Once upon a time people homes had just one radio (or wireless), then they had just one TV, then just one computer, one telephone ... You get the picture, technology gets cheaper every month with the result that more people can afford it.

Home networking is about much more than just connecting all the family computers to a single router so that all can share a single Internet connection. There are now a multitude of devices that can be networked and the cost encourages people to want to do so. As a computer programmer (well why else are you reading this review) your neighbours, friends and relations will be convinced that you are just the person to help them set up their home network. Well your family probably expects you to start with providing one for the family home. Your company network specialist is fed up to the back teeth with trying to explain it to your colleagues, and probably does not know how to connect your computer to the family TV.

The only weakness in this book is that it concerns itself with Windows and Macintosh based networks (including mixtures of the two) and has nothing to say about Linux based systems. To be honest, that seems fair when considering the target readership.

If you want to set up and maintain a home network you will find this book a valuable companion; it takes you through the process from start to finish. I wish I had read it when I was recently setting up a friend's PC to work with her husband's Mac-based network and Internet connection.