Peer to peer networking

A peer to peer network, as opposed to a server based network, is often the first step a small business takes in networking their machines. The requirements are simple, Windows 95 or above, a network card in each machine (best if machines are 3yrs old or less), a hub or switch, and some cable. Each machine is responsible for its own security and file maintenance. Each user must log on and be given permission to use resources on the other persons machine, such as printers, Internet or data files.

What it’s used for

The biggest use of a peer to peer network is printer and file sharing, and the setup is quite easy once the network is in place. Within Windows, you add sharing much like you add services or programs. Once sharing is enable, each resource you want to share must be set. By default, nothing is shared. If someone tries to access your machine, they will get a machine not found message. Once you enable a drive or printer for sharing, it can then be “seen” by others. Windows gives read only access initially, but you can setup permissions for specific (or all) users to be able to read and write. You can get as specific or granular as you want with your breakdown of users.

Planning

Before you setup a network, any network, you need to determine why you want a network, This sounds like an obvious question, but without figuring out what you need, you’ll end up having things you’ll never use, and be missing the stuff you need most.  Things to consider are number of users at the start, and how many you want to add in the future, what your current resources are, and the amount of internal security you want. Peer to peer networks are great for up to 10 users, but going past that can become a tech support headache. When we install a network, we will sit down with you first and determine what your current and future needs are, and sketch out your options.

Pricing

The price of setting up a peer to peer network is nominal in terms of hardware. A basic 5 user wired network can cost under $200 to add to existing PC’s. If you’re buying new PC’s, part of the cost can be incorporated in the price by selecting models that come with network cards. Networking DSL or Cable highspeed internet service adds $100 to $150 to the price of the hardware. If you want to go wireless, you’re talking around $600 - $700 for five users. Of course these prices are hardware only, and you’ll need to add labor (ours or yours) to that.