How to setup a wired server

After you determine which of your devices you want to connect with wires and which ones wirelessly, follow the procedures that are listed in Install a wired network , and Install a wireless network respectively to set up these parts of the hybrid network.

There are several different possible network configurations for a hybrid network. The most basic configuration has all the wired devices plugged into the Ethernet ports of the hybrid router, and the wireless devices connected to the router wirelessly.

Then the wireless devices can communicate with the wired devices via the hybrid router. If you want to network more than four wired devices, you can string several routers together, both wired and wireless, in a daisy chain formation.

You'll need enough wired routers to handle all of the wired devices the number of devices divided by four. And you'll need enough wireless routers in the right physical locations to broadcast a Wi-Fi signal to every corner of the network. In this way, you can connect both computers and peripherals such as printers and fax machines and place them where it will easy to access them. When you need the maximum Internet and file-sharing speed for your work, you can plug into the network with an Ethernet cable.

If you need to show a streaming video to your colleague in the office hallway, you can access the network wirelessly. With the right planning, your small business can save money on CAT 5 cables and routers by maximizing the reach of the wireless network. And with the right encryption and password management in place, the wireless portion of the network can be as secure as the wired. After you set up your network, you might want to add more sharing options for your work and devices. Some of these options are set automatically, while others can be set manually.

In Windows 8. If certain sharing options don't turn on automatically, you can activate them manually. These manual activation options include:. Network discovery is a network setting that lets your device find other devices on the network and other devices find your device. Such functionality makes it easier to share files and printers.

Network sharing automatically adjusts security and other settings based on the type of network connected to your device. To check whether network sharing is enabled, follow the instructions. The first time you connect to a network, you'll be asked if you want to turn on sharing between devices and connect to network devices such as printers. Your answer automatically sets the appropriate firewall and security settings for the type of network.

You can turn sharing on or off at any time. To share a file or folder, follow the instructions for the version of Windows installed on your device. With password-protected sharing, people on your network can't access shared folders on other devices, including Public folders, unless they have a user name and password on the device for shared folders. The network map is a graphical view of the devices and devices on your network.

The map shows how devices are connected and includes any problem areas. It can be helpful for troubleshooting. For Windows 7, certain sharing options turn on automatically.

For example, when you change your network location to Home or Work, network discovery is automatically turned on. Similarly, file sharing turns on automatically the first time you try to share a file or folder. There are three network discovery states:. Windows 7 automatically adjusts security and other settings based on the type of network connected to your device.

If you skip this step, then the first time that you connect to the network, you'll be asked to select your network location. You can change this setting later. The network offers some protection from the Internet such as a router and firewall and contains known or trusted devices. Network discovery is turned on automatically. Most small business networks fall into this category. The network is available for public use. Examples of public networks are public Internet access networks, such as those found in airports, libraries, and coffee shops.

This network location helps keep your device from being seen by other devices around you and helps protect your device from malicious software on the Internet. You should also select this option if you're connected directly to the Internet without using a router or if you have a mobile broadband connection. The device is connected to a network that contains an Active Directory domain controller. A corporate network is one example of a domain network.

This network location isn't available as an option. It must be set by the domain administrator. For your small business network, make sure that the network location type is set to Home or Work. Here's how to check:. For Windows Vista, certain sharing options turn on automatically. For home or small office networks when you know and trust the people and devices on the network.

Set the server as a domain controller to allow all computers in the network to join the new centralized environment and to allow the server to authenticate user credentials.

Complete the setup. Add a local admin account to each PC or Mac and connect them to the server. Set up printers and connect them to the print server. Organize and upload the data and applications you wish to have on the new server, for example, your accounting software. Building a server room Depending on how much space you have and your hardware choices, setting up a dedicated room to house your server is a worthwhile investment. When building your server room, consider the following points: Room characteristics Ideally, use a room with no windows and the capacity to install cooling equipment and backup power.

Invest in the right equipment While it might be tempting to use a desk or shelf to store your server, the benefits of investing in a rackmount far outweigh the costs.

Ensure security Even for a smaller office server setup, you will need at least a lock and key to protect your expensive equipment and valuable data from theft or tampering.

Keep it organized Cable management is an important, but often overlooked, aspect of setting up a business server. How to set up a business network If you are investing in a server, it makes sense to consider your whole office network at the same time. Choosing what's right for you There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to setting up a business network. Instead, think about the specific requirements of your business, such as: The size of your office Number and type of devices your business uses What applications your business runs What files employees need to share How you will protect your network Your future expansion plans.

Setting up your network To create a network, you will need to connect the following components: Server. Every network should have at least one server. A switch is a component that connects the devices on your network and allows them to communicate. You will have the choice of managed and unmanaged switches, but SMBs often opt for an unmanaged switch.

A router connects different networks together, such as connecting your office network to the internet or creating an intranet. Whether you opt for a wired or wireless network, you will still need cables. The common choices are copper or fiber optic - fiber optic is more durable and provides faster data speeds. Get business server antivirus protection Whichever way you decide to set up your network, it will likely contain valuable data and business information so an important consideration is how you will adequately protect it.

Related articles. Introducing a new tool for businesses to better understand their networks As well as gaining better visibility into the IT network, Network Discovery provides users with the capability to keep track of unauthorized devices accessing the business network. Subscribe to our newsletter Subscribe.

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Never miss our news. As you can guess, we have a great many tutorials on Webmonkey for getting the most out of that machine in your closet. But here are some guidelines for the hardware side of it. Setting up a home server can be a lot of fun and a great learning experience.

But, depending on what you want to use it for and how good your connection to the Internet is, a home server may not be the best alternative. If your aim is serving web pages reliably or otherwise delivering information outside your home to friends or customers, it makes more sense to put the server into "The Cloud" - in other words, in a commercial data center. This saves nyou the worry and hassle of keeping it running or dealing with interruptions to your home's power, cable or DSL service.

There are many cloud computing companies, ranging from Amazon Web Services which requires that you learn their command line interface to initiate a new server, to ENKI which offers personal support for getting you up and running. This isn't the place to go into detail, but you can learn more by Googling "Cloud Computing.

To build your own server, you need just a few components, some or all of which you may well have already:. A server doesn't have to be particularly powerful. But for personal use, a server needs considerably less horsepower than your average desktop computer. While other computers busy themselves with complex tasks like despeckling photographs and calculating missile trajectories, your home server has a much simpler task: receiving requests for data and then sending that data as requested.

Your server won't use much processing power, especially without a graphical interface to worry about. A machine with 64MB of RAM and a MHz processor can make a perfectly good server; with slightly more robust specs, it can handle almost anything you'll throw at it. An old machine can be turned into a server with minimal effort. You may already have a perfect machine for the job sitting in your attic. Or a relative or a friend might want to get rid of her older desktop; or you may well be able to pick up a suitable model cheap or free from a swap meet, a classified ad, or online equivalents like freecycle.

Alternately, you can buy a new machine to use as your server. Each approach has its advantages. Old hardware can be unreliable. Sometimes replacing bad RAM or putting in a new heatsink will fix the problem, but sometimes a computer just crashes every few hours, regardless of what operating system is installed.

Time to donate or recycle it. Space is an issue. If the old machine is in a big tower case and you are in a small apartment, you might want to get it a new case — or you might want to buy a new server that's one tenth the size. You want it quiet. Computers get hot, so fans are installed to keep them cool.

Fans are loud, even the ones marketed as "whisper-quiet. If you're going to be sharing a living space with your server, you may want to invest in a fanless machine. Type in a password and click "Next".

Once this is done, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete at the same time to get the login screen. Type in the administrator password and press enter.

It is important to note here that as Server takes its design cues form Windows 8, most tasks can also be carried out via the Start Screen, which can be accessed by pressing the Windows button on the keyboard. Open Server Manager by clicking on its tile. Windows Server then changes from Modern UI to desktop mode, and the Server Manager window will appear on this desktop. In this window click on "Configure this local server".

This allows you to set up the various features you will require for your network. Current page: Page 1. North America. Page 1 of 2: Page 1 Page 1 Page 2.