How to Connect a Wireless Laptop to Broadband

Use a wireless router to connect your wireless laptop to the Internet.

If you only have a wired broadband Internet connection and a wireless laptop, you need to buy a wireless router to get your laptop online. Installing a wireless router in your home is easy and recommended if you have other devices, like computers, mobile phones and game consoles, that can use wireless networks to get online. While this may sound complicated, it's actually easy to do since wireless routers come with installation software to help you set up, configure and secure your wireless network.

Things You'll Need

• Wireless router

Instructions

1. Plug the Ethernet cable that came with your router into the backs of the router and your broadband modem. Connect the router to a power source with its AC adapter.

2. Insert the installation disc into your laptop's CD or DVD drive. Run the installation wizard; this may happen automatically, but you can start it manually by navigating to "My Computer" and double-clicking your optical drive's icon.

3. Use the installation software to configure the router, name the network connection and configure a WEP or WPA key to keep your connection secure. Follow the onscreen prompts provided by the installation wizard and the software will do the rest.

4. Restart your computer; the installation wizard may ask you to do this to complete the installation process. When the computer restarts, a message box should pop up and tell you that the computer has detected a new wireless network. Click on the box and a list of available wireless networks will appear. Select your network from the list and click the "Connect" button. Enter the WEP or WPA key you created earlier to complete the connection process.

References

• Microsoft: Install a wireless network adapter
• Logical Tips: Setting Up a Wireless Access Point

Resources

• Belkin
• Linksys
• Netgear
• D-Link