Nearly 20 million U.S. households have two or more personal computers, according to Intel Corp. in Santa Clara, Calif., the maker of the Pentium processor. Intel based its estimate on figures from Dataquest, a research firm in San Jose, Calif.
But just because a household has more than one PC doesn’t necessarily mean it also has multiple printers, modems, and other peripherals. Instead, home-based workers and their families can share these devices using networking technology.
For example, people can network their homes by using the Ethernet technology long deployed in office buildings. At a minimum, what’s needed are a PC operating system that supports networking, Ethernet-compatible cables for connecting the PCs, and computers equipped with network cards. Fortunately, many computers are available with network cards already installed, and both the Macintosh and Windows operating systems support this simple “peer-to-peer” style of networking.
The more adventurous and technically minded can install special-purpose networking software-Microsoft Windows NT and Novell NetWare are the most common brands-on a computer that will act as a server and then link their other PCs to this server rather than to one another. Ethernet networks of this type are generally more effective, but they also are more complex and costly.
In addition, a new breed of home-oriented networks is emerging. For example, Intelogis Inc. in American Fork, Utah, has developed a networking system that transports data across the electrical wiring of a home. The system, called Passport, consists of devices that are plugged into an electrical outlet and are attached to a computer or a printer.
Although Passport’s data-transfer rate is slower than that of Ethernet networks, it is about six times faster than the rate achievable using today’s fastest modems. A Passport pack of two PC adapters, one printer adapter, and the required software.
With HomeRun from Tht Systems Inc. in Pleasant Hill, Calif., PCs can be connected through a home’s phone wiring. HomeRun consists of an internal network card or an external adapter that connects a PC or a printer to a phone jack. The system transfers data more quickly than the Passport system and allows users to make voice calls while they are working on the network.
On the voice-networking front, Siemens Business Communication Systems Inc. in Richardson, Texas, has developed a cordless-phone system that provides multiple user voice communications. The Cordless Communication System has a desktop base station and answering system that supports up to four cordless phones and two phone lines.
The Cordless Communication System provides separate extensions, voice-mail boxes, and even separate phone numbers for each user. Moreover, users can call each other internally and transfer calls to any phone on the system.