How to Install a Wireless PC Card in a Laptop

A PC card is a credit card-sized piece of computer hardware. One of the most common types of PC cards are a wireless networking card, which allows laptop users to connect to the Internet with a wireless connection. The wireless card eliminates the inconvenience of the need to use additional equipment such as phone lines or external modems. First-time wireless PC card users should familiarize themselves with the correct way of installing and configuring the card.

Things You'll Need

• Wireless PC card and accompanying CD
• WEP information
• SSID
• Driver updates

Instructions

1. Insert the card into the card slot on the side of your laptop. Wait until Windows displays the "Found New Hardware" message.

2. Insert the accompanying CD into the laptop. Doing so will prompt you to install any necessary drivers.

3. Reboot the laptop. Follow the card manufacturer's instructions for configuring the card so that it matches the settings of the wireless network you will be connecting to.

4. Choose between infrastructure and ad hoc modes. Infrastructure mode means that your laptop and PC workstations will connect via wireless access point or base station. In ad hoc mode, the devices communicate via a channel number specified by you.

5. Enter the required WEP information, such as WEP key, when prompted. WEP is a wireless local area network's security protocol. You will know the WEP key if you were the one who set up the wireless network. Otherwise, speak to your network administrator. Be sure to use the highest level WEP that the card supports.

6. Change the default administrator name and password to your own when prompted.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep in mind that some steps tend to be common to all manufacturers' setup processes.

References

• How to Insert a PC card into your Laptop
• How to Install Wireless PC Network Hardware
• What is WEP?

Resources

• Wi-Fi Security