Home networks are no longer composed of a desktop computer, a printer and maybe a laptop. They have grown tremendously in the last few years and their complexity now resembles business networks. If you want to learn just how complex home networks are today and what are the main challenges of home networking, don't hesitate to join this webcast. Presenterd by: Ciprian Rusen
3. INTRODUCING THE
WEBCAST
Home Networks:
– How many computers?
– What operating systems?
– Other connected devices?
– Security solutions?
– Common frustration
sources?
– Weird/rare problems?
4. OUR Visitors from:
SOURCES - 7tutorials.com
- tinyhacker.com
March 2011
- windows7hacker.com
685 valid answers:
- 4sysops.com
- 50% - US
- raymond.cc/forum
- 7% each – UK & Canada
- Twitter
- 4% each – Australia,
- Facebook
Romania & India
- Hacker News
- StumbleUpon
- Konkurs.ro
6. SURVEY On what continent are you based?
• Africa
• Asia
• Australia
• Europe
• Latina America
• North America
Write down you country in the chat
window.
7. SURVEY Do you work in IT?
• Yes
• No
Do you have a home network (as in 2 or
more computers connected together)?
• Yes
• No
Are you already familiar with our study on
home networks?
• Yes
• No
8. HOW THIS IS GOING
TO WORK?
• Me talking
• Asking you questions Quick questions –
• Exchanging answers during the session
• Me talking
• Asking you questions
• Exchanging answers
Dedicated Q&A at the
end
• Me talking
• Asking you questions
• Exchanging answers
Surprise @ Closure
• Me talking
• Asking you questions
• Exchanging answers
10. SURVEY How many computers do you have in your
home network?
(desktop, laptop, netbook, server)
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• More than 5
11. HOW MANY
COMPUTERS ARE
THERE IN A HOME
NETWORK?
3.80%
13.28%
AVERAGE – 4,13
27.74% 1 computer
2 computers
3 computers
18.98% 4 computers
5 computers
more than 5 computers
14.89%
21.31%
15. SURVEY Which operating systems are you using in
your home network?
(select all that apply)
• Windows 7
• Windows Vista
• Windows XP
• Linux (any distribution)
• Mac OS X
• Windows Home Server
• Windows Server 2008
• Other
17. OPERATING
SYSTEMS
DISTRIBUTION • Both Windows 7 & Linux have better
ACROSS HOME adoption in home networks
NETWORKS
• Linux is generally used in larger home
networks (4 or more computers)
• Windows XP mostly used on older
computers (not necessarily installed on
newly purchased ones)
• Networks with a high number of
computers and devices are likely to
include a Home Server
18. CONNECTING THE
HOME NETWORK TO
THE INTERNET
• ADSL or SDSL modem
• Cable modem
• Fiber connection
• Satellite
• Etc.
EVERYONE NEEDS A ROUTER
19. SURVEY What kind of device connects your home
to the Internet?
• Router (purchased by you)
• Router (provided by the ISP)
• Other
20. CONNECTING THE
HOME NETWORK TO
THE INTERNET
1.75%
32.70% Router (purchased by owner)
Router (provided by the
Internet Service Provider)
Other
65.55%
22. SURVEY What other devices interact with at least
one of the computers in your home?
(select all that apply)
• Printers
• Scanners
• External hard disks
• Media players
• Phones
• Consoles
• Tables
• Digital Video & Photo Cameras
• Other
23. Printers 87.30%
DEVICES
INTERACTING WITH Scanners 56.79%
THE HOME
NETWORK External hard disks 69.78%
Media players (TIVO, Apple
TV, Google TV, WD TV Live 36.06%
Hub, Sky+, etc.)
Phones (both smartphones &
65.11%
normal ones)
Consoles (Wii, Xbox, PS3, etc.) 48.91%
Tablets (e.g. iPad, Samsung
Galaxy Tab, Viewsonic 22.34%
ViewPad, etc.)
Digital Video & Photo Cameras 41.02%
Other 4.96%
24. DEVICES
INTERACTING WITH
THE HOME People owning a home network have a
NETWORK very digital lifestyle:
• Printers present in almost all home
networks
• Scanners have become surprisingly
common (all-in-one devices)
• Smartphones are used more frequently
than digital cameras – confirms study
by iSupply: http://bit.ly/nNyTxe
• Gaming consoles are present in half of
home networks
26. SURVEY What kind of security solutions are you
using to protect the computers on your
network?
(select all that apply)
• Antivirus only
• Firewall only
• Antispyware/Antimalware only
• Independent Antivirus & Firewall &
Antimalware applications
• Full Internet Security Suite
• “Total” Security Suite (additional
features vs. standard)
• None
27. Antivirus only
SECURING THE
52.70%
HOME NETWORK
Firewall only 31.39%
Antispyware/Antimalware
13.14%
only
Independent Antivirus &
Firewall & Antimalware 31.68%
Applications
Full Internet Security Suite 18.69%
"Total" Security Suite:
Suite + Backup & other 5.99%
features
None 3.07%
28. SECURING THE
HOME NETWORK
• Home network owners are security
cautious
• Networks with no protection contain
mostly Linux or Mac OS X based
computers
• Commercial solutions have less market
share than free security products
30. SURVEY Which are your main sources of frustration
when working with the home network?
(select all that apply)
• Network hardware & equipment
• Wireless connection
• Incompatibility between diverse
operating systems
• Understanding networking features
available in different operating systems
• Security solutions blocking networking
features
• Sharing devices over the network
• Connecting my phone(s) with my
computer(s)
• Connecting my gaming console with my
computer(s) over the network
• None
31. Network hardware & equipment 22.92%
FRUSTRATION
SOURCES FOR Wireless connection 34.74%
HOME NETWORK
Incompatibility between diverse
27.30%
operating systems
Understanding networking
features available in different 15.62%
operating systems
Security solutions blocking
21.75%
networking features
Sharing devices over the
25.55%
network
Connecting my phone(s) with
5.99%
my computer(s)
Connecting my gaming console
with my computer(s) over the 4.67%
network
None 2.92%
32. FRUSTRATION
SOURCES FOR
HOME NETWORK Internet Service Providers are very often a
frustration source:
- Poor customer service
- Low bandwidth (especially in US)
- Poor quality of networking devices
33. SUMMARY • 4 computers / network
• Windows 7 is in almost all home
networks
• Home network owners tend to purchase
their own router
• Families with a home network have a
very digital lifestyle
• Home networks are secured with free
software more often than with
commercial software
• Top problems: wireless connections &
ISPs
• Complexity of home networks
resembles small businesses
37. •
PHOTO Network cables:
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/pascalcharest/3083
CREDITS 57541/
• Computer:
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/fensterbme/50748
95283/
• Point!:
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/a2gemma/14481781
95/
• Family in Arizona After Sundown:
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/pyrat_wesly/52531
93889/
• Netger router glowing:
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/mattjnewman/252
0106295/
• Imperial Art Appreciation: Blue:
https://secure.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/3797279
045/
• Other sources: Wikipedia & Microsoft Office Gallery
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Visit http://oreilly.com
to purchase your copy
of Network Your
Computer & Devices
Step by Step and enter
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40% off print book &
50% off ebook with
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Editor's Notes
The pie-chart below shows some surprising results: most home networks have more than 5 computers (27,74%) or 4 computers (21,31%). The average is of 4,13 computers per home network. Summing up the results, it means that the 685 home networks participating in our study, have a total of at least 2832 computers (26+2*91+3*130+4*146+5*102+6*190).Up to 4 computers – 57,37%
If we combine these results with the previous question and the latest market share split between operating systems it means that, in each home network, there is at least 1 computer with Windows 7 installed and the others can be any mix of all operating systems, with Windows XP having the highest chances of being used. However, Linux, Windows Vista and Mac OS X are also likely to show up in the mix.
The results surprised us: apparently most people connect their homes to the Internet via a router they purchased personally (65% of home networks). Only 32% let their Internet Service Provide (ISP) decide for them and provide a router. We think this a wise choice and we hope more and more people will choose to purchase their own, newer & better devices. Unfortunately ISPs tend to use older and/or cheaper network hardware which are, often times, incompatible with newer technologies and operating systems.Other methods of connecting the home network to the Internet include having a LAN Cable connected to a computer which acts as a gateway for the others, or simply using a cable modems capable of also providing wireless signal.
The “Other" category of devices included mostly answers about mp3 players, with various flavors of iPods being mentioned very often. You might wonder why we did not include mp3 players as a separate category. The reason for this is due to the fact that, except a few models such as iPod Touch, mp3 players have a very simple interaction with the home network - it is mostly about transferring your music from one computer to the device. They are not used for anything else.
The good news from this study is that the percentage of home networks without any security solution installed is pretty small - only 3,07%. We looked at the individual responses and most home networks with no security solution installed mostly consist of computers running Linux and Mac OS X.