- Gather your network hardware.To create a LAN, you’ll need a router or switch, which will act as the hub of your network. These devices route information to the correct computers.
- A routerwill automatically handle assigning IP addresses to each device on the network, and is necessary if you intend to share your internet connection with all the connected devices. It is highly recommended that you build your network with a router, even if you’re not sharing an internet connection.
- A network switchis like a simpler version of a router. It will allow connected devices to talk to each other, but will not automatically assign IP addresses and will not share an internet connection. Switches are best used to expand the number of LAN ports available on the network, as they can be connected to the router.
- Set up your router.You don’t need to do much to set up a router for a basic LAN. Just plug it into a power source, preferably close to your modem if you plan on sharing the internet connection through it.
- Connect your modem to your router (if necessary).If you’re sharing the internet connection from your modem, connect the modem to the WAN/INTERNET port on the router. This is usually a different colour from the other ports.
- Connect your switch to your router (if necessary).If you’re using a switch to expand the number of ports available on the router, plug an Ethernet cable into any LAN port on the router and any LAN port on the switch. This will expand the network to the rest of the LAN ports on the switch.
- Connect your computers to open LAN ports.Use Ethernet cables to connect each computer to an open LAN port on your router or switch. It doesn’t matter what order the ports are connected in.Ethernet cables cannot reliably transfer data at lengths larger than 100m (328 ft).
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- Setup one PC as a DHCP server if you’re just using a switch.If you’re only using a switch as your network hub, setting up one computer as a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server will allow all of the connected computers to easily obtain IP addresses.
- You can quickly create a DHCP server on one of your computers by installing a third-party utility.
- The rest of the computers on the network will obtain IP addresses automatically once the server is running, as long as they are set to do so.
- Verify the network connection on each computer.After each computer obtains an IP address, they’ll be able to talk to each other on the network. If you’re using a router to share your internet connection, each computer will be able to access the internet.
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- Set up file and printer sharing.Once your network is up, you won’t see anything on other computers unless that computer has shared files. You can designate files, folders, drives, printers, and other devices as shared so that anyone on the network, or just specific users, can access them.
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