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Introduction

Welcome to the 12th edition of Networking For Dummies, the book that’s written especially for people who have this nagging feeling in the back of their minds that they should network their computers but haven’t a clue about how to start or where to begin.

Do you often copy a spreadsheet to a flash drive just so you can give it to someone else in your office? Are you frustrated because you can’t use the fancy color laser printer that’s on the financial secretary’s computer? Do you wait in line to use the computer that has the customer database? You need a network!

Or maybe you already have a network, but you have just one problem: Someone promised that a network would make your life easier, but it’s instead turned your computing life upside down. Just when you had this computer thing figured out, someone popped into your office, hooked up a cable, and said, “Happy networking!” Makes you want to scream.

Regardless, you’ve found the right book. Help is here, within these humble pages.

This book talks about networks in everyday (and often irreverent) terms. The language is friendly; you don’t need a graduate education to get through it. And the occasional potshot helps unseat the hallowed and sacred traditions of networkdom, bringing just a bit of fun to an otherwise dry subject. The goal is to bring the lofty precepts of networking down to earth, where you can touch them and squeeze them and say, “What’s the big deal? I can do this!”

About This Book

This isn’t the kind of book you pick up and read from start to finish, as if it were a cheap novel. If I ever see you reading it at the beach, I’ll kick sand in your face. This book is more like a reference, the kind of book you can pick up, turn to just about any page, and start reading. Each chapter covers a specific aspect of networking, such as printing from the network, hooking up network cables, or setting up security so that bad guys can’t break in. Just turn to the chapter you’re interested in and start reading.

Each chapter is divided into self-contained chunks, all related to the major theme of the chapter. For example, the chapter on hooking up the network cable contains nuggets like these:

 What is Ethernet?

 All about cables

 To shield or not to shield

 Wall jacks and patch panels

 Switches

You don’t have to memorize anything in this book. It’s a need-to-know book: You pick it up when you need to know something. Need to know what 100BaseT is? Pick up the book. Need to know how to create good passwords? Pick up the book. Otherwise, put it down and get on with your life.

Feel free to skip the sidebars that appear throughout the book; these shaded gray boxes contain interesting info that isn’t essential to your understanding of the subject at hand. The same goes for any text I mark with the Technical Stuff icon.

If you need to type something, you see the text you need to type like this: Type this stuff. In this example, you type Type this stuff at the keyboard and then press Enter. An explanation usually follows, just in case you’re scratching your head and grunting, “Huh?”

Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.

Foolish Assumptions

I’m making only two assumptions about who you are: You’re someone who works with a computer, and you either have a network or you’re thinking about getting one. I hope that you know (and are on speaking terms with) someone who knows more about computers than you do. My goal is to decrease your reliance on that person, but don’t throw away his phone number yet.

Is this book useful for Macintosh users? Absolutely. Although the bulk of this book is devoted to showing you how to link Windows-based computers to form a network, you can find information about how to network Macintosh computers as well.

Windows 10? Gotcha covered. You’ll find plenty of information about how to network with the latest and greatest Microsoft desktop operating system.

Windows Server 2019? No worries. You’ll find plenty of information about the newest version of Microsoft’s server operating system.

Icons Used in This Book

Those nifty little pictures in the margin aren’t there just to pretty up the place. They also have practical functions.

Hold it — technical details lurk just around the corner. Read on only if you have a pocket protector.

Pay special attention to this icon; it lets you know that some particularly useful tidbit is at hand — perhaps a shortcut or a little-used command that pays off big.

Did I tell you about the memory course I took?

Danger, Will Robinson! This icon highlights information that may help you avoid disaster.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere goodies on the web. Check out the free Cheat Sheet for links to useful websites for networking information, private IP address ranges for networks, and more. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Networking For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.

Where to Go from Here

Yes, you can get there from here. With this book in hand, you’re ready to plow right through the rugged networking terrain. Browse through the Table of Contents and decide where you want to start. Be bold! Be courageous! Be adventurous! Above all, have fun!