Install small network

Address] as listed below. Disclaimer: The schedule above assumes that [Client. Company] is able to provide [Sender. Company] with full access to the facility located at [Client. Address] for the duration of the project, and that all existing hardware be made available at the completion of cable installation. Company] is committed to carrying out installation of hardware and network testing as quickly as possible in order to minimize any inconvenience to [Client. Company] 's employees or clients.

Please sign and date this proposal to indicate your acceptance of the hardware, pricing, and installation indicated above. This is not a legally binding contract. Once this signed proposal is received, [Sender. Company] will draft a contract for signature by both parties. Company] [Sender.

LastName] Signature. FirstName] [Client. LastName] [Client. Prepared by: [Sender. All rights reserved. Introduction [Sender. If you need to send large multimedia files, consider using Ethernet connection. Wired connection is usually more stable than wireless one.

Ethernet cables can be Cat5, Cat6, Cat7. Choose standard depending on devices in the network. Cat6 and Cat7 are a good option if you need to transmit data over a long distance which is hard to believe for someone who is building small office network. As a business, you will probably go with both wireless and wired office network.

Keep in mind that wired network is much easier to secure. But if you need to do wiring on your own, it can be tricky, especially if devices are in separate offices rooms. Wireless office networks are way flexible, easy to install and maintain. The switch in networking connects devices like server, workstations, laptops or printers on the same network and allow multiple devices to communicate and share information.

The switch can be managed or unmanaged. Managed one, on the other hand, are packed with some rather cool features which allow you to configure security and other things both locally and remotely. Expert recommendation : Once again we must recommend trusted brand and device with reputation. Cisco line of small business switches both cloud and on-premise managed are a solid foundation for every small office network.

No matter what series you choose it will provide you with speed, reliability, and ability to adopt latest standards for mobile networking. Switch vs Router They are very similar devices, but the router has an additional feature to send data between different networks. Switch on the other hand is limited to communication within the same network. Both are cornerstones of the business network no matter if you are setting up a network with one or several servers and workstations. Firewall How to properly set office network without mentioning a firewall.

Firewall is usually software that prevents malicious data packages to get inside private network from the public Internet and vice versa. A firewall can be found in many network devices.

There are many types of firewalls , main are host-based and network-based firewalls. Also, it can be a hardware device. No matter what, the firewall is the first line of defense in network security for decades. The firewall allows you to see operating systems within network, users and their devices and make prioritization and apply security custom policies and rules to encrypt network traffic.

Expert recommendation : SonicWall firewalls are a great solution for small office networks. A broad range of products and fantastic quality are reasons to consider this manufacturer. No matter of model, entry-level TZ series or high-end SuperMassive series, they all offer great control over network, speed and some unique security features for the reasonable price.

It is the essential tool in modern business. There are many articles online that can help how to choose a server for small business.

The desktop is designed to accomplish simple tasks like writing in Word, sending emails, Excel calculations and browsing the Internet. All this is done by user interface within the operating system.

The small server , on the other hand, is developed to deal with more complex tasks. Some to name are database management, shared calendars, massaging, printer services, sharing folders and files, set VPN and many other.

Plus, they are more reliable compared to desktop computers. Scalability Make plans for the future. If you have more than four, you'll likely need to get a switch to extend the number of ports available on your router. Decide if you want to create a wireless network.

If you want to allow devices to connect wirelessly, you'll need a router that can broadcast a wireless network. Most routers you'll find at the store or online have wireless capabilities.

Network switches do not allow wireless devices to connect, and can only be used for hardwired LANs or to extend the number of ports available to the router. Determine if you want all network devices to have internet access. If you want all of the connected devices to have access to the internet, you'll need a router to handle the connections. If you don't need the devices to have a network connection, you can just use a network switch. Measure the distances for all hardwired devices.

This isn't much of an issue in most homes, but network cables cannot run longer than m ft. If you have to run cable farther than this, you'll need switches in between. Consider your future needs. If you're filling all of the ports on your hardware, consider future-proofing to allow for more devices in the future.

Part 2. Gather your network hardware. To create a LAN, you'll need a router or switch, which will act as the hub of your network. These devices route information to the correct computers. A router will automatically handle assigning IP addresses to each device on the network, and is necessary if you intend to share your internet connection with all the connected devices. It is highly recommended that you build your network with a router, even if you're not sharing an internet connection.

A network switch is like a simpler version of a router. It will allow connected devices to talk to each other, but will not automatically assign IP addresses and will not share an internet connection.

Switches are best used to expand the number of LAN ports available on the network, as they can be connected to the router. You don't need to do much to set up a router for a basic LAN. Just plug it into a power source, preferably close to your modem if you plan on sharing the internet connection through it. Connect your modem to your router if necessary. This is usually a different color from the other ports. Connect your switch to your router if necessary.

If you're using a switch to expand the number of ports available on the router, plug an Ethernet cable into any LAN port on the router and any LAN port on the switch.

This will expand the network to the rest of the LAN ports on the switch. Connect your computers to open LAN ports. Use Ethernet cables to connect each computer to an open LAN port on your router or switch.

Ethernet cables cannot reliably transfer data at lengths larger than m ft. If you're only using a switch as your network hub, setting up one computer as a DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server will allow all of the connected computers to easily obtain IP addresses. You can quickly create a DHCP server on one of your computers by installing a third-party utility.

The rest of the computers on the network will obtain IP addresses automatically once the server is running, as long as they are set to do so. Verify the network connection on each computer.

After each computer obtains an IP address, they'll be able to talk to each other on the network. If you're using a router to share your internet connection, each computer will be able to access the internet. Once your network is up, you won't see anything on other computers unless that computer has shared files.

You can designate files, folders, drives, printers, and other devices as shared so that anyone on the network, or just specific users, can access them. Part 3. When you're setting up a wireless router, you'll need to keep a few things in mind: For easy troubleshooting, the router should usually be placed close to your modem. It should be located centrally to allow for maximum wireless coverage. You'll need to connect a computer to the router via Ethernet during the setup process.

Plug a computer into one of the router's LAN ports. You'll be using your computer's web browser to configure the router's wireless network. Open a web browser on your computer. You can use any web browser. Type in the router's IP address. You can typically find this printed on the bottom of the router, or in your router's documentation. Log in with the administrator account. You'll be prompted for the login information for your router.

The default login information varies depending on your router model, but the username is often "admin" and the password is often "admin," "password," or blank. Open the Wireless section of the router settings. The exact location and wording of this section varies from router to router. Change the name of your network in the SSID field. This may also be called "Network name. This is the most secure option currently available on most routers. Create a strong password.

This password will be required in order to connect to the network.