How to Set Up Wireless Connection

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

Setting computers in a wireless networking environment offers a number of advantages. Computers can be moved from one location to another as long as within the area of the wireless network without laying new cables. No cables are needed to network new computers or printers. Just plug in a wireless network adapter and configure. Prevent troublesome wiring and cabling for your computers by establishing a wireless connection. The size of the area of the wireless network depends on the type of wireless router and wireless network adapters used.

Materials Needed:
- Wireless Router
- Wireless Network Adapters for your Computers
Step 1
Choose a wireless router with a number of available ports for the equipment to be included in the network. Select wireless equipment with 802.11g wireless technology for best performance.
Step 2
Select wireless network adapters with the same brand or compatible with the wireless router. Same brand setup is relatively easier.
Step 3
Connect the wireless router to a modem. Check the documentation that accompanies the wireless router. Follow the instruction in connecting the router to a modem. Different brands and models may differ with the connection setup. Take a cable from the modem and connect to the wireless router, look for an Internet, Wan, or WLAN port.
Step 4
Configure the wireless router by following setup instructions with the accompanying CD or documentation. Temporarily connect the wireless router to a computer by using a plug from your modem or any available cable.
Step 5
Configure the wireless network name also known as SSID. The name should differ from any existing network names within the area.
Step 6
Configure the wireless encryption (WEP) or Wi-Fi protected Access (WPA) by choosing a password. The WEP or WPA protects the wireless network from accidental intrusion by non-authorized users.
Step 7
Enter an administrative password that will only be used by an administrator or network technician to adjust and secure the network and router settings.
Step 8
Save the settings and unplug the wireless router from the computer.
Step 9
Connect the computers or laptops to the network. Recent models of computers and laptops have built-in wireless network support and can automatically detect existing wireless networks. Follow instructions for installing wireless network adapters for computers or laptops. Computers may require plugging the network adapter into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) slot and arranging antenna on top of the computer. Insert network cards into laptops by using empty card slots. Some network adapters may require a CD for installation. Follow directions and choose appropriate computer and network settings.