Firstly, if you want to get a wireless network hooked up you will need a wireless network card and a router. If you have internet access at the moment, the same cable that you currently use to feed the Internet through your computer will go into the router, and then there is another cable that will come from the router and connect to the Internet.

The router you have, should have come with software that you will need to install. The process of creating a network is not as difficult as it may seem to be; as long as you have an idea of what you are doing you shouldn't have a problem. Once it is set up you should create a password that will only allow you and people you tell to access the wireless internet.

If it is just a simple kind of network between two computers that you are trying to make, the only thing you will need here is an Ethernet cord. However, remember that for this connection you will only be able to connect two computers and no more than that. If you would like to connect more than two computers, what you would need is an Ethernet hub as well as many Ethernet cords, as many cords as the amount of computers you are connecting. Make sure that each computer has its own cord and they are all connected to the hub, then there should be no other problems.

If you're looking to create a network that is sharing a high speed internet connection, then you will need to connect a modem to the router via the Ethernet, then the Ethernet cords must be used to connect different computers all to the same router. However, if the computers you are using are able to support Wi-Fi then you will be able to use a wireless router, which many people find to be much better than anything else. A wireless router is often preferred because it doesn't have you tied up at your desk. It allows you to be anywhere at home, be it in the bar area, lounge or bathroom, and from there you can use your high speed connection to surf the net from where you are.

So the answer to the question would be that it would depend on what network it is you are trying to create in order to determine what type of hardware you will need. Creating networks may not always be an easy task for someone if they don't know what they are doing, but if you have some experience with setting up routers and networks then you shouldn't have a problem. Just remember that it can get quite technical, so be prepared to have a hard time if you don't understand the principles, there is plenty of advice on hand though should you need it and most hardware is supplied with instructions.