The Perfect IT Setup for Home Business - Part 1 of 3 - Hardware

When you run a home office or home business, youre pretty much on tmnet mail own when it comes to IT. Without the luxury of an IT budget? you have to choose, install, test, configure, maintain and troubleshoot all of your own computer hardware and software ?all by yourself ?not to mention your website.

Yes, the Internet tm streamyx a great source of information, but theres precious little out there that covers everything you want to know. Most articles stick to one particular technology, so getting guidance on your entire office IT suite is next to impossible.

At least, thats how I found it. I run a copywriting company from home, and it took me five years to get my computer technologies just the way I want high speed dialup And now that Im there, I figured Id share my setup, so that others dont have to spend as long figuring things out as I did!

This series of articles describes a combination of computer hardware and peripherals that will maximise the efficiency of your workplace (whether youre in copywriting or any other field). It also discusses how to secure your computer and recover from disasters (part 2). And, finally, it takes a look streamyx rm45 a few of the vast array of miscellaneous software applications and service providers that will help you in your day-to-day operations.

First, your IT hardware...

Computer

Im not going to delve into the intricacies of what kind of computer to buy or which operating system to install. Im a mere copywriter, so Im not qualified to offer that sort of advice; and I suspect most people reading this article will be well beyond that point, anyway. Instead, Ill assume you have a decent PC where is malaysia a fairly new version of Windows (like Windows XP), and Ill focus on some technologies that will allow you to do more with the PC you already have.

If you own a Mac, some of the below may still apply, but I cant say netgear streamyx sure, as Ive never worked with a Mac.

Internet Connectivity (ADSL only)

If youre on ADSL1 (in Australia), one of the best modems you can own is the Thomson SpeedTouch 546v6. This is especially true if youre quite a distance from the telephone exchange. The SpeedTouch 546 deals well with high attenuation (which is a side-effect of living a long way from the exchange). Apparently it uses the same brand of hardware that Telstra uses in its telephone exchanges.

The other benefit of the 546 is that you can use it to connect multiple computers to the Internet (its got 4 network ports on the back). If youre in Australia, you can buy a Thomson SpeedTouch 546 from DVDirect for around AUD $130 (see http://www.dvdirect.com.au).

Note that the 546 is optimised for ADSL2+. Some people have found the older SpeedTouch 530 delivers faster speeds because its optimised for ADSL1. For a detailed discussion, go to http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=648231&p=1 . Note that I own both, and this is not the case for me. My 546 is faster than my 530.

TIP: If youre after a good Internet Service Provider (ISP) for a copywriter or any other home business, I recommend Westnet (http://www.westnet.com.au). See part 3 of this series for further discussion.

Networking

If you have more than one computer and youd like them to talk to each other, you can set up a network very easily (even if youre a technically challenged copywriter like me!). There are a few ways to do this; your choice depends mostly on your budget, though the price difference is minimal.

1) The simplest and cheapest way is to connect the computers directly with a crossover cable? But this method only allows you to network two computers, and connecting to the Internet on both is a challenge.

2) I prefer to use a multi-port modem (like the Thomson SpeedTouch 546). You can then run a network cable (Ethernet) from the network port on each of your computers to a port on the back of the modem. This way, both computers can connect to the Internet at the same time as well as talk to each other.

3) If you already own a modem, or AUD $130 is too expensive, you can simply buy a multi-port network switch and insert it between your computers and your modem. In other words, connect each of your computers to the switch by running a network cable (Ethernet) from each computers network port to a port on the switch. Then connect the switch to your modem. You should be able to buy one at your favourite online IT shop for around AUD $40. If youre in Australia, try http://www.theaxiom.com.au (they guarantee to beat any other advertised price in Australia!).

Whether you use a multi-port modem or a switch, its really just a case of plugging everything in and turning it on. (Unless youre using firewall software, in which case youll also have to configure your firewall to allow your computers and modem to talk to each other. To do this, youll have to know the IP addresses of each.)

Storage

No matter how big your computers hard drive, its only a matter of time until you run out of space. External kuala lumpur hard drives are a quick and easy way to increase your storage capacity without having to upgrade your computers internal hard drive (or your computer).

Whats more, theyre portable, which makes them great if you sometimes work on a client-site or you simply want to back up your computers hard drive and store the backup somewhere safe (see Part 2 of this series for a detailed discussion of backup and restore).

Assuming you buy one thats already formatted and comes with a case and cables, Windows will recognise it as soon as you plug it into a USB port. TIP: Make sure you buy a powered USB hard drive (i.e. one that has its own power cord). In my experience, the ones that run off the computers power are never as reliable. If youre in Australia, you can get a 320GB USB drive + case for around AUD $150 at http://www.theaxiom.com.au. Actually, these little beauties are coming down in price so quickly that by the time you read this, theyll be a lot cheaper!

Peripheral Devices

Printer & fax ?Every office needs a printer and fax, and no explanation is really required as to why. Theres a lot of fancy stuff out there, but Ive always found that its not necessary to spend a lot of money unless you have very specific needs. The only advice I can offer in this regard is to ensure you dont buy a really cheap printer that requires really expensive ink cartridges. (If youre in Australia, go to http://www.choice.com.au and see if there are any comparisons that include lifespan cost. This is how I made my most recent choice.)

Scanner ?Its surprising how many times a scanner comes in handy ?even for a copywriter, like me, who doesnt deal in graphics very often. Ive used mine to scan invoices because clients couldnt open the original PDF, to scan and send photos or articles, to scan printed samples of my work and post it on my online portfolio, and for a host of other things. Its nothing fancy, just an old HP flat-bed scanner. A bit slow to warm up, but does the job.

Powered USB hubs ?Most devices these days are USB. Unfortunately, most computers only come with a few USB ports. Especially laptops. Mines only got 3 USB ports, and Ive got about 10 USB devices! (Long gone are the days when a copywriter could get by with just a word-processor!) Fortunately, if you run out of ports, theres no need to buy a new computer; you can simply buy a USB hub. Ive got a 7 port USB hub and a 4 port. I plug the 7 port one into one of my computers USB ports, and voila! Ive got another 7 USB ports. Then I plug the 4 port one into one of the ports on the 7 port hub! Now my computer has not 3, but 10 USB ports! Oh, and its also advisable to buy powered USB hubs (i.e. ones that have their own power cord). This way, you can plug things like USB hard drives into them without any problems. If youre in Australia, you can get 7 port powered USB hub for around AUD $40 at http://www.theaxiom.com.au.

USB adapters for laptops ?Now that everythings USB, you may find that youre a little short on the old types of connectors on your laptop (for traditional printers and old keyboards and mice, etc.). Fortunately, you can get a whole range of nifty adapters that will allow you to plug your older devices into a USB port on your computer. If youre in Australia, check out http://www.mittoni.com.au ?they have a good range of affordable goodies.

Conclusion

By incorporating the above collection of hardware devices into your office IT setup, youll be able to do much more with your existing computer, and youll be able to do it efficiently.

For information on how to secure your computer against external threats and ensure you can bounce back from disaster, please see part 2 of this series. For information on a few of the vast array of miscellaneous software applications and service providers that will help you in your day-to-day operations, please see part 3 of this series.

* Glenn Murray is an SEO copywriter and article submission and article PR specialist. He is a director of article PR company, Article PR, and also of copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at glenn@divinewrite.com. Visit DivineWrite.com or ArticlePR.com for further details, more FREE articles, or to download his FREE SEO e-book.

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