If you have several computers at home, it would be better to network them. The following are the advantages:
1. If one of the computers has a printer attached, the other computer can then use it through the network.
2. If one of the computers has certain files on it, someone on the other computer can access those files over the network rather than having to copy them onto usb stick.
3. If you like playing multi-user computer games that have network capabilities built in, two people can then play these games together over the network.
4. If you connect to the Internet with one of the computers, the other computer can use that same connection over the network. So one computer can connect to the Internet with a modem and the other computer will route its Internet traffic through that single connection.
Networking PCs has gotten easier and a lot less expensive. The following is the How To:
1. Connect computers to your router's network port.
2. Install any network connection software if any.
3. Open "Control Panel" to the Network Setup Wizard. Run the Network Setup Wizard on each networked computer.
4. Make sure to choose the correct connection method. Click through to the "Select a Connection Method" screen. Choose "This Computer Connects To The Internet Through Another Computer On My Network or Through a Residential Gateway".
5. Continue in the Network Setup Wizard to the "Give This Computer a Description and a Name" dialog box. Type in the name.
6. Click "Next" to the "Name Your Network" screen. Type in the name which must be the same on all computers on your network.
7. Click "Next" to the File and Printer Sharing page and select "Turn on file and printer sharing".
8. Click "Next" and apply the settings on each computer on your network, then click through to "Finish" and reboot to make your network working.
9. To test, you need to make one folder shared. Then open windows explorer and go to "My Network Places". Click "Entire Network" and "Microsoft Windows Network" and click "workgroup". At this stage, if you can see the folder shared, this means that your home network is set up successfully.
