Wire Your Office For Less Than $4K

Desktop PC and Peripherals

The next most important piece of equipment is your computer. Fortunately, prices for computers have plummeted in the past few months, even on faster systems. Take the Sony Vaio J Series desktop. Starting at $600, it features up to 320MB RAM and a 30GB hard drive. Bundle that with a CD-RW drive and Windows Me, and you've got a robust system in a thin design, at a price that's hard to beat.

In case you do run out of storage (and you're not ready to invest in a server just yet), or if you simply want to back up your files, the external Jaz 2GB Ultra SCSI drive ($350) by Iomega can help you store and transfer files reliably. Disks are available in 1GB ($99.95) and 2GB ($125).

With the money you're saving on your computer, you'll be able to treat yourself to a flat-panel monitor. Prices for flat panels have also been on the decline, with a 15-inch running a little less than $500. CRTs might still be cheaper, but they don't offer the same clarity, dot pitch and space-saving design of a flat panel. The AOC LM-500 (about $450) by Envision Peripherals has a contrast ratio of 200:1 and a native resolution of 1,024 x 768, and it only weighs about 11 pounds. Working from home means you'll probably spend a lot of time in front of that monitor, so invest the money, and save your eyes.

Two other pieces of equipment you won't want to skimp on are your keyboard and mouse. Logitech offers wireless versions of both that are also ergonomic. The Cordless iTouch Keyboard ($59.95) even comes with a curved, supportive palm rest. And the Cordless MouseMan Optical Mouse ($69.95) won't need to be cleaned like a typical trackball mouse because it has no moving parts. Both products are battery-powered and offer energy-saving modes, so you won't have to worry about changing the batteries for up to six months.

Antivirus Software

Protect your files from viruses with Norton AntiVirus 2001 software ($39.95). A LiveUpdate feature downloads virus updates every time you connect to the Internet, so you're covered if any new viruses are discovered. The software also features SmartScan Technology that finds all files with executable code and only scans those files, so virus scans are much faster.