setup of wireless network
The primary reason for building a wireless LAN (WLAN) is for increased mobility — so you can move around from room to room without being tethered to a network jack. Another reason people like wireless LANs is because they can network their computers together without having to snake wires through their walls. Since you don’t have to deal with the wires, in some regards building a wireless LAN is actually easier than you might think.
There are 4 steps to creating a wireless network:
1. Choose your wireless equipment
2. Connect your wireless router
3. Configure your wireless router
4. Connect your computers
wireless network to share Internet access, files, printers, and more. Or you can use it to surf the Web while you’re sitting on your couch or in your yard. Plus, it’s easier to install than you think.
There are 4 steps to creating a wireless network:
1.
Choose your wireless equipment
2.
Connect your wireless router
3.
Configure your wireless router
4.
Connect your computers
For Windows XP users, Windows XP Service Pack 2 is not required for wireless networking, but it does make things much easier. Service Pack 2 also helps protect you against hackers, worms, and other Internet intruders.
1.
Choose your wireless equipment
The first step is to make sure that you have the equipment you need. As you’re looking for products in stores or on the Internet, you might notice that you can choose equipment that supports three different wireless networking technologies: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g. We recommend 802.11g, because it offers excellent performance and is compatible with almost everything.
Shopping list
• Broadband Internet connection
• Wireless router
• A computer with built-in wireless networking support or a wireless network adapter
A wireless router
The router converts the signals coming across your Internet connection into a wireless broadcast, sort of like a cordless phone base station. Be sure to get a wireless router, and not a wireless access point.
A wireless network adapter
Network adapters wirelessly connect your computer to your wireless router. If you have a newer computer you may already have wireless capabilities built in. If this is the case, then you will not need a wireless network adapter. If you need to purchase an adapter for a desktop computer, buy a USB wireless network adapter. If you have a laptop, buy a PC card-based network adapter. Make sure that you have one adapter for every computer on your network.
Note: To make setup easy, choose a network adapter made by the same vendor that made your wireless router. For example, if you find a good price on a Linksys router, choose a Linksys network adapter to go with it. To make shopping even easier, buy a bundle, such as those available from D-Link, Netgear, Linksys, Microsoft, and Buffalo. If you have a desktop computer, make sure that you have an available USB port to plug the wireless network adapter into. If you don’t have any open USB ports, buy a hub to add additional ports.
2.
Connect your wireless router
Since you’ll be temporarily disconnected from the Internet, print these instructions before you go any further.
First, locate your cable modem or DSL modem and unplug it to turn it off.
Next, connect your wireless router to your modem. Your modem should stay connected directly to the Internet. Later, after you’ve hooked everything up, your computer will wirelessly connect to your router, and the router will send communications through your modem to the Internet.
Next, connect your router to your modem:
Note: The instructions below apply to a Linksys wireless router. The ports on your router may be labeled differently, and the images may look different on your router. Check the documentation that came with your equipment for additional assistance.
• If you currently have your computer connected directly to your modem: Unplug the network cable from the back of your computer, and plug it into the port labeled Internet, WAN, or WLAN on the back of your router.
• If you do not currently have a computer connected to the Internet: Plug one end of a network cable (included with your router) into your modem, and plug the other end of the network cable into the Internet, WAN, or WLAN port on your wireless router.
• If you currently have your computer
Building a wireless network starts with making sure that your computer has the right device for wireless internet connections. Most of the new models out in the market today have built-in wireless transmitters but older models need a wireless adapter plugged into a USB port or PC card slot to make it WiFi capable.
New wireless adapter models are compatible with the different 802.11 standards.
Upon installation of the wireless adapter, drivers should be installed to enable the computer or laptop to detect existing WiFi networks in the vicinity and prompt for connection.
Older computers may need a special program to detect and connect to existing WiFi networks.
An existing home network can be converted into a wireless network by using a wireless access point. On the other hand, if there is no existing network for the computers or if the user wants to switch from an Ethernet network to a wireless one, a wireless router with a wireless access point, firewall, Ethernet hub and a port to the DSL modem can be used.
Using a wireless router, you can either connect computers and printers in your network using Ethernet cables or wireless signals. Wireless routers typically provide 30 meter coverage in all directions. Of course, walls and doors can affect the router’s coverage area. To extend the coverage or range of the wireless router, you can use repeaters or extenders.
A wireless network can make using your computer more relaxing by letting you take it anywhere in your house—to your couch, your bedroom, or even your backyard. With a wireless network, you don’t have to go out of your way to use the Internet, because it’s everywhere in your home. You also don’t have to be tied to your office to take care of other computer-related tasks—with a wireless network, you’re always connected. You can search the Web for ‘reseed lawn’ and then, while reclining in front of the TV, print out your garden center shopping list on the printer in your home office.
Adding a wireless network to your home is easier than you think. It requires four steps:
• Choose your wireless equipment.
• Connect your wireless router.
• Configure your wireless router.
• Connect your computers and devices.
Choose your wireless equipment
The first step to setting up a wireless network is to make sure you have the equipment you need. You’ll need at least two network components: a wireless router and a wireless network adapter.
• Wireless router. Converts the signals coming across your Internet connection into a wireless broadcast, sort of like a cordless phone base station. Be sure you get a wireless router and not a wireless access point. For more information about choosing a wireless router, read Choosing the type of network to install.
You can also connect your digital video recorder (DVR) or media extender to your wireless network. If the device has a wired network connection, use a wireless game adapter for a single device or a wireless bridge to connect multiple devices. Wireless game adapters aren’t just for games—they’ll work with anything that has a wired network port. For information about connecting game consoles to your network, read Connect an Xbox or Xbox 360 to your network.
Connect your wireless router
1.
Before you go any further, print these instructions. You’ll be temporarily disconnected from the Internet, so while you’re doing the installation, you won’t be able to get to this page to refer to the instructions.
2.
Locate your cable modem or DSL modem, and unplug it from its port to turn it off.
• If you connect your modem to the wall in a similar way that you connect your TV to your cable television outlet, you probably have a cable modem, and it probably has a coaxial cable connected to it (like the round black or white cable you plug into your TV).
• If you connect your modem through the phone lines, you probably have a DSL modem, and it probably has a phone cable connected to it.
3.
If you currently use a dial-up connection to connect to the Internet, set up your wireless network using ad hoc Internet sharing.
4.
Connect your wireless router to your modem. Your modem should stay connected directly to the Internet. Later, after you’ve hooked everything up, your computer will wirelessly connect to your router, and the router will send communications through your modem to the Internet.
you currently have a computer connected directly to your modem: Unplug the network cable from the back of your computer, and plug it into the port labeled Internet, WAN, or WLAN on the back of your router.
• If you don’t currently have a computer connected to the Internet: Plug one end of a network cable (included with your router) into your modem, and the other end of the network cable into the Internet, WAN, or WLAN port on your wireless router.
5.
Plug in your router. After a minute or two, the Internet, WAN, or WLAN light on your router should light up, indicating that it has successfully connected to your modem.
The primary reason for building a wireless LAN (WLAN) is for increased mobility — so you can move around from room to room without being tethered to a network jack. Another reason people like wireless LANs is because they can network their computers together without having to snake wires through their walls. Since you don’t have to deal with the wires, in some regards building a wireless LAN is actually easier than you might think.
There are 4 steps to creating a wireless network:
1. Choose your wireless equipment
2. Connect your wireless router
3. Configure your wireless router
4. Connect your computers
You can use a wireless network to share Internet access, files, printers, and more. Or you can use it to surf the Web while you’re sitting on your couch or in your yard