Question : need help on setting up a small business network

I am setting up a small financial services business in my double garage and wonder if anyone could give me advice. I plan on having 8 employees
who need to share cable internet access and a email system. I get cable internet from comcast. Would you recommend i go with a wireless system
(several of the pcs already have wireless cards) or a hard wired system. I already have an smc broadband wireless router and just am concerned
that it can handle this load. I want to share a network printer I have(hp laserjet 8000). I am putting in a small telephone system so will be running
telephone wires-so i guess it is easy to run cat5 cable at the same time.. If i go wired---what router would you recommend-and are they available
to share internet. I only know enough to be dangerous--and the biggest network i have setup was only 3 users on the wireless side. Also it is very important
that the system stay up all the time--since we are financial advisors---do you feel i would be safer going with a T1 line to more assure
the net will be up more reliably. Lastly--would you dedicate one pc as a server-to act as a central point for this process--this part i know little
about. Most of our work and info is on the net. Thanks for any help you can give! Robert

Answer : need help on setting up a small business network

Hello There


How to set up a local network

First decide what you are trying to achieve, do you just want to share some office printers and will have no more than about 10-15 PC’s? If so you need a peer-to-peer network

If you are sharing Network applications like databases or network software then you need to think about a Client Server network.

Servers: The Major player is Microsoft Windows 2000 (or 2003 now) server, Novell Netware (Now at version 6.0/6.5) I use both of these on my network. Linux is staring to become a major player and its older cousin UNIX is still a big force in the server market.
The Server itself can just be a high end PC; top end servers are very expensive I use rack-mounted Compaq Proliant Servers

Infrastructure: Regardless of weather you go for Peer to Peer or Client Server, you will need some network infrastructure installing.

Each PC will need a NIC (Network Interface Card)
Every networked location will need sockets on the wall for the PC’s to plug into.
These Sockets will need Wiring to one (or more depending on distance) Central Communication Cabinets where the other end of the “wire” will be presented in a row of sockets called “Patch Panels” These Cabinets house network Hardware and you will require at least one “Switch” to connect all your PC’s, Printers and server together, this is done by connecting the patch panels to the switch using patch cables.
If you need to connect to the outside world you will need (at least) a router, which is a Network device that joins networks (Put very simply) It can join your local area Network (LAN) to the Internet.
If you go down this route get a dedicated Firewall sat behind it to protect your network my favourite is the cisco PIX (but its very expensive!)

Security: Once installed security can be set for your users to require passwords, and their access can be limited to whatever areas you decide

PeteL