Back to Basics Ready to outfit your home office with the tech essentials? Here's what you need.

Congratulations-you've taken the big step and decided tostart your own business. You've also figured out that a homeoffice is right for you. You've selected a room or space towork in, but now you're faced with a wide expanse of empty deskspace. It's time to fill in the blanks with some home-officetechnology basics. The hardware and software you choose will be thetools that help you run your business smoothly, so there areimportant decisions ahead. We're going to look at thebare-bones items you need to get up and running on a budget.

The logical first step is to buy a computer. Before the merger,Compaq Presarios were popular home-office desktop machines. ThoughHewlett-Packard now owns the Presario line, they're still hotitems. What's especially appealing about the HP Compaq PresarioS6000 is that you can configure it online at www.hp.com to fit yourneeds. The basic S6000Z model starts at $359 (all prices street)with a 2GHz AMD Athlon processor, 128MB RAM and a 40GB hard drive.Those specs will handle most light jobs like Web surfing and wordprocessing. If you plan to use more demanding applications andexpect to network PCs eventually, you'll want to customize yourcomputer with higher-end components like Windows XP ProfessionalEdition and more RAM.

Just because you have a desk doesn't mean you must have adesktop computer. A pricier but more flexible laptop may be theticket. If you'll be doing a lot of business traveling or willneed to take your computing power with you on sales calls, then alaptop is something to consider. They're also nice for gettingout of your office for a while, even if it's just to sit on theback porch. The eMachines M5312 comes in at an affordable $1,249and has desirable features like a CD-RW/DVD combo drive, a 60GBhard drive, a 15.4-inch screen and built-in 802.11g wirelessnetworking. At 6.6 pounds, it's not a featherweight, butit's not bad for the price.

Whether you've got a desktop or want an extra screen to viewyour laptop through when you're at your desk, a monitor is akey component. The reasons to invest in flat-panel LCDs arenumerous: They save space, have flicker-free viewing, generatecrisp images and are more affordable than ever. While a 17-inchdisplay is nice, those on a tight budget may be more inclined toexplore 15-inch displays like the NEC AccuSync LCD51V, which runsabout $345. If even that price tag looks too steep, there'salways the old standby CRT monitor to consider. The ViewSonic E70bgives you 17 inches of viewing for an inexpensive $129.

When it comes to printers, there are two hot options for homeoffices: inkjets and laser printers. If you're going to get aninkjet, you might as well get a lot of extra capability, too. TheEpson Stylus CX5400 is a $149 color inkjet printer, flatbed scannerand copier. All this comes in a compact size with printing speedsof up to 22 pages per minute for black text and up to 11 pages perminute in color.

If you expect to print large volumes of black-and-whitedocuments, an inkjet may not be the best choice for your homeoffice. Prices for inkjet consumables, particularly ink cartridges,can add up over time. Check into a personal laser printer like the$239 Samsung ML-1750. It performs at up to 17 pages per minute,comes with USB 2.0 and parallel interfaces, and features a tonersave button to extend the life of your toner cartridge.

Starting a home office isn't just about all the equipmentthat goes on and around your desk. There's also the equipmentyou carry around with you. In today's business world, the mostimportant portable hardware is your mobile phone. Which phone yougo with depends a lot on which service provider you choose. You canfind everything from stripped-down $50 models to phone/PDAcombinations that cost more than $400.

On the budget side, there are phones like the Siemens C56, whichcosts $49 with a service agreement through AT&T Wireless. Itweighs 3 ounces and packs up to 200 minutes of digital talk time.You won't find a camera because it's also veryno-frills.

The best way to find a good deal and throw some light onconfusing calling plans is to visit your local mobile phone dealer.Check into the available plans, shop around and figure out what thetrue cost is before you commit. You'll always get the bestprice on a phone by purchasing a service plan to go with it.

Speaking of finding good deals, never pay more for home-officehardware than you have to. There are two main options for yourhardware shopping: Find a local retailer you can visit in person,or buy online. Prices may be a little higher when you just walkinto a store, but you also have the security of having a physicallocation to return the product to in case of a problem. The Sundayads are a good place to compare prices and keep an eye on specialsand rebates at local stores. You can also take advantage ofprice-matching policies or even visit warehouse-style retailerslike Costco or Sam's Club to look for business equipmentsavings.

Bargain hunting over the Internet doesn't have to betime-consuming. Web sites such as PriceGrabber.com,PriceSCAN.com and MySimon.com are hubs for price comparisons.They're especially handy if you already know what you want andare just looking for the lowest price. Don't be blinded by whatseem to be incredible bargains. Always check into an onlineretailer's reputation if you're not already familiar withit. There are still a lot of fly-by-night ventures out therepreying on bargain hunters with hard- sell pitches and poorcustomer service. You probably know this already, but always use acredit card for your purchases in case you have to dispute chargeslater.

Another great resource for home office hardware is eBay. You canpick up a wide array of products-from extra cell phone batteries tomonitors and ink cartridges-at prices that would make someretailers blush. But eBay is no utopia. You still have to checkinto the seller's reputation. Also check to see if the productyou are buying is refurbished, if it comes with an originalwarranty or tech support, and if all documentation and pieces areincluded. Some BIZ Experiencess may decide that the savings are worthliving without some or all of those things. It's not good orbad, it's just a matter of deciding what you feel comfortablewith.

From the moment you choose an office space in your house to themoment you sit down and start up your new computer for the veryfirst time, the hardware purchasing decisions you make will set thetone for your business. Price is important, but always keep a closeeye on what you need your equipment to do for you. Throw in alittle comparison shopping, and soon you'll have a great,functional office that fits your budget and your business.

Hot DigitalCamera
The Canon PowerShot Digital ELPH SD10 follows the trend towardsmaller and smaller digital cameras. This 3.5-ounce feather of acamera fits into a shirt pocket and weighs less than some cellphones. It still packs four megapixels of resolution and a 5.7xdigital zoom. This is a point-and-shoot style that's easy forbeginners to use.
Manufacturer:Canon
Model: PowerShotDigital ELPH SD10
Web Site:www.usa.canon.com
Phone: (800)OK-CANON
Retail Price: $349

Hot Telephone
Besides just a mobile phone, most home offices still use a regularland-line phone. But if you like moving around while you talk, thePlantronics CT10 gives you all the freedom you could ever want.This 900MHz phone has a cordless remote unit and a lightweightheadset that work over a range of 150 feet. You won't betethered to your desk, and you'll have your hands free.
Manufacturer:Plantronics
Model: CT10
Web Site:www.plantronics.com
Phone: (800)544-4660
Street Price:$129

Hot Router
There are many reasons to add a wireless network to your homeoffice. You may want to be able to wander about with a laptop orhook up other computers (including your family's) to theInternet. The D-Link Systems DI-624 is an 802.11g wireless routerwith four ports for direct connections. You'll need adaptersfor your other computers. 802.11g is fast, has a good range andfeatures the strongest Wi-Fi security yet.
Manufacturer: D-LinkSystems
Model: DI-624 AirPlusXtremeG
Web Site:www.dlink.com
Phone: (800)326-1688
Street Price:$109