How to Connect Wireless Laptop to a Wired Network

Laptops are great for mobility because of their ability to connect to the Internet wirelessly. Ironically, the one place they may not be as useful is in your own home. If you don't have a wireless network, you'll have to use an Ethernet cable to connect the laptop, which will limit the mobility of your laptop but allow you to remain networked.

Things You'll Need

• Ethernet cable USB-to-Ethernet converter

Instructions

1. Plug one end of an Ethernet cable into an available port on your wired network

2. 

   Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into the network port on your laptop, if there is one. The port looks similar to a phone jack but is a little larger. If your laptop does not have an Ethernet network port, you will need a USB-to-Ethernet adapter.

3. 

   Plug the USB adapter into an available USB port on your laptop.

4. Plug the Ethernet cable into the port on the adapter.

5. Turn on your laptop. It should automatically detect the Local Area Network (LAN) to which it is now connected.