Sharing your internet connection

If you choose ADSL high-speed Internet solution then many providers will enable you to share one connection between all the computers.

AOL users have to upgrade to their higher cost solution but most other suppliers allow you to share the connection at no extra cost.

Once you have chosen your ADSL provider, the next step is to consider the distribution of Internet connectivity within your home.

Whether you want a computer connection in an office/ extra bedroom now as well as what you may need in the future are important considerations.

Will your kids eventually need access to a computer? Do you want to be able to access the Internet in more than one room in your home? Will you be working from home?

Depending on the number of people in your household and the number of computers that you now have or may eventually have, it is worth planning ahead. It is far easier and less expensive in the long run to install a planned computer network before or as you are settled in your home than it is to later have to tear out and replace wiring in order to upgrade network connectivity.

Homes with multiple computer systems (laptop and/ or desktop computers) require a more complex type of connectivity than when a family shares one computer in a central location.

It has become almost essential for school-aged children to have computer access for homework research and projects. In the majority of British families the computer has become a required tool.

Each child may have his or her own computer, the kids may share their own computer, and the adults may either work at home or need to access their work VPN from home, necessitating access to the Internet by multiple users at the same time.

These decisions can become more complicated when you factor in such elements as print and file sharing from within your home network.

In addition to home printers, other devices used in your home may also require Internet connectivity. Devices such as music streaming devices e.g. Netgear MP101, Series 2 Tivo and Microsoft Xbox, all can be connected to a home network and can require Internet connectivity if you wish to get the most use out of them.