If all that networking is making your head spin, there are other choices for getting your computers connected. In this section, we'll cover "all-in-one" networking kits, gaming systems, and even networks that don't have any wires.

			Do it yourself: building your network
			Soup it up: adding the extras
			Keep it simple: network alternatives
			• Get great gaming
			• Go wireless

One-stop networking
If the piecemeal approach to networking seems too complicated, you might want to simplify your life with an all-in-one network package. Kits such as Artisoft's LANtastic 7.0 provide you with everything you need to hook two PCs together: network interface cards, cables to connect them, software for file and modem sharing, and network email packages.

A two-user LANtastic starter set runs about $150 (plus another $90 or so for additional PC kits). That's more expensive than equipping PCs to use Windows' built-in networking capabilities, but the simplicity may be worth it to you. Plus, you can call a single phone number for tech support, no matter what goes wrong with your network.

Apexx Technology, the maker of GameLAN, also makes a business networking product called WinLAN that you can find for a street price of around $50 per machine. Like GameLAN, WinLAN is nowhere near as fast as Ethernet, but it does offer all the file- and printer-sharing functions found in Windows 95. If you're looking for an ultrasimple solution to your networking problems, WinLAN may suffice.

Be a player