subject at hand. The same goes for any text I mark with the Technical Stuff icon.
If you need to type something, you see the text you need to type like this: Type this stuff. In this example, you type Type this stuff at the keyboard and then press Enter. An explanation usually follows, just in case you’re scratching your head and grunting, “Huh?”
Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.
Foolish Assumptions
I’m making only two assumptions about who you are: You’re someone who works with a computer, and you either have a network or you’re thinking about getting one. I hope that you know (and are on speaking terms with) someone who knows more about computers than you do. My goal is to decrease your reliance on that person, but don’t throw away his phone number yet.
Is this book useful for Macintosh users? Absolutely. Although the bulk of this book is devoted to showing you how to link Windows-based computers to form a network, you can find information about how to network Macintosh computers as well.
Windows 10? Gotcha covered. You’ll find plenty of information about how to network with the latest and greatest Microsoft desktop operating system.
Windows Server 2019? No worries. You’ll find plenty of information about the newest version of Microsoft’s server operating system.
Icons Used in This Book
Those nifty little pictures in the margin aren’t there just to pretty up the place. They also have practical functions.
Beyond the Book
In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere goodies on the web. Check out the free Cheat Sheet for links to useful websites for networking information, private IP address ranges for networks, and more. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Networking For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.
Where to Go from Here
Yes, you can get there from here. With this book in hand, you’re ready to plow right through the rugged networking terrain. Browse through the Table of Contents and decide where you want to start. Be bold! Be courageous! Be adventurous! Above all, have fun!
Part 1
Getting Started with Networking
IN THIS PART …
Find out what a network is and what you can do with one.
Set up Windows and Mac computers to work on a network.
Access network resources such as shared storage and network printers.
Use Microsoft Office and other software on a network.
Chapter 1
Let’s Network!
IN THIS CHAPTER
Computer networks get a bad rap in the movies. Beginning in the 1980s, the Terminator movies featured Skynet, a computer network that becomes self-aware, takes over the planet, builds deadly terminator robots, and sends them back through time to kill everyone unfortunate enough to have the name Sarah Connor. In the Matrix movies, a vast and powerful computer network enslaves humans and keeps them trapped in a simulation of the real world. And in the 2015 blockbuster Spectre, James Bond goes rogue (again) to prevent the Evil Genius Ernst Blofeld from taking over the world (again) by linking the computer systems of all the world’s intelligence agencies together to form a single all-powerful evil network that spies on everybody.
Fear not. These bad networks exist only in the dreams of science fiction writers. Real-world networks are much more calm and predictable. Although sophisticated networks do seem to know a lot about you, they don’t think for themselves and they don’t evolve into self-awareness. And although they can gather a sometimes disturbing amount of information about you, they aren’t trying to kill you, even if your name is Sarah Connor.
Now that you’re over your fear of networks, you’re ready to breeze through this chapter. It’s a gentle, even superficial, introduction to computer networks,
