How to Set up a Home Network With a Wireless Network Adapter

A wireless home network requires wireless enabled computers, or computers with wireless network adapters.

Many modern computers come with wireless network features already, but older computers use a wireless network adapter in order to receive a wireless signal. Wireless network adapters can be a USB adapter that just plugs into your USB port, a Cardbus network adapter that slides into a laptop card slot, or an internal PCI wireless network adapter. The wireless network adapter needs to be installed or attached before proceeding.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with wireless network adapter installed or inserted
• Wireless router

Instructions

1. Ensure that the wireless adapter is working properly. USB wireless adapters and Cardbus adapter cards usually have an indicator light. Checking a wireless network card requires a bit more work. Go to "Start" and right-click on "My Computer." Choose "Properties." Go to the "Hardware" tab. Click "Device Manager." Click the plus sign next to "Network Adapters." The wireless network card should display. If there is an unknown device listed with an exclamation mark, you may have installed the wireless card improperly.

2. Configure your wireless router. Each router's setup is different depending on the manufacturer. A typical setup gives you a router IP to visit on your web browser. Look for wireless settings. You will choose a SSID, which is the network name, a password/network key, and a type of security for the wireless network. Make a note of the SSID and the network key and save the configuration.

3. Check the router to make sure it is broadcasting a wireless signal (there's typically an indicator light). Go back to your computer. An icon should pop up in the system tray that looks like a small computer monitor. Right-click on this icon and choose "View Wireless Networks." Choose the network with the SSID that you set earlier, and enter in the network key when prompted. Repeat this process for all other wireless computers on the network.

References

• Windows XP: Set Up A Wireless Network
• Windows XP; Install Wireless Network Adapter