The very word networking, however, strikes fear in the hearts of many nontechnical users. It shouldn't. Setting up a local-area network (LAN) used to be complicated and expensive; now it's fairly easy and remarkably cheap. The computers don't even have to be the same -- you can mix and match Windows PCs, Macs and even Linux boxes.
To demystify the problem, this column and at least one sequel are intended to provide a primer on common networking options and what equipment you need for each. It's meant primarily for networking novices, but I hope it will also be useful to people looking to add new capabilities -- particularly wireless -- to an existing network.
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