How to Build a Wireless Internet Network

A wireless Internet network can provide you with an easy way to connect desktop computers, laptops and home entertainment devices to the Internet without having to run cables everywhere. Not only will this result in less wire clutter around your computers and devices, but you will also be able to easily move them around the house without having to disconnect and reconnect ethernet cables every time. Setting up a wireless Internet network is quite simple; all you will need are the IP address and temporary user name and password which should be contained in either the installation instructions or quick-start guide that comes with your wireless router.

Things You'll Need

• Wireless router Wireless card or access point for each computer

Instructions

1. Plug in your wireless router and connect it to your modem. If you are going to have any computers on your network connected to the router via Ethernet cables instead of a wireless connection, go ahead and connect the Ethernet cables for those computers now as well.

2. Log in to the router using the IP address located in the router's installation instructions or quick-start guide. This address will vary depending on the manufacturer and model of the wireless router. When you log in to the router, you will be asked for a user name and password; unless the installation instructions give you a specific user name and temporary password, you should be able to log in using "admin" as the user name while leaving the password field blank.

3. Select the "Setup" menu option once you have logged in to the router. This will give you the option to set basic elements such as the date and time as well as the specifics of your wireless Internet network. Most of the options will be preset to their recommended settings, so you won't have to do much to set up your network. The main thing that you should be looking for in the Setup options are the options to change your password and to create a security key for the network.
   Changing the password for the router (and the user name) will prevent anyone else from being able to gain access to the router's settings, protecting you from malicious changes. Creating a security key for the network, while optional, will ensure that no one can use your network without your knowledge since the randomly-generated and encrypted security key becomes a requirement to connect. Create a strong (a combination of both letters and numbers) password for your router regardless of whether you choose to create a security key or not. If having a secure network is important to you, then go ahead and generate a security key as well.

4. Run the network setup wizard on the computer that you have set your router up with, choosing the option to set up a wireless network. This will enable you to give the network a name so that other computers will be able to recognize it and connect to it. Once the network has been set up, you will have to connect to it with each computer or device that will make use of the wireless network; if they have not been configured for Internet access, then you will likely have to run the network setup wizard again on each machine so that it will know how to connect.

5. Install a wireless card or wireless access point in each computer or device that will connect to your network if you haven't done so already. In most cases, wireless cards will be installed in a PCI slot on a desktop computer while wireless access points will connect via USB. A driver disc should come with the card or access point so that you can also install the proper software to make it work (though your operating system will likely have wireless drivers installed already). Once the card or access point has been installed and recognized by your computer, open the network center and search for the network that you have created. If you chose to create a security key for the network, you will need to enter it during the connection process in order to successfully connect to the wireless network.

Tips & Warnings

• There are different signal strengths that can be created by a wireless router, with the most common being "b," "g" and "n" (in order from weakest to strongest). Wireless cards and access points have similar ratings, showing which strength is the most powerful that they are able to access. Buy a wireless card or access point that meets or exceeds the rating of your router in order to get the strongest signal and fastest wireless Internet connection possible with the router that you use.