If you run wires between computers that are in the same office building, you’re creating a local-area network (LAN). Each computer in the LAN is called a node.

A server LAN consists of a main computer (called the server) wired to several lesser computers (called workstations).

A special person (called the network supervisor) tells the server how to act. Other office workers (called users) sit at the workstations.

If your network is too big to be handled by a single server, you can have several servers helping each other, acting together as if they were one, big server. A server whose main chore is to handle one of the network’s big hard disks is called a file server. A server whose main chore is to handle a printer is called a print server. A network can include several file servers and several print servers. But the typical network has just one server that tries to do it all!

Each workstation uses MS-DOS (or Windows 3.1 or 3.11 or 95), but the server uses a different operating system instead that runs faster. The server’s operating system is called the network operating system (NOS).

During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, the most popular NOS was Netware, which is published by Novell. During the late 1990’s, some companies switched to a new NOS, called Windows New Technology (Windows NT), published by Microsoft.

If a NOS understands the same commands as the Internet (so you can access the info on the server by giving Internet commands), the NOS is called an intranet, which means "a miniature Internet for internal company use, with access restricted to company employees, and containing info about just the one company."

Netware Novell has invented many versions of Netware. The most popular are Netware 3.12 (a classic that uses DOS-like commands) and Intranetware 4.11 (a modern intranet that uses Internet commands and Windows-like commands).

You can get those prices from discount dealers such as Network Express (1611 Northgate Blvd., Sarasota FL 34234, phone 800-374-9899 or 813-359-2876), Computer Discount Warehouse (800-726-4CDW), and Data Comm Warehouse (a division of Micro Warehouse at 800-990-0748).

Computers The typical Novell network has slow workstations attached to a faster server.

Cables To form a Novell network, connect all the computers in the network by using cables.

The oldest kind is a thick, yellow, coaxial cable called thickwire Ethernet (or thicknet). It’s also called 10base5, because it can transmit 10 million bits per second and transmit those signals up to 500 meters (and up to 100 computers) without needing to have those signals boosted by a repeater. Since the cable’s diameter is ½-inch, it’s too thick and stiff to bend around corners. It’s rarely used anymore.

Far more popular is a newer, cheaper, non-yellow coaxial cable that’s thinner: its diameter is ¹/₅ of an inch. It’s called thinwire Ethernet (or thinnet or cheapernet). It’s also called 10base2, since it transmits 10 million bits per second and transmit those signals "about 200 meters" (actually 185) to 30 computers without needing a repeater. It bends around corners easily. The "cable" actually consists of several 25-foot sections, joined together by joints called T connectors.

Buy 10 thinnet cable sections ($10 each). Join them together by using the joints (called T connectors), so those 10 cable sections act as one long cable chain. Each joint is in the shape of a T: the T’s left and right prong each attach to a cable section; the T’s bottom prong attaches to a computer.

At each end of the chain is a T-connector that has an unused prong. Plug up that prong’s hole by attaching a $3 plug, called a terminator, which terminates the long chain.

The chain of cables is called a cable segment; it includes the 10 cable sections, the 11 T-connectors, and the 2 terminators.

Instead of using coaxial cables, the newest and most popular choice is to use just ordinary phone wire — the same kind that the phone company uses inside the walls of your home, and which has an RJ-45 connector on each end. Such a cable is called unshielded twisted-pair (UTP). It’s also called 10baseT, since it transmits 10 million bits per second through a twisted pair. Here’s how to set up a 10baseT network:

Arrange the workstations in a circle. At the circle’s center, put a box called a hub. Like a bicycle wheel’s hub, the network’s hub has "spokes" coming out of it: each spoke is a 10baseT cable that goes straight from the hub to one of the workstations. In addition to those spokes, one extra 10baseT cable comes out of the hub: that extra cable goes to the server, which is next to the hub.

That arrangement is called a star topology, since the hub looks like the center of a star, with each workstation acting as one of the star’s points. Out of the hub, many cables come out (one cable for each workstation, plus one cable for the server), so the hub looks like an octopus.

If the folks sitting at the workstations don’t like sitting in a circle ("star"), feel free to rearrange the furniture! You can turn the circle into an oval, or even arrange all the workstations in a row. No matter how you rearrange, the setup is still called a star topology, since the computers can’t tell the difference: just make sure each workstation still has its own cable going directly to the hub.

Network cards Into each of the network’s computers, you must insert a network interface card (NIC). It’s a printed-circuit card to which you attach the network’s cable. A plain, simple NIC costs about $25; fancier NICs (which go faster and have extra connectors) cost about $100. The NIC is also called an Ethernet card, even if you’re using 10baseT cables (since 10baseT cabling act as a cheap imitation of Ethernet cabling).

How the network works Each user sits at a workstation. When the user turns on the workstation’s power, the workstation asks for the user’s name (and maybe a password). Typing the name and password is called logging on to the network.

Total cost To create a 25-user Novell network, you face many costs.

First, buy Intranetware (for $2299). Next, spend many thousands of dollars to buy a server and 25 workstations. For those 26 computers, buy 26 network cards, cables, and either T-connectors or hubs. Pay several thousands dollars for the labor of installing Netware on the server, fiddling with each workstation’s AUTOEXEC.BAT, inserting the 26 network cards, stringing the cables so nobody trips on them (you might have to punch holes through your office’s walls and floors!), buying network versions of all the programs you want to use on the network, and training all the users.

A peer-to-peer network is a network in which more than one computer can act as a server. In a peer-to-peer network, every computer can be given the ability to send files directly to every other computer. Since each computer runs ordinary MS-DOS (instead of a special server DOS such as Netware), the network runs more slowly than a server network but is more flexible.

The best and most popular peer-to-peer network is Lantastic, invented by Artisoft. Lantastic comes in three versions.

The fancy version uses thin Ethernet cables and Ethernet network cards — just like Novell. But instead of using a "server" and Netware, it uses the Lantastic operating system, which is much easier to install (it comes on just one floppy disk!) and costs less.

To cut your cost even further, get a LAN that doesn’t need a network card — and therefore doesn’t need a slot to put the network card into. That kind of LAN is called a zero-slot LAN. To attach the LAN’s cable to the computer, plug the cable into the computer’s parallel printer port or RS-232 serial port.

The most popular zero-slot LANs have been Lantastic Z and Desklink. Discount dealers sell each for about $90.

Instead of buying Desklink or Lantastic Z, you can get a zero-slot LAN free! MS-DOS 6 (and 6.2 and 6.21 and 6.22) include a zero-slot LAN program called "interlink" (but spelled Interlnk). Windows 95 includes a zero-slot LAN program called Direct Cable Connection (DCC). To use Interlnk or Direct Cable Connection, just buy a cable and you’re all set — except for learning how to use it. (On the next page, I explain how to use Interlnk. Direct Cable Connection is more tricky: you try accessing it by clicking Start then Programs then Accessories then Direct Cable Connection, but that part of Windows 95 might not be installed on your hard drive yet; and even if it is on your hard drive, it’s tricky to set up properly.)

To pay even less, get a file transfer program. The most popular one is Laplink, from the makers of Desklink. Discount dealers sell it for just $99. It includes a universal cable that you can attach to either serial or parallel ports.

If you’re near Boston and want to install a Novell or Lantastic network, you can get help from a dealer called Aegis (in Watertown at 617-923-2500). The Aegis employees are friendly and competent. They usually charge just $65 per hour.

Another Boston-area company to explore is Synaxis (in Needham Heights at 617-449-4400). It has more experience and knowledge about setting up big Novell networks for law offices and banks. It charges about $90 per hour.

For advice about setting up big Novell networks for law offices, phone Krantz-Woodland Technologies (KWT) at 617-266-1031. It’s a consulting company that gives good advice about how to save money and grief when buying and installing computers, networks, and law software. It operates from the home of Roy Krantz, who’s an old buddy of mine. He’s taught many courses with me. In his previous life, he founded a company called "Digicom Computers", which merged into "Compuware Services", which changed its name to "Synaxis", from which Roy departed to found Krantz-Woodland Technologies.

MS-DOS 6 includes a program called Interlnk, which lets you create a zero-slot LAN without buying extra software. That program is part of MS-DOS 6 (and 6.2 and 6.21 and 6.22) but is not part of Windows 95 (or DOS 95).

Buy a bi-directional 25-pin male/male parallel cable.

It has 25 pins sticking out of each end, so each end can plug into a computer’s parallel printer port. You can get it at your local computer store for about $10. You can also get it mail-order for $6.15 (plus $2.95 handling) from Cables America (by phoning 800-FIT-USA4 and asking for cable #126349A).

The computer whose hard disk contains most of the files is called the server. For example, if you’re transferring files between a notebook computer and a desktop computer, the server is the desktop computer, since it contains most of the files.

After you’ve prepared the server, turn on the other computer (such as your notebook computer), which is called the client.

After peparing the server and the client, sit at the client computer and give any DOS command you wish. You can talk about:

C:\>md sarah makes, on drive C, a new folder called SARAH

C:\>copy f:sarah sarah copies everything from drive F’s SARAH to drive C’s SARAH

C:\>xcopy f:sarah sarah\ In the xcopy command, the "\" creates a new folder if necessary.

C:\>xcopy f:sarah sarah\ /s/e In the xcopy command, the "/s/e" copies all subfolders.

When you finish using Interlnk, do this to the server’s keyboard: while holding down the Alt key, press the F4 key. That tells the server to stop running the intersvr program.

Put network interface cards into all the computers and run cables between them. Then install Netware on the file server (by following the instructions in the Netware manual). Then install the client disks (included with Netware) onto each workstation. Finally, the network administrator sits at the console (the server’s keyboard) and runs the SYSCON program, to create a user login for each person who will use the network.

If you’re too lazy to unplug the printer’s cable, another alternative is to buy a box called an AB switch box, which most dealers sell for about $15. Into the box, plug the printer’s cable and two cables (called "A" and "B") that go to the two computers. The switch box has a switch on it; if you flip the switch to position A, electricity flows between the printer and the computer attached to cable A; if you flip the switch to position B instead, the printer is electronically attached to B’s computer.

To let four people share a printer, get an ABCD switch box, which attaches the printer to four computers called A, B, C, and D. Dealers sell it for about $20.

Hewlett-Packard, which makes the most popular laser printers, warns you that traditional switch boxes generate surges that damage laser printers. When switching, avoid damage by turning the laser printer off — or turning it off-line. Better yet, instead of using a traditional (mechanical) switch box, use an electronic switch box, which has no mechanical switches and doesn’t generate any surges. The cheapest ones cost about $75.

Of all the networking schemes ever invented, my favorite is sneaker net, because it costs the least. To transfer data to your colleague’s computer by using sneaker net, just copy the data onto a floppy disk, then put on your sneakers and run with your floppy to your colleague’s desk!

That method is also called the Nike net. In Boston, it’s called the Reebok net. Besides being free, it’s also the healthiest network for you, since it gives you some exercise!