Establishing fast and reliable computer communications among other office computers has always been an effective way to share network resources such as files, hard disks and printers. Why buy two printers for two different computers when you can network the computers and share a printer? Suppose you have 15 computers and you can quickly see how sharing resources can make a lot of sense.

Ethernet networks have proven to be reliable, fast and compatible with many network devices and hardware. Ethernet networks are comprised of a NIC (Network Interface Card), category 5 wiring (normally unshielded twisted pair – UTP) and a hub or switch to tie all the computers together. In addition, with today’s prevalent broadband connections, you may see many routers that have built-in switches and even wireless access points for wireless connectivity.

Network speeds have improved drastically over the years and is now offered in gigabit ethernet speeds (1,000 Megabits per second). You may still see the older 10/100 Mbs NIC cards, hubs and switches for sale, but for a small premium you can enjoy gigabit ethernet speeds.

Which hardware and software do I buy? Which network protocols do I use? How do I implement them correctly? How does TCP/IP tie into the planning stages of my network? These and many other questions can be answered by an Cerius expert. Give us a call to find out more.