Types of Pathways in Secure Networks
An important decision that you must make before you can begin Designing Your Network is to determine what type of network you want. There are two main types of home networks, and each has its own characteristics in terms of convenience, speed, and security1.
Wired Networks
Wired networks are the more traditional types of networks. To set one up, you link each device in your network with a cable, usually a cable that is known as a CAT-5 or Ethernet cable. These cables serve as the pathways for all the information in your network. Generally, unless there is a specific reason for a wired network, they are more expensive and complicated to set up and are less desireable than wireless networks because of this. On the other hand, they are often simpler to secure because the pathway is very controlled and contained. If you're going to use a wired network, you just need a router that has multiple Ethernet ports and computers that support Ethernet connections (most ones built in the last few years do). If your devices do not support Ethernet connections, or if you do not want to lay additional wires through your house, there are alternatives that use the wiring already in your house, namely the power and phone lines, but these alternatives are more esoteric and beyond the scope of this site, though the same general networking and security principles apply. For more on network security, see our Basic Network Security section.
Wireless Networks
Wireless networks are becoming more and more common. They offer an ease of set up that is not found in wired networks. The pathway used for all the data in a wireless networks comes in the form of wireless signals sent through the air from a receiver on the computer to a wireless router. Because of this, and because not all computers (especially not all desktops) come with wireless adaptors built in, it's important to make sure that all the devices you want to connect to the network can support wireless transmissions. Wireless signals are often not as effective where thick walls are present or when the devices are far apart. In this case, it might be best to consider using a wired network, or to use multiple wireless relay stations in addition to a base router. Furthermore, another drawback to wireless networking is the fact that the signals eminate in all directions from the router, so that others nearby can pick up your signal and access the network. This means that securing wireless networks involves a longer and different, but not that much more difficult, process than is needed for a wired network. You can read more about that in our Additional Steps for Securing a Wireless Network section.
After you have decided what type of network to use, you can move on to our Designing Your Network section.
1Wilson, Tracy. "How Home Networking Works." How Stuff Works. 14 Apr 2007 <http://computer.howstuffworks.com/home-network.htm>.