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REAL ENVIRONMENT · 1998–PRESENT

museum@author-lab:~$ The Home Network

How computers from different eras share one environment

REAL SETUP PHOTOGRAPHNetwork hardware and server rack detailTo be added during the exhibit documentation phase.
Reserved for a future photograph of the documented, real environment.
Internet↓Starlink / internet connection↓Router / firewall↓Home network↓
Modern workstationHomelab serversLegacy systems

A shared environment, not a flat one

A LAN (local area network) connects devices in one place. A router moves traffic between networks; a firewall applies rules about which traffic is allowed. Devices use IP addresses as network labels, while DNS turns human-readable names into addresses. This exhibit intentionally uses an abstract diagram rather than publishing an internal layout.

Samba is a file-sharing service that lets different operating systems exchange files using a familiar network-share model. In this environment, services help modern and legacy systems cooperate without pretending they are identical.

Compatibility includes protection

Legacy operating systems should not simply be opened to the modern internet. Segmentation and controlled services reduce unnecessary exposure. The educational lesson is not a configuration recipe; it is that networking is both connection and boundary-setting.