How Home Networking Works

A home network is simply a method of allowing computers to communicate with one another. If you have two or more computers in your home, a network can let them share:
Files and documents
An Internet connection
Printers, scanners and other devices
Until recently, home networks were primarily the realm of technophiles -- most families either didn't need or couldn't afford more than one computer. But now, one computer is no longer enough to go around for many families. In a household with multiple computers, a home network often becomes a necessity rather than a technical toy.
If you're thinking of networking the computers in your home, you have several options to explore. In this article, you'll learn about the different types of home computer networks, how they work and what to keep in mind if you're planning to create one.
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The different network types use different hardware, but they all have the same essential components:
More than one computer
Hardware (such as a router) and software (either built in to the operating system or as a separate application) to coordinate the exchange of information
A path for the information to follow from one computer to another
We'll learn more about these components in the next section.