How to Know if a Laptop Is Wireless Enabled
If you've purchased a laptop or you've borrowed one and you don't know if it contains a wireless (WiFi) connection, there are several steps you can take to determine if the laptop is wireless-enabled. These steps are specifically used with Windows-based operating systems.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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Determining If Your Laptop Offers WiFi Built In
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1
Click on the Windows "Start" button and then go to "Control Panel" and wait for the control panel windows to open. Click on the "System" icon and then click on "Device Manager." Under "Device Manager," look for an option called "Network Adapters" Click on the little + symbol to show all of the network adapters. See if one of your network adapter options shows the word "Wireless" in it. You can see an example of this window in the picture to the left of this step.
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2
Look on your laptop for a wireless button. In many cases this will be a little symbol of a broadcasting tower or a similar image. We've included a picture to the left of this step that you may see on your laptop, although the exact image may vary.
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3
Check the manufacturer's website for wireless information. For instance the Acer 4720Z features wireless connectivity, and if you look at the specs on Acer's official website, you will find out that WiFi is a standard included feature on that model. Visit your computer manufacturer's main website to learn more about WiFi. If it is a standard feature, your device more than likely features that function.
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4
Click on the Windows "Start" button, then click on "Control Panel," followed by "Network" or "Network and Sharing." When that window opens, click on "Manage Network Connections" and see if a wireless connection is present. The picture to the left shows a view from the "Manage Network Connections" windows.
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5
Look at the bottom righthand corner of your display and see if an option with two monitors appears. If you see those monitors, double-click on them, and then choose the "Connect or Disconnect" option. If wireless networks are discovered, you have WiFi.
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