Networking - News, Features, and Slideshows

Tutorials

  • 5 steps to transform support services

    <em>This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by Network World to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note it will likely favor the submitter's approach.</em>

  • Beyond Alerts: Using orchestration to realize network self-healing

    Managing modern networked systems and applications is daunting because infrastructure is complex and things can go wrong in so many parts of the technology stack -- servers, storage, network devices, applications, hypervisors, APIs, DNS, etc. How can you address the challenge?

  • Hacking PingPlotter, Part 2

    In the previous column on hacking PingPlotter I discussed how you can use the tool's Web interface and the curl utility to add targets to be tracked, for example, to add a single host you would enter the following on the command line:

  • Optimize your router for VoIP and video

    We're at an awkward stage as the age of network-streamed multimedia matures. Broadband and cell providers have only recently realized the public's enormous appetite for streaming video, VoIP, and the combination of both.

  • The ABCs of VoIP

    Given the importance of telephone systems, refreshing the technology can be daunting. However, for small and midsized businesses who consider upgrading from a PBX to VoIP, the benefits are clear and, with proper planning, the implementation is not very frightening. Consider these three steps:

  • Slow Wi-Fi? Try bypassing it with an Ethernet cable

    A reader has noticed that the Wi-Fi at her local library has slowed considerably in recent months, and she's wondering what's causing it: "Is it our computers, bogged down with too much junk, or is it something to do with the library's system?"

  • Troubleshoot sluggish or non-working Wi-Fi

    I'm a big fan of working at offsite locations--meaning my local Wi-Fi-equipped coffee shop. In fact, I'll often spend the afternoon hunkered down at Panera Bread, iced tea in one hand and a French Toast bagel in the other. (It's bad form to set up shop without buying something.)

  • An easy fix for broken ethernet plugs

    Have you ever broken the connector on an Ethernet cable, but didn't want to go out and buy a replacement? If you only have one or two broken cable heads, it's probably not worth it to find a crimper and new RJ45 connectors. This quick, clever, and inexpensive hack from Instructables makes quick work of repairing a snapped Ethernet connector with a razor, cutting pliers, and two cable ties.

  • 5 Tips for Pain-Free Wireless Home Networking

    Hair-pullingly bad experiences with wireless networking have led me to formulate Snyder's First Law of Home Networking: No matter who sells you the router, you'll have at least one excruciating session with tech support before you have an Internet connection.

  • Set up your home network, Windows 7 edition

    With Windows 7, you can more easily share files and printers across a network via the new HomeGroups feature. HomeGroups lets you connect to files and printers with a group password - if all the PCs have Windows 7. But I'll show you how to get your Windows 7 PC to play nicely on a network that also has Macs and XP/Vista PCs.

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