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Networking Computers - Isn't it Great?

Now that you've bought a new computer for your office, what do you do with the old one? Of course, that's easy; you pass it down to someone else in the office, who doesn't need such a powerful computer. Then you realize that you both need to use the same printer. With the Windows XP networking wizard it couldn't be easier. Connect the two computers with some cable and a router (or switch), run the wizard and voila, a network!

With a network you can share your printers, files and internet connection. Some applications are designed to be used over a network. Both computers can use the same data for QuickBooks, Act, Goldmine and UPS shipping software. With Remote Desktop or VNC (Virtual Network Computing) you can even sit at one computer and run programs on the other computer.

So your imagination starts to run wild. Can you share a scanner ? Can you run a program located on the other computer? Can we add a third computer?

Then reality sinks in. Which computer was I working on when I typed that letter? Where are my files? Are they on this computer or that one? Why is my computer so slow? Please don't print on my computer when I'm working on it! Hey, there are checks in the printer! How do we backup from two different computers? Who's moving my mouse pointer?

Networking also adds a level of complexity. You now have to know about passwords, computer names, share names, workgroups, mapping network drives, routers, and static IP addresses. And if something goes wrong, you need to know if the problem is on this computer, that computer or something with the network.

Networking also carries with it security risks. Your co-workers can now view and change your files. Viruses can travel from computer to computer. If you're connected to the internet, hackers can come in and steal your corporate and client data.

So you decide to call in an expert. He comes in, sets up your network and everything works. You have a server where all the files are kept, a backup procedure that you promise to keep to religiously and all your networked files are in place. You know to always save to drive N which is somewhere on the server. He put in a firewall to keep out hackers from the internet. Now you can get back to work.

That is, until something goes wrong. You forget the name of the expert or he's too busy or he has moved on. So you call someone else. This new expert is going to start asking you questions. Do you have any documentation for your network? Do you have the administrator passwords? What permissions were set? What drives were shared? Do you have the manual for the firewall and the router? You have no idea.

The moral of the story is, make sure that when you setup a network that every thing is documented. Keep track of passwords, workgroup, computer, and share names. Know on which computer your programs and documents are. Keep all your manuals and cdroms that come with your router. Have this all spelled out on paper, so that when you call in the next expert he can get to work and not spend hours just to get to know your business.

Article by Israel Leichtman, owner of L&A Computer Services,
a company that specializes in getting small businesses back to work.