter ith another Ethemet cable. Your house's electrical cables are used asa continuation of Ethemet, nd your device enjoys a cabled connection to yourrouter Wireless Connectivity Problems whirls networking are common and are usualy cased by the outer ot reaching the furthest comersof your hae, cetng blac molds houses heavy bck walsmight dc heroes less ach Whatever thereasn fou need essconecisiyin a placa wher yourWFneborkisweak or even aban youcanuse powern adapters it acund the problem With a powetine adapter that offers airless Access Point, ou can make WF connection othe adapter which reaches the router trough the ‘ther powetine adapter and your household eletrty cables. Datalssent beeen the adapterconnecteto yourrouter and the one postoned ina \WiLFiblackspot, nary oominthe house. fycur powerline adapters offer eres Ce eee eee ees ey ee eee net ater ee ee ee et at pee pte without losing an elect eee ee ene ee eee ees eee 4 Asyou can see from the-Magic WF brand andthe wiele rete ae eet eeeeeereete ‘mesh Fits completely seamless Theres no neeto disconnect your ‘wireless device rom the routerandreconnact othe powerline adapters WF asyou move around the house, ast done automatically Adding More Adapters Having et upyourfst tw powerine adapters ont ontheroterandthe cthersomenhereesinthe house, youcan add moeiyou wish They allconnecttothe router anda cachothe roughyourhome decal cables Some poweine adapter pcks contain mre thantwo adapters tobegin wih, butifoursdosntyoucan aways more units anda them toyournetworkinesded Intheearly days ofpowerine adapters, almost aldevies conformed to ‘the HomePlug AV standard You could therefore mis and match adapters ‘rom diferent manufacturers, as they were allompatibewitheach other This ess true today, asalsorts of iferent standards have sprung up. Me recommend, therfore, that youstickto the same brand when adding more plug to yourpowerine adapter network, Prony greatly extend your wireless reach by Thesamep See Seen ee ee ete eee ene eee) Powerline Adapters: Extend Your Network Calke) Introduction to Home Networking Network Extenders: What are they, how do they work? Ifthe cabling option, together with powerline adapters, doesn’t work for you, then you can easily ‘expand the reach of your Wi easy to setup. Network extenders fallunderdiffrentnames, depending on whe youtalk oor what company isselingthem. They canbe called wireless extenders, signal boosters, WHFrange extenders and soon, buteffectively, they alldo the same thing: extend the signalof your available WiFi network, osthouses withave one or more dead ones, where the Wi Fisgnal from the router drops tothe pointof being vituall/ useless Asweve mentioned previously, the WEF signa isaslavetoitservironment andcan be affected by walls funiture, microwave ovensandall other mannerfobjects we regulaty use throughout te home. you have your router inthe font room of your house, for example then the upstairs back bedroom may provetobe one such dead zone, due tothe WiFi signalhavingtoget ‘through several alls and aloo. i network by utilising wireless extenders. They're cost-effective and ‘Anetworkextender can solve that issue by acting as bre between the devices needing acces, andthe oute'severneakening W-Fi signal ‘There are diferent formsof netwerkextenderavalable, butthe ast ‘majority are similar to that of powerline adapter: a plugin device Yourneed to plug the networkextender Into ree electrical socket, use wy vl vs it Its accompanying sofware to locate tandconnectitto your exiting WF network ‘and away you go While 1s powered up andthe network sup and running it willextend your WF signal by asfaragainas the routers signal, thus giving you access to ‘even the most obscure comersof yeurhouse and property.Mesh @ Meshis term thats ow being used together witha lotofWiFirouters J Manyroutersthesedays - CTT Panning ‘The first item you should put on your plan is router position. At this. pointe oe notable tote cond wiles ste suey vith anetorkanabsr sine the outerisnitupandraning. The reteristhe core ofyur less ever, sotmahssene that's ving tobe cate somewhere inte mie fourhome. re ‘Theideal placement fora wireless router isusually downstairs, a close tothe centro thehouseas possible, so thatthe signalisbeamed throughout the house and not lest to areas outside. While its not lays posible to position arouterin the middle ofthe house, due tothe positioning of the master telephone socket, you can opt fora telephone extension cable, or ask telephone engineer to relocate the master socket. ‘Once the router isin place, the second yt emantheplanistoconductaste surveyofthecurrentroutersignal. SS ‘Download a network analyser from yourdevie'sappstore, andstartitup.Asyoumove arourdthehouse,make note ofall the locations where the signalis dropping tothe pointofvitually ‘ne connection or very, Compare these dead zones with where you're going tobe using devices“for example,adead zone might be in a closet, sologically peaking you won'tbe needing to use any devices ‘Onceyouve gotamap of where the dead zones are, you can begin to start planning what network extenders are going to be needed. Don't forget ince any outbuildings in your survey, and areas ofthe arden where you're likely ost on nice days and possibly work, orjust use aWiFidevice With egardsto network extendersinyour plan its always best to buy extenders that operate atthe best possible bandwidth speeds, while still being compatible with your routers Wi technology. The information that comes with he reuter and the extenders should provide you wth eveything you need to know. Nextitem on the plans the installation ofthe network extenders. AS you plugineach extenderto coveradead zone, and extend the network ‘twotherwise unreachable areas take the time to set them up, and test the coverage with the network analyser. Once all the networkextenders ‘aren place and connected i'stime toinlude one more site survey, ‘Thisfinal survey there toensure that your network reaching the places youneeditt, such asthe garage and other outbuildings. Next on the plan should be a working tes of your newly setup wees network Grab a tablet or laptop, an find some bandwidth heavy content suchas 24K YouTube video, While you're playing the video, ‘move around the house and nto the previously surveyed dead zones ‘Tale it outside and ensure thatthe video isstill being steamed while {yeu move around the property and cutbuildngs. Now that the connectvtyis working wel t's time to review the security ‘of your wireless network, Logint te router, and make sure thatyou're using the latest securty method which currently WPA2 for most home routers. Alza check tha the Wireless Made fsetto (providing your router uses Wireless Modes). The Wireless Mode option allows connected devices to utlisethe best performance and security features ofthe router Ensure that the security password for accessing the wireless network lestrong. t's alo recommended to rename allyourdevies that wll connect tothe network, so you can easly identifythem when you're (makinga PI Gi (Makinga Plan looking atthe connected devices pageon the router. fyouseeadevice you don'trecogrise, then you can quickly isolate it and deny itaccess untityou find out who or whats. When you're satisfied that your wireless network s upto scratch, you canfinaly start to enjoy usingtI’srecommended thatyou take a -uvey every couple of months to make sue thatthe signalisn’ being graced overtime, due toa faulty device, an thattremains working Intip-top order foryou Dynamic Plans This orcourse avery spl pln Yur plan may consinother elemertsthat yu want toncde on your network, sich sind er ces, st aces and mayb even separate neworsfor deren devices. The plans unique ous your sti, otaleyour tine and aka not everything you tink ned tocar sy = Sie tisnoneto cto our wines sting wes ( pera mi.) = = 2 Owes: x Start WPS, Z.@ seanityope: Weare D security password: “pguortstrenat — g os M, os “Hy aw MUAH nn tosa ith WF builtin, 0 you Getting the most from Wi-Fi Wireless to Wired and Back: Creating a Wireless Backbone While having every component on the network communicate via Wi-Fi, it's not always possible or an effective way to work. Some devices work best when using Ethernet, sometimes it’s just easier to runa cable than purchase extra Wi-Fikit. There are times when you're not going to be able togetall your network equipment using wireless technologies. A desktop computer for example, doesntalways come need topurchase 3 WisF dongle in orderfort to goton tothe wireless network. you use some older equipment, suchas an older laser printer, may only have an Ethernet or USB port available The same _gees fr Network Attached Storage (NAS) drives, most ofthese only ‘come with Ethemet support due tothe high bandwidth they tend to use overtime. In such cases, you have no cheice butto go wired. Best of both worlds ‘Ther'snthing wrong with having wired elements on your wireless network Essentially the backbone of the network, the communications to and from the router, willbe handled by wireless extenders or Mesh nodes i’sjust the odd piece of equipment that wll ned to have some Ethernet cables unto it Let’slookat some scenarios, andhow best toWireless to Wired and Back: Creating a Wireless Backbone LINcsyS: a | Back to the Plan Going from wireless towired andbackis't ascomplexasit sounds, but itcanbe troublesome fromtime totime,as theresa lot of bandwidth _oing through single pointof network contact: That's why you need to plan outyournetwork accordingly, and see what devices are ging to ned tobe wired and which ean be wireless. In somecases,f possible, Itmighebe best o connect the wired devices toa router or sch (depending on how many there are, that's connected tothe router {As longas the Ethernet connections are gigabit, then you'lhave the ‘maximum bandwidth to and from the router, to your device.Kk Getting the most from Wi Improving Wi-Fi Security Most routers from an ISP have a reasonable amount of protection enabled by default, however, as with most things of a technical nature, on how to improve your Wi-Fi security. TSR cuwce RoureR pAsswoRD ~The defaut pasevord frm the IsPto the administrative ayerefthe router can be quite god, ‘depending on theISP Some though areterbleand usethelies fain) min asthe username and password yours sit up to seach, crate your ‘own tongpassword using numbers tes and spel characters. NETGEAR genie ip Ee) ox ones Sas fe 's possible to improve this further. Here are our top ten tips KEEP CHANGING PASSWORDS - Ifyou wantto remainsecure, then routinely change yourruters acess password, Perhaps keep alist password reminders tohand, that mean nthing to anyone ee, soyoucan easly pick srongone to changeit, JR Secure Passwors Generator LIMIT ACCESS Although you might finde awkward todo, you should consider saying'no' when someone asksyou for your passvord Passing ends ofthe kes, the neighbour who neds to check ‘something, anyone in who's doing werkon the house... thelist goes on, Dont. _gveout yourpassword anditlremain secure, BTEED) CHANGE Ss the Service Set dente SSD} your routers iressnetaerkname ts broadeastith theron soyou ‘anindtand connect devices oi Buti yeucan sae socanoshers Consider opiagfor the Hide SSO open n youre confguation (avaiable otherwise you canusea single underscore with spaest essen ts presence -97 AT&T = 12:59 PM Settings Wi-Fi Wi-Fi v Hidden Wi-Fi Network ‘[ENCRYPTION - WEP, WPA and WPA2 areal encryption types for rls etvors, WEPIsthe weakest so ensurethat our routers tracking data onits nemorkwith the stengestpesleencryption-WPA Donte tempted to go forest support elderharware Mode: [80211 bigin_¥ Security Mode: | WPA2-PSK (AES) Open sky) WEP 64 (sky) WEP 128 (sky) WEAPSK (TklP) WRAPSK (AES) WEA2PSK (TKIP) Channel Selection: Channel: Network Password: WpAWPA2-PSK (TKIP/AES) (recommended Notwork Password: ‘TURN IT OFF - Ifyou re notat home, or you're any forawhile (maybe onhoiay, then tum of yourroute fits net needed, such _asremote accesso the heating contosor secur cameras uming teffisthe best orm af sect ince ane can hacksomething that sn powered, ‘USE MAC ADDRESS FILTERING - Every networkinterfacehasa unique identifier known as a MAC (Media Access Code) address, regardless of whether computer tabltor games consol. your router ‘supports MACfiterng youcan obtain the MAC adressesfor each device ac ‘enter them nto therauer Ory those devices le abet connect MAG Filtering MAC Fitering Setigs Source UAC Aaaress Fitenng: Poly for MAC Acaesses Listed Below @ Block nd Aow he Rest ‘ow ana Bloktne Rest Enavie O resut foune (tte) | 00 STATIC IP ADDRESSES By defauityourroterillalocatelP addresses to ay connactingdeviceoutofan avalable poo you remavethis feature and use your oun adresses, then anyone tying to gain access won thave an address to see the rest of our netork, fa SS aeet at ud ROUTER POSITION Route postions just forthebest ossble signal Limiting he outer tothe mile ofthe house wil beneitntjustyourwielessnetwerk broadcast but twas iit accesso the signal flo beyond the wallof your home. ry fs BTGEEDD Mowror Your FIREWALL- 12 goodiceata esp tabs on \what'sbeing aided to your router and computer rewal Wtsnoteasy butnotimpossbleor malelous content to secretly add a reute ‘trough frewalforhackersto gin ent oa network,GETTING THE MOST FROM WIRED aa fe) 6 ne anise cee eeeae ences ce oe ec] wired network setup. A wired network is on the whole faster, MectMenceieheet eet ueceec ca eras does come with a few caveats. Wires can be messy, soyou'll need to plan outyour wired setup, ene earache Masud cables, using specialised tools. However, with this chapter Not eran et eke ge aes: emer ee hac rom planning, to cabling, we'll help you get the most from ‘wired network setup.¢ (Getting the most from Wired Networks CE ronnie— Getting the most from Wired Networks Benefits of a Wired Network Wireless s a much simpler and neater process to opt for when setting up your network, however, wired networks offer just as many benefits. Here are ten good reasons as to why wired may be better than wireless. ERS Sane RD RELIABILITY AND sraBiLiTY- When configured ond satup propery, wired networks incredibly dependable, though welesstechnologes ar alvaysImproulng. yout pobably nda wired ntworkmore table and reliable overtime. FRSSTERD NOINTERFERENCE-\vceless networks avayshave to ‘contend with other elements ns environment sch as wal other wireless network, mitrors and even waterin ash tank Aired network oes thavethoselssus. Tre, you wouldn't run thecable trough abody of water-buti’s posse wih therghtcabing ——— x Hone ong FSM SEnER SPEED Overal wired networks are aster than wireless, Wiles componentsonanetworkmay be advertised at speeds faster than 16h, utother factors have anegatve affect on those speeds Wired Ethernet can operat at 16s rom one computer tothe next PISSED SecURITY-awiciessnetworkcould potentially have someone net culty hacking ne your network. tha vired network, they woul need tobe physialy Plugged into thenetworkin order togain accesstoit resourcesFSS DIGRD StCURITY-Awirclesenetwork could potently have semeone neat quel hacking into your nator. With 9 wired network, thy would need tobe physaly plugged into thenetworkin orderto gain accessto ks resources PoE -Power over Ethemetsa benefit thas often Eyeing suite ta cary an cecal supply toa dul on the network, suchas an cess pont, ecu camera ands on ‘overlooked with wired networks PoEis the ability er the FESR) UPCRADEABLE-1Uthavirec network, any suites, powetne adapter ortheroutercanexlybe upgraded thou the need to vist every component onthe networkto reconfigure. Thissavera otoftine onthe partof the use y N Benefits of a Wired Netwo! PENTSSIRCRD screo1e1e exckBone sPeEDS- you wanted, you coud install wired networkthat has abackbone speed of upto 10Gb, using fre channels. This speeds increible but the ovine that itean costo an arm and ale, However, second hand re sitches are alwaysbeing sod somewhere. FSS toNceR DISTANCES wired networks canbe setup over longer distances than wielessretwotks. singe Ethernet ‘cablohas, ought, working mit 100 metres Soyoucanhave two ‘tees, 109m apart, an the networks sound, To dothe same for wheless wouldtakecourtless extenders nd nodes, FSNSanEED SeTTERcONTROL- wth avieessnetworkyoucoule ikl there are countles devices having access to your network. th wired, though, you have better cotrolasto what has access and whenitcan access the netnorkWY Getting the most from Wired Networks Tools and Equipment Needed Ifyou're considering going down the wired networking route, then you'll need a number of tools and equipment. Some of these are essential f you're making your own cables, others not so much, but still handy to have around should you need them. Frere E CABLE Youre bestot purchasing cat (Category 6), Ethernet cable instead of at or Cat, Cats e, but Cat ofr. better sleldng against electromagnetic disturbances. Cas unnecessary at ‘the home networking level. Around 100 metres of Cats canbe purchased for und £35, opendingon where yeu shop. FSTeIEERD 4s cRIMP TOOL -norderto clasp the cableend tothe cable, tomake good connection, youl need an RAS Crimp Teal Again pices do vary, and don’ always go forthe cheapest mode as ‘hey canbreak quckly. However, theyrenot expensive and can be picked up for around 8 Frere cars/nsas caBLe ENDS -cableendsarecertany necessary, since you can plug anything nt the Ethemet portswithout anthernet end onthe cable. The prices do vary rom placet place, shave a shop around, but expect to pay somewhereinthe region of £5forabagot ten R45 /Ethemetcabieends ‘CABLE TESTER - Although not strictly necessary, acable testercan save youa otf botherinthelongrun. decent 145 cabletestr wl st youback around £15, but there refer more expensive models avalable eed(Tools and Equipment Needed CEE FTSPSIIERD switche switch you pckwilldapendonthe numberof ports you'replanningon using Most ilsufice with four or five pots, but eg ports ormocemight be necessary However many pots you decide on, ensures aggabit Ethernet sitch you'ebuyng For ‘example, an 8 port Netgear gigabit svitch canbe had fer around 35 POWERLINE ADAPTERS - Extending vied networktoother reasof te home con be achieved easily with powerline edaptor Make sure’ 3 fst as possible, witha minimum a 1GsEthernet ort. power passthrough sa great feature tohave and wlsave you a plug socket. Expect to pay around £25 or lgablt powerline adapter, tha pose trough, foamy 2, e ‘ a (WL FUETHERNET EXTENDER -Sometimesttsnotpossbletorun ‘able orthe powetine adapters may beonadiferentelectical ‘ret nthese cases fsbestto tnd your ied network a, Youcan pick upaWFexender with an Ethemet port braround 50 £6 but ensure NF Is dust band, anda astaspesible andthe Ethernet prt pei. fe TRUNKING -Toneatn up thecablinginyourhome, consider ontngfor waltmounted trunking tide the cable and weate network and power faceplates Prices vary wily rom £5 permet, to £15 permetr, dependingon the quality ofthe trunking Selfadheshveisthe ezsest option, though HTooLe FACEPLATES - Faceplates ar ke plug sockets fornetworkng. ‘They contin one, twoorfournetworksockesthat yout plug yourdevce's Ethernet cables nto Behind he scenes, te Ethernet abl runs ‘trough trunkng from oe faceplate othe ner, creating a howsewide network. Expect to pay around £4fora double socket Taceplate, \ ‘ POWER OVER ETHERNET you're wartingtorunthe network to something he security camera, or weather sensor, thenyou'l need Power over Ethmet. PE switches offer lab. connectivity as ella asmallamountof poner supply forthe equipmentin question, Expect to paynthe region of £50 TootEz Getting the most from Wired Networks) How to Wire an Ethernet Cable Although you can buy Ethernet cables of differing lengths, there may come a time when you need one that's a specific size. Similarly, if you ever come acrossa cable with a broken end, you'll need to fixit. Here’s how to wire up an Ethernet cable. ‘Thankfully, you don'tneed tobe a qualified electrician tobe able ‘to wire up an Ethernet cable, but you willneed some tools at hand before you start. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of wiring, weneed ‘tw takea look tthe types of Ethernet cable available. Cats “There are twotypesof Ethemet cable that you'll come across when you're cabling: CatS and Cat6 These ae Category standard cables types, spectally standard and standard 6, They are both used for networking and feature the same wing inside the cable rey, ‘cat is anolder standard, but can still transfer . [Gg remittance “a, oxi tough doesn bkctan % issvewth holding hosespeeds overtime AF ‘sitercsinbnromine and il sports speeds verte “yn revo anos the potntllorpo S _10<0/s though hat would be pushing &_tecabesabttesto ne maximum SI ‘The main difference between Cat5 and May Catsisthe reduced Crosstalk: Electromagnetic EDD -ncnemonine 71’) signals thatcome rom Ethernet cables can cause whats known a Crosstalk when muiplecabes are ose to one anather within 3 network Theinterference caused by cables bring tooclose to each ater canslow speds and aso derade the overall quality ofthe annection. Increased error canresultfrom Costal, as wellaslot packets, Trough the incorporation of anew twisted cable desig, and by improving he sheng ofthe cable, the kelnood of rss between Cats cables is greatly reduced and therefore a beter option Cabling sy, Tobesinwthyou'ineed “On, tomakesyouhove conigh ert eile atts cand orig, connector ste cableoctsantass cinpngtoaanat ponble scabies % Beginbylayingcutoneendot Many yyqyy yowtteret cae ne hoe oe ether boc tbl‘The ubberbootisnt important, twillprotectthe cable end clip from being snagged and broken, Strip off abouttwo inchesof the Ethernet ‘ables plastic sheath. Inside the Ethernet cable you'l see four pairs ‘of wires, twisted int pairs which is why Ethernet cables also called Twisted Pat, Alco, under the cable sheath, you'll notice thin piece of plastic called the Rip Cord (or Dental Floss, depending on where you ae). If ‘youl ths, ewillcutthrough a section ofthe sheath allowingyou. to folditover and around zal. This will help you cleanly cut away the plastic sheath without damaging the wires underneath. You won't, need touse the Rip Cord to slice aay much, around halfan inch, ‘When you've folded back the plastic sheath cutitoff (called Futing}, and cut the Rip Cord. “The fur pals of wires are broken pinto colours: Ablue pal. orange Pa, green par and brown pa. Inivdually they're called white blue) blue, white orange/orange, white gren/green and white browny/brown. ‘Thote ae two standards of Ethernet wiring: T568A and T68B. ostcomponiesandengineerswilluse the T5588 standard (as we Understand the US Government requires type A hen used forwiring done under federal contracts, however. In short, aslong.as both ends ‘match, and ary wall sockets you plug them into match, then itreally doesn't matter, Forthe TS688 standard untwist the Wires int the folowingorder: WHITE/ORANGE ‘ORANGE \WHITE/GREEN awe WHITE/BLUE (GREEN ‘WHITE/BROWN ROWN ws a Hing Now you wil needto grab one ofthe RJ45 cable ends nd identity Pin ‘Tedoso, hol the cable end withthe clip facing away from you. Pin is the frst pin onthe ef. Snip the cable untithere's about LS.inches fee from the edge ofthe plastic Ethernet sheath, Hold the wires, and arrange them inthe order ‘shown above. Fly insert the wiesinto the cable end until thecopper (_ Howto Wire an Ethernet Cable CE Wire at the centre of ach wteis touching the back of the cable end, and ensuring that the following coloursmatch the pins PIN Whiteforange PIN2: Orange IN 3: Whitejreen ina: Blue INS: Wihiteyblue PING: Green INT: Whiteforow PIN: Brown Once the wires arein place, grab thecrimp tool and place thecableendin ‘the appropiate slotinthe yw “oy “m a arn tol Squeeze the crimp teal allthe way down unite ratchet is released fithas aratchet function). un therestof the Ethemet cable out tothe desired length, ving yourself fewrestra inches incase you mess upone ofthe ends, and repeatthe process tocrimp anotherend an tothe cable. Grab the cable tester and check your ends falls pone to plan you should have length of theret cable that's god for networking with. The Extra Mile Youcanof course go the extra mile with yourcabling, to make tok ‘neat and tidy. But you willed to planthis out carefully. Withyour wired network plan, ensue that you've measured the lstancesto and from the equipmenton the network tothe ‘outer. Youcan then opt fr trunking thatwill tothe alls and ensue the cables ae neal hidden, along with having network and power pointsmaunted on ast ov" “ny the walls, foreaseofuse Remember, you might also need toensurethat you candiltvoughtheforksiingtonintiecables totbeupererlowertoosctycurtons.nsome — % con eateries My With very good powerline adapter between the loots to extend the network ny ‘ my a TT ronenncine EEGetting the most from Wired Networks Installing Your Wired Network With everything now ready, toolsin place and equipment ready to go, its time to install your network and get it up and running, Take the time to plan a few preliminary steps, and have everything at hand to ensure it's as easy a setup process as possible. ERED Pi azar tole a momentto get plan together Where areyou golngto star, what the route youre going to ak, eck he house fr potential obstaces you'e thal to cone across when yeu Te cabing, Have you got powerline adapters and extendersready? FRED swrcues withthe cables all planned out, nd the ends boing made, make sue thatthe switches are inthe right place and that there’ enough porto fee the numberof devices that are {going to connect to them. REMEMBER TO PLAN AHEA ETESED CASLE ENDS Ifyou'eplanislooking good, and you've got EREESPM) POWERLINEAND EXTENSION —Finaly,makesurethatthe route ead, then ay outyourcableand start making up powerline adapter arin place plugged in and talking each the ends. youre using trunking, makesureitsallcuto sizeand ready to other. Pls, ensure that any Wi F to Ethernet extenders rein pace, and stickilon tothe wall. agai talhng othe routers W Fisignal, senenewoingThe Installation (_ Installing Your Wired Network CE youve gota goodplan, then the restofthe process should gorelatvely easly Be prepared, hough forthe inevitable hiccuphere and there The golden re ‘tonetworking is keepitassimpleas possible % Myou'vetaken the % tinetocabloup yourown ends, its alwayeworth just double S chockingshat S theyreingpod fo) Sterne oS working onder Test “ny, an esienloth cable STS tester, and give the ends alittle tug to make sue they're ‘crimped on the cable tightly enough, and won't fall ff should you catch them with yourfeet when under the desk. When cabling, it always bestto secure in smalllengths. youve measured the distance to and from one network location another, such as rom therouter‘oalving room switch, then take the imetolay the cable and pint tothe edge ofthe room (or within trunking], every couple of fect. might seem tke overkill, but hep the cable seat as possible, Whenyouruneach cable twits snitch ordevce, itsbesttotesethat device orcheckthe pottonthe switch tomake sue that theconnection is working Theres nothing worse than spending all day running several metres cof cable only tofind youve snaggedit somewhere along the line and t'snow no longer working Which means youl need otrace the cable backand see where itwent wrong. yougotloadsefeable, then itseven more dict. Powerline adapters and Wi-Fi extenderscan bethe worse offenders when setting up anetwork Often theyre working perfectly fine one minute, then stop talking to each other when you vecompleted everything, Thishappens usually because you've moved something in the way ofthe signal in the case of WHF, so you may need todo a quick WiFi survey againto test the signal strength. As for powetine adapters, they dont often stop working, but they can un-pairwith eachother ‘wien there's another couple ofadaptersontheelectial wing, tsa simple case of powering offal the powerline adapters, then powering pairs backup again. They wil eventually all'se’ eachother and the network willbe backup and runing ifyouve run cable outside to any outbuilding, make sure that you've marked the location of where the cable goes nto the ground, where its laying and where itcomes out. it’s not under the ground, then make sure iésmarked where tes You don’t wantto lose connection nthe summer due to digging up the garden. Finally have fun. Wing up the house ora home networkisa great project. Yes,iteanbe abitofa headache attimes,anditdoesn't always go.uiteto plan, butts going to bea solid, and dependable setup when you're done and everythings working68) Networking Home Entertainment Networking an Entertainment System One of the most common setups when it comes to networkingis the all-important home entertainment system. This can be as simple asa smart TV and the latest console, or as complex as an entire home theatre setup with Al integration. Someone's home entertainment system isa very personal setup. While most will have a smart TV, some form of Blu-Ray or DVD setup, and perhaps a games console others willopt for more exotic ‘components such as Wii speakers, Google Home automation integration (or some other Al assistant, multiple consoles, retro ‘games setup vi emulation on Raspberry Pi and much more. Itsimpossble to target just one specif setup, but we ‘canmake some educated guesses ane suggest the best posible way foward for those wanting to getall ther entertainment equpmentontine and talking to each other, Main Setup Before we gino depth regarding the individual components, worth looking atthe base instalation st. By this we mean themainnetworking component that lee allyur entertainment ecuipment. Formos peopl, the obvious choice plcing the routrin the same oom 2s the home entertainmentit— such the hing rom. Nie outof tenhomes wilhavealvingroom thattakesup most ofthe downstairs ‘oor, 0 having the router near the entrance tothe living room wil place itasnearto the centre of the house as possible. Of couse fyoute the tenth house, then your setup wil need tobe altered, With arouterin the livingroom, ou'ein easy reach ks bitin ‘switch ports, as well ashaving acessto a good Wi signal You'e also cutting down on the amount ofnetworkng equipment between the TV, for example, andtherouteritsel ifyou can'thave the outer in the fiving room, then in our opinion using combination ofapowertin adapta anda switch the bestoption In thisscenaio yout able to cable upallthe necessary equipment othe suite, which can then feed into the powerline adapter, andintumcan feed into the router viaits paired partner. Therearethercomponents ‘that may require more networking kt, so let's break some ofthem down, wv AITVssold now are smart ‘enabled, which meansthey have the capacity for going online ane streaming content. This ofcourse means they! comewith ether an Ethernet port or WF, or even both. The ‘Wis where ala of bandwidth isgoingtobe heading, soit makes sence to connect the TVtoa gigabit switch = despite the fact that most natal, TVsonly have 00Mb/s Ethernet pots bult into them (despite the manufacturers claiming you need Catt cables forthe best connection!) _00Mb/s though is perfectly fine fr transferring the data needed for and ven 8k content, asthe TVitselfisnt dong anything else other than sorting the data into viewable image and sound -andits processing canhandle the hard workthere,Forthe TVthen, an Ethemet cable intoauth, fina ponetine adapteristhe perfec stp. no ty and gtitwerkingonthesScHechannel andhaveitasclose oa ood wireless network extender as possible tT Games Consoles ety Thethree ain gamesconsles: Piaytation Xbox andSwitch areallcapabe of wng anbioatweantiene Zah por Sun al he consoles does fstomecton thehome peor Eventhough te alt seqdonerest et snl emnartnga ino ‘inde or Honver you vant gen hat ps (olen ac kee onc th tation arate ved neter Ts vesthe Sch Media Computers/ Retro Emulators Therés0groing number people who have opted foramedacomputeras part ther ving 20m entire. These areofen smal subi base unis he the Raspbey Pithatftn nicely withthe restof the under equipment, butcansilun Windows ior even macOS. These mac cetrescanbe used fr stearsng content fom ala devin sch as aNAS uit or va the Inte. Theyre ged for watching YouTube content, gaming an any cer duties yur eect roma computer. “The Raspberry Plis also great asa retro emulation console, enabling you to play arcade, console and home computer ties fromthe last forty: plusyeas. With regards to these, wold sayputthem onthe wired network, since theyre goingto use a lotof bandwidth forthe content, as \wellasupdates othe OS. As {for the Raspberry Pi, again, (_ Networking an Entertainment System GE RO weld say wie network, as we've always found the Ps WEFlacking N uiny whenitcomestosteamingcontent. Other new eleasessuch my asthenia re iiare min WFenabeond SS will work seamlessly on a wireless network, = AlAssistants Most TVs and other entertainment equipmentcan bs controlled with one ofthe Al asitants, such as Google Home, The Al assstans are allW-F enabled, andthis is perfectly fine. What you're best doing isensuring that “n, FF m " there's a good ScHeWiFinetworkextenderneartowherethe Min qi assistants located, This wl cut down onthe traficon the other channel and improve the bandwidth oftheunit Blu-Ray/DVD units Wheat of peopleus ther games console as a Bl RayDND dive, there are some who eter dorthavea console or prefer the advanced festre specialiedunitcan offer. Wh these unis, he connection to the networkin as mpotantas the comecton tothe, whie they may hav thems connections, WEF wl sfc (ules they dont haveWiF access, ofcourse. yt NAS oo om, One final element tothe home entertainment setupisthe ation of @NAS unit. These mini-servets areideal for toring movies and ‘Tshows, game lesthat aretremulatorcan access and stornga ifetime of digital photos Inanideal word, you'd have the NAS connected irectlyto the routers switch so alltrafctoithas the maximum bandwidth, However ft'snotlocated near to the outer, make sure t'sconnected toa gigabit site, Powerline Adapters/Network Extenders !fyou're stuck for which one to use for your entertainment equipment, wet sy opt othe powetine adapt (ata axyoucan gt aca siqnbitwich. The equipment that requires Wiis probably within reach theoutrs signa. and fot, youcan adda Fistender elsenherein the comand fed the wireless kitunder the TV Anything Else (such as a Roku etc.) Assessthe needs ofisbandwith, its ping tobe using altof rac enlieoron the network ty and connec tothe wired network, terse go for WiFi andthebest channespeeds youcan.68) Networking Home Entertainment The Google Home Collection There are now six different Google Home devices to choose from, including the tiny Home Mini and the new Google Home Hub. The specification and size varies greatly, so if you are not yet sure which Home speaker is best for you, check out all of the details here. Google Home Max sachsen See roar thearhttendedandicelereybeatuihent poundig. “bottlauen ns Peabo aR hardware delivers deep bass and crisp treble in stunning stereo sound. It analyses, tunes and updates itself automatically, so allyou need todo is listen. The far-field voice contro allows Max to hear you across the room, even while the music's playing Posen touch ser ral Thoughts! The best aucio-only based productinthe Google MAMI, sspseacange = Anbentipitsener Home ange. Aeidpopeubente hosing cle Wirstess 2.-rm ackwith analogue oun re sueooth ‘AC power 1 hon sthg/cla4ebscha) Wir SUs@ ype ond UBB are teens Netperformance seaming ‘fUS@implenentrs Forum + Chromece bitin pean stom Speaker other Tyo llemmbighescusion(s it + Maleem audio Google Home Mini Dimensions Pe Key Features: A powerilitle helper, Google Home Minikeepeyou Hage m 5) 5 posite caso informed anduptadtewithinstant news weather andcommute— owercai 5m + came and concen updates without fing finger Master the kitchen; Google Home Weight. ssl Mini helps with timer step by stp recipes, and conversions and * Dv: Btetott 4 inner substitutes Star your mart home + rasa te ey ies always improving wth seamless connections to the atest compatible rest Comt qu sc with 40-mn civer ‘smart lights and + Durable fabric top nic array Final thoughts: ponorumerscripiste” Power The budget range of = teste Tia Google Home ofes Sempre sda frmats Part conan agent productfor tewopeersceim sonar Oprnting sytem(_ The Google Home Collection GE Google Nest Hub Dimensions Sensors Key Features Seeyourlfeinoneviewsnd “am msmva>)——emmetvy frtthings dnetandefee,cooleNsttib “ways mes) Sere Felpeyar nalethemestofmomentzathome, —«rmrahe lm Siro Vibe ate, getyouratndarcommate, Welt sehienncnacres terinders and motenigiton thehome een, es oes ae Iererample“Hey Google show memy calender, 90H " “You caneven get thernews, make a shopping punuay Ts Wpower adaptor Ustandpacecastotendamiyandtoest BM comuchaan Pre bins Vecontalcorpatble hts peru Peotone Camera sardine Fomacingedasboard. tester Fina Thoughts: Ey lee iéebased Merophones bduiontothecsleefon zr Google Home a saropeoms Dap en (2657) Seay ey Features: imply your every ie wth “ats rar Sener, the Googe Home, avloe acted spear wage iomn 3 Steaming yourchomecsst setup your Google CChromecast utr fst. NOTE: You need an Home iiname sacs Android orlOSmable ‘ert tne tor ea nme cho device tocompete setting up Chromecas, ‘On your Android device, you need to download the latest = bull ofthe Google Home Apa. Sign in using your Google account and then connec the Chromecasto your TV vis the HOM input and USB for power ED Finaty,i¢ Ditonre = you wish to = play games on your Secttop orton. you cs ned open ae © Googie ‘de browser on the video: Get more done with a device you wish to use the new Chrome : 6 and vist: google com/ = ~ chrome and download the latest build ofthe — 5 Chrome browser A akel ec a daom Le). e2 Se eae ge coerce Seo Tete Cte meres Bete ee ate ee ee eee? ese Pi ea ceedESSER Now let stun ourattention tothe Google Stadia Control ‘once cut ofthe box you need to ensure that your devices fully charged before you start setting up the controll isa oe @ BSED Once the deviceis uly charged, unplug the power ‘able, Pres the Stadia ago button on the controller for ‘two seconds to turn ton. A vibration confirms that you have powered up the device You need o enter your WEF password and then tap Connect to WeFito complete the process. Your controller may automatically install an update ft isrequired and then youare ready to play ‘witching to your mobile device, open the Stadia app, sing your invite code (required), and tap the Controller icon tthe op right you may ned to enable Location acces fist Select your controle from thelist of devices Ss Unlock Stadia with your invite code ETSSEERD Your stadia controler starts to vibrate to confirm connection and then, when prompted, tap Yes onthe mobile app. Now tap Connect to your network using the same account SettingsAll About Google Stadia GE Google Stadia Controller Controls Explained With Stacia, the conte the console, so understanding how this al in.one device works sgingto be essentialta your gaming experience Left Bumper y) Left Tigger Stadia zz = | _______1 Status Light Buttor Under Button) Understanding LUNs l yarn Ce ee c peer eta Sa : Me BSiceleeiilerles) 0 Ds aa ing imensions: 6ammx m ce foo SolidOrange: _Thecontrolers SoCombat Network IssuesNetwork Troubleshooting and Administration Windows Networking Command Cheat Sheet Windows contains numerous built-in commands for networking, These utilities and tools will help you discover problems with your network, as well as help you improve performance and monitor what’s going on. = NbtStat The nbtstat command is a diagnostic tool for NetBIOS over TCPAP. Its primary design is to help troubleshoot NetBIOS name resolution problems. It will display the human-friendly names of devices on the network along with their IP addresses. Pw \g +) Seog cate Rear SAC eur) eee eR reece Tg MOC ech Be ae eee ee acon PON em Cun ir Patel eee Bourg are pete ot pence rae pene an Eero ater aeninn —— Ifyou dicover that you Peer eR ane ee Re earn etre network, simply enter the UT Te TU Ld it'll display the computer’s eT .: Pathping Thisisa handy command that combines the best elements of Ping and Tracert. ewill display the latencyand packet loss between one computer and another (either locally oron the Internet, and after 300 seconds display a detailed report.Ping Ping is probably the most familiar of networking command line tools With it you're able to send an echo juest to a device locally, oron the Internet, and receive a reply. Se « Netstat Cee ed eae eee eer ee) Soar CS crt pene ee Ce ete 3 Tracert Stands for Trace Route willexamine the path to. remote computer, either locally ron the Internet. For exomple, entering tracert google.com will display the hops taken over networking devices to get to one ofthe Google serves. Peeters cess Code assigned to it. arene sy ees cnr esc nar em eet Ts ee eee computer by entering getmac. Windows Networking Command Cheat Sheet aT reyiit Bo ipa etre nee EU Tuas Ipconfigwill display information on the elas De ied Poa Le ecu Poco cos . Netsh:. This is a complex command that, when entered, will put you into a different shell, the Network Shell (netsh). It’s capable of displaying and configuring information regard- ing a computer’s networking setup. Le) TT) UU os ert trae Perey rT TT LT Oe eee S network or Internet. Haram LCT Ee Ud Tr oer eed Oe RC Ree eee Le To do so, simply type Route Print. This Dr ee gue Tee acd CT Na aedNetwork Troubleshooting and Administration Linux Networking Command Cheat Sheet Linux has many networking commands available to it. Some are built in to the OS, whereas others will need to be installed; but all are great in their own special way. Thisisa single HTTP Re) Peers eer interaction with eae eae lots of support, Preece One of the most used networking commands for troubleshooting and testing network connectivity. Ping works by sending Echo Request packets toa user:specified IP destination, and waits fora reply. Pl: Be aTe eine rae TES e Team el Ca eat e CCU ee Cech Rm irl) PRC epee eaten eect | control, suchas limiting Isused to configure traffic She guten Nt sage Pte is Banencesth ee ora eth It’s perfect for shell scripts, as . —_ a it can be used without user ec cei 2= ice Sac a Si interaction. Internet connections. STS« Ifconfig :. Stands for Interface Configuration, and is used to display and configure the local network adapter. With ifcon- fig, you're able to view a computer's IP address, gateway and so on. Can also be used to setup a network port. att So DLs i Pere ee re Roa reas With it you can Ee eae ead ate Can help you keep an eye ‘on your network trafic ‘and bandwidth usage inreal time. It monitors Incoming and outgoing traffic, using graphs, and provides adaitional Information on the total transferred data and network use. Pe SS Tanase ccs mete Ueto ee ee Ptr Cees een ened ees ue Ce Ce ees Linux Networking Command Cheat Sheet Seca) eee} display information Bate ee et) Cee eg Oe oticd nist Re eng rao ret une Xs _ oor ee = Traceroute Atool used to diagnose and display the route of packets to and from user specified locations. It’s great for finding slow areas of a network, so you can tweak any network ex- tenders that the packets hit on their way to the location. ar si Ee eas ae Perret Perera) Creare) network. With it, Sore ners eee rary transfer files and so on. Brady} Pes ce) tool that’s a packet Pa ee MTL og network packets that are being ee hod CLT ee computer.