8 Ways to Simplify Your Home Network

Is your home workplace or office like this?

In this article we wish to supply you with 8 ways to simplify your home network. These solutions are readily available and easily implemented on any home network.  The basic goal is to reduce and remove the total number of wires and gadgets used on a desk or in your home office to make it a more productive environment.

1.    Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
2.    Network Hard Drive (My Book World Edition)
3.    KVMP
4.    Wireless USB Hub
5.    Cord Organizers
6.    Wireless VGA Kit
7.    Fujitsu ScanSnap document scanner
8.    Computer based applications

Since the goal is to help remove cables and clutter, the first and most obvious step is to use a Wireless Keyboard and Mouse (KVM).  These come in a wide range of colors, layouts and styles to fit just about everyone’s needs.

Most homes now have more than one computer and a need often arises to share files between them.  The fastest and most efficient way to both backup data that is accessible to all users on the network and share content is with a network hard drive.  The My Book World Edition by Western Digital is a great choice, easy to configure and is very flexible to fit just about all needs.  A full tutorial on how to back-up files can be found here.

If your desk has more than one computer on it, it’s pretty silly to use separate keyboards, monitors and mice, especially when the IOGEAR KVMP will reduce the number of peripherals on your desk.  This an advanced KVM that also allows sharing of HDMI and USB devices, so it’s much more expandable, while removing duplicate input devices from one’s desk.

Most computers come with enough USB ports to fill the need of anyone, but sometimes certain USB powered devices are just a bit too far away to neatly and cleanly run a cable.  Not only does this look bad, it also opens up the possibilities to snag it, trip on it or have it pinched along the path.  A wireless USB hub from IOGEAR is a simple solution to eliminate the wires and get four open ports anywhere you may need them, up to 30 feet away from the computer.

Cords are simply a part of computers and accessories; sadly we can’t eliminate all of them.  Power cords are the most common ones, but using a cord organizer from 3M will allow you to secure them under your desk, run them down a leg and neatly to the power outlet on your wall.  Not only does hiding the cables have a cleaner look, it greatly reduces the chances of accidentally kicking one loose while working.

Part of the clutter in most home offices and desks is a stack of paperwork and bills that tend to build up.  Reduce and eliminate this stack with a Fujitsu ScanSnap document scanner.  This compact document scanner duplex scans and outputs directly into PDFs, allowing you to transform your former paper cluttered home office into a paperless, searchable workflow fast and efficiently.  Combine this with the network hard drive for backing data up and you can fast and easily keep two copies of important data, easily found using the search function on your computer (Windows or Mac).

From the time I was a kid until about 10 years ago, I remember my Mom always having a calculator, sticky notes and other assorted office supplied cluttering up her desk.  There are electronic ways to simplify your desk and home network that can replace many of these items.  In both Windows Vista and Mac osX, sticky notes and calculators come standard in either the Side Bar on Windows and the Dashboard on Macs, use them!  They are put there to replace clutter on the desktop.  I’ve found it far more useful to use the calculator on my computer than open up my desk drawer and fish for one, or have yet another power cable on my desktop.  Additionally, Google has done such a great job with their Documents that I keep notes for myself online, easily accessible from any computer that has an Internet connection for me.

Most home networks never start out being cluttered and messy; they are a result of poor planning or constant add-ons to expand needs.  This has always been the nature of computers, home offices too.  Taking a step back, evaluating your current situation and making some smart investments will not only clean up the cluttered mess you stare at daily, it will also help you be more productive.

Tags: clean Organized Porductivity