How to Connect a Wireless Router to a Mac Laptop

Contributor

By Catherine Johnson
eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (1 Ratings)

Easily connect your Mac laptop with a wireless router.

The use of wireless routers has grown exponentially as the preferred high-speed method of connecting to the Web. Wireless routers provide convenient mobility by allowing multiple computers to access the Internet without the need for Ethernet cables. Macintosh computers are known for their intuitive interface and their ease of use. If your Mac laptop has an AirPort card installed, you can easily connect to your wireless network and get online.

Buying a Mac Laptop
When buying a Mac laptop, consider the features, the RAM and the price tag. Find Mac laptops at the Apple … More
How to Reboot a Mac Apple Laptop
Apple's Macintosh Operating System (Mac OS) is extremely user-friendly. On their recent notebook models--i… More
Who Makes the Best Laptop?
Apple Computer introduced the first laptop computer in 1989 for $7,300 with an internal hard drive. The Ma… More
How to Connect a Wireless Router to a Mac Laptop
The use of wireless routers has grown exponentially as the preferred high-speed method of connecting to th… More
How to Right-Click on a Mac
Right-click on a Mac by holding down the control key on the keyboard to bring up the contextual menu. Lear… More
About Mac Laptops
Apple computer has long been an innovator in the tech world, and its line of Macintosh laptop computers is… More
How to Choose the Right Mac
Here are some tips that will help you decide on the right Mac computer in this free video clip.… More
How to Lock a Mac Computer
If you store any sensitive data on your Mac, locking it with a password is a good idea. The Mac's operatin… More
How to Decide What You Want on a Laptop
Computers are getting smaller and cheaper, which is great news if you're in the market for a laptop. Here'… More
How to Create a Mac Start-Up Disk
Create a Mac start-up disk image by going into the disk utility feature and selecting the Mac book to sele… More
About Mac G4 Laptops
Mac G4 laptops were released in 2001 as a high-end laptop, but they have now been replaced by newer models… More
How to Install Programs in Mac OS X
For PC users making the switch to Macintosh computers, installing a new program can be confusing. The conf… More
How to Make a Mac Run Faster
To make a Mac computer run faster, clear out the hard drive, close all open programs that are not being us… More
How to Automatically Launch Programs When Logging Into Your Computer With Mac OS X
Getting yourself situated in the morning after a good 16 or so hours away from the desk involves a bit of … More
How to Change Default Programs in Mac OS X Leopard
Changing the default programs for a file type in Mac OS X Leopard is intuitive and easy. Learn how to chan… More

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Wireless router Macintosh laptop with AirPort card installed

Step 1

Find out the SSID and password for your router. Consult the product's documentation to follow instructions on how to configure your router. The SSID will be the identifying name of your home WiFi network. Depending upon how your router is set up, you may also need a password to access the network.
Step 2

Turn on your Mac laptop. Go to the "Applications" folder, and select "Internet Connect."
Step 3

In the toolbar at the top, select the "AirPort" tab. On the next screen, click "Turn AirPort on." Wait for the AirPort card to discover all of the wireless networks in your area.
Step 4

Go to the "Network" drop-down menu. Select the SSID name of your network. If you need a password, enter it, then click "Connect." If your network does not show up on the drop-down menu, select "Other." Enter the network name and password, and then click "Connect."
Step 5

Check the "Show AirPort status in menu bar" box in the AirPort section of the Internet Connect window. This creates a pie-slice shaped icon in the menu bar. Click the icon to quickly access and connect to your wireless network.

Tips & Warnings

Wireless routers should work up to a range of 150 feet, but may vary based upon model and brand. Check with your product documentation to see where you should place your router for optimum connection. Sometimes other electronics, such as baby monitors or cordless phones, can interfere with the AirPort signal strength on your Mac laptop. Avoid using these types of electronics when you need a strong Internet connection.

Resources