Dell Inspiron 1545 Dell™ Technology Guide - Page 151

What You Need to Set up a LAN • Cable or DSL broadband modem with Internet access established. For information on broadband connection, see "Broadband Access" on page 151. • Router - A router connects computers and peripherals on the network to each other, allowing the computers to share Internet access provided by the broadband modem. A router has multiple ports, each supporting one computer or one peripheral such as a printer. • Network cables - Use either CAT 5 or CAT 5e cables. • Network interface card Broadband Access Broadband access provides much faster data transfer rates than dial-up access. Broadband access is particularly suited to e-mailing large digital photographs, downloading music, or viewing streaming videos. What you Need for Broadband Access • You can choose between two specific types of broadband access offered by ISPs-cable and DSL. DSL broadband access is marketed by telephone companies, but it is not available at all locations. If you have cable television access, you can obtain cable broadband access through your cable provider. • You must connect your computer or computer network to a cable modem or DSL modem for broadband access. You can purchase your own broadband modem or use the ISP's modem for a monthly equipment fee added to your monthly service charge. • Your computer must have a network interface card. • Your existing phone line or cable television line is used to provide the broadband service; a new line is not required. Setting up a new LAN The following steps are general guidelines for setting up a typical LAN. See the documentation provided with your router for specific details. Networks (LAN, Wireless, Mobile Broadband) 151