In the past, most people had only one computer at home and nothing else. Internet access relied on dial-up modems that connected directly with a serial cable to the home computer. A local area network was not needed. The advancement of technology and the adoption of broadband Internet access connectivity in homes requires home appliances to be networked to facilitate online access and also to communicate and share information with each other.

When I say home appliances I mean computers, game consoles, printers, data storage devices, etc. All of those devices must share information with each other over a local area network, but they must also have high-speed Internet access. To achieve this, you will need to set up a home network. With a home network, you basically build a LAN, either wired or wireless, through which networked devices communicate with each other within the home and also share a common broadband Internet connectivity.

The heart of a home network is a broadband router. This is usually a built-in wired wireless device that allows you to build a home LAN using Ethernet network cables or a Wi-Fi wireless connection. This integrated router also provides Internet access connectivity.

Once you set up a home network, you can connect your home PC and laptop, XBOX or PlayStation consoles, webcams for security, network attached storage (NAS) devices, etc. After connecting those devices, you can share files over the network, host game parties, play online games, view your home from office using a webcam, etc.