* Dr. Internet columnist Steve Blass offers advice on setting up live streaming * Help Desk columnist Ron Nutter offers advice on networking a small business
* Setting up a live streaming service
By Steve Blass
Q: I need to set up a Webcam stream for a one-time event for 10 to 12 simultaneous remote viewers. We have the camera and computer for shooting the video; how do I set up the server side?
A: You may be able to do this through your instant-messaging software, and several server software options are available for Windows, Linux and Macintosh. The streaming server software from the open source Darwin version of OS X can be a good choice for media files in Quicktime format.
To read Steve’s response in its entirety, please click here.
* Networking a small business
By Ron Nutter
Q: I am studying computing and have an assignment to do. I have to network a small business that has 12 staff spread evenly over four offices. Office 1 and 2 are in separate rooms in Building A on ground floor, Office 3 is on the first floor of Building A and Office 4 is 12 meters away on the ground floor. they all need a computer and Internet access. The printers can be shared. I was going to buy 12 computers with wireless modems, a printer to share for each office and I think I need a main server. I have read about Hubs and would that be the way to network.
A: There are a few questions that need to be answered in order to best design the network to meet the criteria. Whether you use hubs or switches shouldn’t be a problem based on the number of workstations/printers that you mentioned. The first thing you need to get clarification is the distance between the offices. Look at the distances two different ways – point to point from one group of computers to the other and the distance assuming you had to run conventional network wiring. This will help you compare costs between wireless and wired networks.
To read Ron’s response in its entirety, please click here.
