Today computer networks are no longer limited to business and corporate environments. In fact if you have two or more computers in your home and they are both able to connect to the internet, you have a computer network running.
One major advantage in having a computer network is the ability to share and access data between computers. How you configure your home network for data sharing depends largely on what type of devices you have participating on the network and their ability to communicate.
If all your computers are Windows 7 then the easiest way to set up file sharing is to create a homegroup. A homegroup links computers on your network so that you can share pictures, music, videos, documents, and printers. You can help protect a homegroup with a password, and you’ll always be able to choose what you share with the group.
For more information: google “Windows homegroup”
If you have a mixture of Windows machines operating on your network you can configure a Windows Workgroup to enable file sharing but this is more complex and will require configuring firewall ports and additional services.
If you require data sharing between dissimilar devices such as Apple, Windows and Linux then using external storage such as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device or cloud based storage such as Dropbox, Google Drive or One Drive could be the answer. NAS devices give you a common location to save and access data from any computer in the network and generally remain powered on while other computers have been shut down for the night. Configuring a cloud storage option on each computer in the network with the SAME storage account can provide for a common share location. This location is also accessible outside of your local network providing you have the account logon details. Most cloud storage providers offer a ‘personal’ option for free which comes with a set amount of storage. As an example, Dropbox offers 4Gb with the free account option. With cloud based storage, internet traffic charges will apply for both uploading and downloading. Check your internet plan first for monthly allowances.
References:
Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/login
Google Drive: https://www.google.co.nz/drive/
One Drive: https://onedrive.live.com
So if you’re in need of some help with file sharing, or even just some free friendly advice, get in touch with us, 6-370 8093.