Home network diagram is very essential to have when you build a computer network. The diagram helps you setup and connect each of the networking hardware to form a computer network. Network diagram is also very helpful in troubleshooting the network connection problems such as failure to access the internet for one computer while other computers are no problems. See also ping the IP address.
When you are building a computer network in home or in office, you need to have the diagram of the network which is specifically designed to meet your need. For example, when you need to build a computer network which is designed just for sharing the internet in a small home, your home network diagram may be different than the one for two-storey building or for large house. In two-storey building probably you need a wireless bridge in the second level of the building beside a wireless access point in the first level building.
So, before designing your home network diagram firstly you need to identify the networking components that meet your network environment either wired LAN network or wireless LAN network or even combination of both (mostly).
Wired and Wireless Network for Internet Share
In homes or small offices, the main reason you build a computer network is to share a single broadband internet connection with many computers. The main networking devices can be listed below:
- A broadband modem (with or without firewall function)
- A LAN Switch for wired network, or a Wireless router for wireless LAN
- Computers with NIC adapter enabled or wireless adapter
Basically your home network diagram depends on the type of hardware you purchase. Start with your modem, if your modem includes the firewall (NAT) feature you need a LAN Switch for wired network, or you need a wireless access point for wireless network. If your modem doesn’t include the firewall feature, you need a wireless router for wireless network environment.
Figure 1 shows a home network diagram using a broadband modem (either ADSL or Cable) such as Netopia modem for DSL, and a LAN Switch with a couple of computers.
Fig 1 - Wired network with ADSL modem, Switch
In this diagram, the modem must have a firewall (NAT) feature to share the internet connection. Unless, there is only one computer can access the internet in a time. In Windows system, you can share the internet connection by configuring the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) to allow a single internet connection shared to many computers on the network. But in this case, your modem supports the firewall (NAT) and the DHCP features. With NAT and DHCP, you can add a switch to allow the internet connection shared by many computers on the network.
The home network diagram in figure 1, we find a network printer (printer with Ethernet enabled) connected to the Switch. A desktop and laptop are also connected to the switch. All connect to the switch using the straight-through UTP cable. While wired connection from the modem to the switch, you should use the cross cable (network cable that comes with the modem). Unless the Switch features autosensing type ports so you can use both straight and cross type cable interchangeably.
Figure 2 Home wireless computer network diagram
Figure 2 shows a home wireless network diagram with two separate locations. First floor is where a broadband modem connects to the ISP via patch cable to the wall-jack, a wireless router connects to the modem using UTP cross cable, and other clients including laptop with Wi-Fi, USB printer, and desktop. There are many wireless routers include a USB port to allow you share a USB printer such as TEW-673GRU with two USB ports.
In the second floor, you can extend the wireless network by implementing a wireless bridge or a wireless access point. But if you extend the network using a wireless access point, you need to run a network cable to connect the access point to the router (Ethernet ports). But if you implement a wireless bridge (such as dap-1360 by D Link), you do not need to run a network cable from the bridge to the router. Or you may also consider implementing powerline AV adapters for wide home network using power outlets as shown in the following figure.
Fig 3 Powerline diagram
You may use cable modem router in the first floor and connect one powerline adapter to the router, on the second floor you may add multiport powerline adapters to let you connect multiple home theater devices including xbox, blu-ray and so on.
By Ki Grinsing
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See also:
- Computer network diagram – a conceptual diagram
- Computer networking basics for newbie
- Gigabit PCI adapter for high-speed desktop
- 24-port Switch – gigabit Switch
- DSL and Cable routers – connection diagram
- Network troubleshooting – in home networks
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