Starting from Scratch

[LoanToYou]

I am just getting into this.  From my understanding, mining solo is stupid and I need to join a pool.  So I need some assistance. I am buying a small miner just to learn with.  So here are my questions.

1.  I see that the miners do not have power supplies; besides the power supplies, is there anything else I need to buy?
2.  Once I receive my miner, do I need to hook it to my router or my computer?
3.  Do I need special skills to be able to hook it up and start mining?
4.  Is there anywhere on here I can get a step by step guide?

I am sure there is more I am missing, so any help what will walk me through this would be great.

[unholycactus]

1. Some miners have power supplies, some don't. If we take BITMAIN miners for example: S1, S3, S5 don't, S2, S4 do.

2. Usually to the router, some miners are USB but they don't offer much hashing power.

3. No, but knowing how networks work and basic computer hardware knowledge helps a lot.

4. Yes, I know Dogie has made a bunch of guides on a variety of miners. Here's the link for his BITMAIN antminer S1 guide: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=355387.

[MarketNeutral]

The previous post covered the main points.
You may have to download some drivers.
Also consider keeping your mining space free and clear of dust and debris.
Truly, just read as much as you can.
Even veteran miners who've been mining for years had to start somewhere.
The learning curve may seem steep, but once you get the hang of it, it's actually pretty easy.