Consider these questions before you set up computer networking in your computer center:
Are all the computers in one building?
Single buildings can share one network
Multiple buildings may need special cabling or wireless connections
What do you want to share?
Files?
It's simplest to have files on one or another machine (peer-to-peer)
It's more expensive to have files on a shared "file server". This often needs an adminstrator .
Software?
An icon can be set to run a program from a different computer
Software licenses may prevent multiple users of a single program
Printers?
It is not typically necessary to have a machine dedicated to the printer, as long as the printer is hooked to a machine that's always on
E-mail?
Generally, this should be part of a larger Internet plan
Access to the Internet?
Everyone can share a single Internet connections, although speed may be poor
There are many ways to connect to the Internet
Automated backups?
How fast should the network be?
Typical new installations use inexpensive 100 Mbit cards
What sort of cabling should be used?
Category 5 cabling allows for speeds beyond 100 Mbits and is the lowest cost
Lines should terminate in a central area where they can be patched together
Laptops can link in via special cards
What Internet services do you need?
Web access?
Should some sites be restricted?
Web server?
If Internet access is fast and permanent, a local machine can host Web sites
Otherwise, use an external server service
E-mail access?
Will users want to access e-mail away from the network?
Do you want a standard e-mail address for everyone
FTP site?
Will people be uploading or downloading large files?
VPN (Virtual Private Network)?
Do people need to access the internal network from the outside?
Firewall?
What level of protection do you want?
Do you want others (such as community members without Internet access) to be able to dial directly into your network?