How to Add Wireless Internet to a Dell Desktop Computer
If you want to connect to the Internet from multiple locations without having to plug in a cable, you will first need to have the proper type of wireless card installed on your PC. While your Dell desktop probably came with an Ethernet adapter for connecting to an Internet source, it may not have included a wireless card. You can add wireless connectivity to your Dell computer by opening up the case and manually adding a wireless PCI card.
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Instructions
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1
Turn off your Dell desktop computer. Remove the power cord from the port on the back side of the computer case. Remove each of the remaining cables connected to the ports on the front and back of the computer.
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2
Position the Dell computer case onto its side on a flat and stable work surface. Tap your fingers against the metal tabs at the back end of the computer to release the static electricity in your hands.
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3
Check the far left edge of the side panel to see how the panel is locked into place. Press in the side panel release buttons if any are present or instead remove the two case screws with a Phillips screwdriver.
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4
Lift the side panel upward until it locks in place at a 90-degree angle. With some models, the side panel may instead slide completely off the case.
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Locate the plastic shroud at the bottom end of the Dell motherboard that covers the PCI slots. Press the release button and then lift the shroud upward. Rotate the shroud clockwise to lock it in place.
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6
Remove the screw holding the metal filler bracket in place at the left end of the PCI port. Pull off the bracket. Push the wireless PCI card onto the PCI port.
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Insert the screw into the wireless card's metal bracket. Twist the plastic shroud counterclockwise and then push it down until the release button pops back into place.
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Set the side panel back into place and replace the case screws if your Dell model had any. Plug in the cables and power on the Dell desktop computer.
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Insert the wireless PCI card's installation disc into the Dell computer's optical drive. Follow the prompts that appear on the screen to install the card's software.
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Tips & Warnings
Not all Dell desktop models have a plastic shroud over the PCI card slots. The slots may immediately be visible when you remove the side panel.
To connect to the Internet through your wireless card at home, you also need a wireless router connected to your modem. After the router is set up, you also need to configure the wireless settings in the Dell's operating system.
References
Resources
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