Workgroup Design

The oldest method to link small groups of computers is to create a Workgroup network. This functionality has been avaialable since the intorduction of Microsoft Windows 3.1 for Networks in the early 1990s. Smaller companies could link with up to twenty or so PCs to create a ‘peer-to-peer’ network. In this design the cabling system links the PCs together and facilitates basic file and printer sharing.

These old 'peer-to-peer' based on the earlier Windows 3.1, Windows 95 or Windows 98 technology all share one weakpoint - none of these DOS based operating systems is truely fault tolerant and sharing out their resources over the network puts even more stain on the operating system. The incidence of systems 'hanging' and 'crashing' can be quite alarming and if buisiness critical data is stored on these types of computers a robust backup strategy become essential. Microsoft recognised these stability weakness and worked hard to provide small businesses with a stable platform for Workgroup computing.

Using Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP Professional allows you to build such networks in a true 'plug and play' manner, with all the stability and robustness inprovements built into these new operating systems.

The Windows software can automatically work out how to link the PCs together and show all the users on the network where files, printers and SharePoint websites are located.

To set up the Workgroup each computer needs a network adapter, usually in the form of an add-in card that slots inside the desktop PC, allowing it to be connected via cabling to the rest of the network.

The cabling allows information to travel through the network and connects components together. Use good-quality, screened cabling to ensure you can expand your network as your business grows. We recommend Category 5e cable to be installed, if this is not what your supplier is fitting rewiring may be necessary in the future to provide stable connections. 

For Workgroup networks the cables are usually then all connected into a hub or a switch. As the names suggest, the hub or switch forms a central point at which cabling from a number of PCs is connected. Using such a connector to manage cabling means the network will not fail if one PC’s cabling is faulty. Some older systems use a single coax cable to link the computers - this type of connection should be avoided as any single fault will 'crash' the complete network and all the computers on it will 'hang'.

The speed of the network is governed by two key issues:

• The actual speed of the network cards either 10 Mbs or 100 Mbs
• The use of hubs or switches

If a hub is used all the PCs connected to that hub share the available speed, on a switch each PC connects at the network card rating. In essence switches provide a faster network connection than hubs using the same network cards. If you want to allow all the Workgroup connections to share a single connection to the Internet the Windows software can do that for you. However, the machine controlling the connection can slow down for the person using applications and we recommend that a standalone hardware device be used to make the Internet connection. This has the following advantages:

• You do not have to keep one PC switched on all the time
• The flow of data is quicker as the hardware device only deals with the Internet connection
• Software errors are extremely unlikely on the hardware device
• The hardware devices are much less likely to be successfully attacked by Internet hackers

These hardware devices can use modem, ISDN, ADSL or cable technologies to connect to the Internet and they are completely independent of the use of a Windows PC. Unfortunately, as the Windows automatic connection system does not always work with hardware Internet connector devices, a degree of configuration is required to ensure that all works effciently. We have a great deal of experience configuring such devices from NetGear and Network Alchemy and can desigh integrated Workgroup solutions to meet your business needs.

For more information please complete an information request form and one of our team will contact you to discuss your requirements