There are two basic types of home network, cabled (or wired) and wireless. Either type you choose will have some basic equipment in common, though the specific type will vary.

First and foremost, in order for any two devices on the network to communicate, some path has to be established.

In a cabled network, that’s done physically by means of wire strands, usually Ethernet cables. They can be any length up to several hundred feet. There are physical limitations before a switch or router has to be introduced between cables, but the length is far greater than most home network builders will have to worry about.

In a wireless network, the path may be invisible, but it’s just as real. In this case, radio waves are used to send and receive signals. In principle, they are subject to interference just as broadcast TV signals may be. But in practice, within the home, that’s rarely a problem.

Rarely, but not never. Things that generate or interfere with radio signals such as microwave ovens, streams of charged particles from solar flares, metal inside walls can be a problem. Sometimes, a wall is enough to lessen the effectiveness of the wireless signal.

Next, you need devices that can send and receive the signals that those wires or beams will carry.

A NIC (network interface card), usually in the form of an Ethernet card, is a now familiar part of home networking equipment. They’re often as inexpensive as a few dollars and come in a range of speeds. Today, 10Mb, 100Mb and 1Gb are commonplace.

There are other speeds as well. An 802.11g wireless network, for example, transmits at 54Mb/s, while 802.11b operates at 11Mb/s. As time progresses and costs come down, the higher speeds are more and more dominating the market. Higher speeds are available and becoming more common.

A NIC can be the more traditional type that connects to Ethernet cables, or it can be a wireless card that has a transceiver built-in to send and receive radio signals.

But the NICs in different devices (such as two computers on the network) are rarely connected by the cables directly. In almost all cases they run to a switch or, these days more often, a router.

A switch or hub is a small device with ports (holes) that cables can be plugged into. They’re ultra low cost (often just a few dollars) and adequate for simple networks that don’t require a connection to the Internet. More often today, home network builders will use one or more routers.

A router is just what it sounds like, a device that routes traffic. It determines how and where to direct data by using a series of IP addresses (such as 10.1.5.142) and software/hardware designed to receive data from some devices and send data to others.

Routers come in two basic ‘flavors’ today, cabled and wireless. Each type comes in a variety of models from different vendors. They have different software, which is usually proprietary and offer different functions. Some for example, may have virus protection built in. They may vary according to the number of ports, which determines how many devices can be plugged in. They’ll vary according to how fast they actually operate at, along with variations in rated speed (54Mb rated ~ 6 Mb actual).

There are other devices that may, and usually do, form part of a home network such as a cable modem, DSL or satellite modem for connecting to the Internet. But those listed above are the bare essentials to get started.

Related posts:

1. How Does Home Networking Work?
2. WiFi Equipment For Your Home
3. Home Networking Options
4. Home Networking – Wireless Network Pros and Cons
5. Guidelines For Building A Simple Home Network

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