How to Build Wireless Home Network
Wireless home networking is a system that allows you to network or connect more than one device in your home together, without wires, to share their resources. These can be desktop or laptop computers, cellular phones, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), printers and any other Wi-Fi enabled devices. Networking them allows you to connect them to the Internet at the same time or share your printer among many computers.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 or more PCs
- Internet modem
- Wireless broadband router
- Wireless Network Interface Cards (NIC)
Instructions
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1
Power off all the computers you want to network. If you are using a wireless network interface card for a desktop computer, open the computer chassis and install the NIC in your desktop computer. Close your computer chassis and power up your desktop. Log in as Administrator.
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2
Install your driver software following on-screen instructions after your computer powers up. Do the same for all desktop computers you want to add to the wireless network. For laptop computers, install the driver software following on-screen prompts before inserting the wireless NIC into your computer.
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3
Connect your wireless router to the Internet modem provided by your Internet service provider (ISP). Connect the router and modem to a power source. Turn on the modem and wireless router.
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4
Click "Start" on your Taskbar and go to "Control Panel." Click the "Wireless Network Setup" icon. Click "Next." Choose network name and select "Manually assign a network key." Click "Next," select your Security Mode and enter your Network Key. Remember this information because you will need them later. Follow on-screen prompts to complete your wireless network setup.
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5
Configure your wireless router. Open your Internet browser (Microsoft Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari or any other browser of your choice) and type 192.168.1.1 into your browser address bar. In the window that opens, click the "Wireless" tab and enable "Wireless and SSID Broadcasts" if they are not enabled.
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6
Click the "Wireless Security" tab and select your Security Mode from the drop-down menu. This must match the mode you selected earlier. Enter the same Network Key you entered earlier when you set up your wireless network.
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7
Click "Apply" and close all windows. Your wireless network setup is complete. Complete Steps 5 and 6 for every computer you want to add to the network.
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Tips & Warnings
Newer laptop computers are Wi-Fi enabled from the factory and don’t need wireless NICs. Verify this before buying extra network interface cards.
To share your printer resources, go to "Start," "Control Panel," "Printers and Faxes." Select the printer you want to share. Right-click the printer and enable sharing.
