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How To set up a Wireless Network
This article is aimed at helping you to set up a wireless network in
your home. We will assume you already have a broadband connection to a
modem which connects directly to your computer.
Equipment Required
1. A Wireless Router
2. A Wireless PCI Card for any desktop PC's
3. A PCMCIA wireless card for any notebook computers you have
Setting Up the Wireless Network
Step 1...Set up the router
It is always best to have one computer on the
network hard wired into the router. This is because if the security
settings are lost you always have one computer that will allow you
access to the router and recover them. To set up the router unplug the
modem from its power and turn off the computer. Plug the modem directly
into the router with Ethernet cable into the WAN port. Then plug the
router directly to your Desktop PC via the LAN port. Plug in the modem
and allow it to return to the status ready. Plug the power into the
router and turn it on. Turn on the computer and let it boot into
windows. Take the setup CD and place it into the Desktop machine and run
the setup wizard. Change the administrators default password to one you
will know as hackers tend to know the default passwords. Change the SSID
of the network (network name) hackers also know the default SSID and can
use it to gain access to your network. Refer to the printed guide
with your router and set up WEP/WPA encryption to provide security on
the network.
IMPORTANT: Write down the key that the router produces you will need this to gain access to your network from
other machines.
Step2...Adding other computers to the network
To add a desktop PC unplug the computer and
install the PCI card into the machine. Turn the computer on after you
have installed the wireless card. Insert the CD and run the setup
program to install the drivers for the wireless card. Once this is done
restart your computer and wait for windows to load. When windows loads
you should see a small icon in the system tray that says wireless
network detected. Click on this and view the wireless network available
and select the one you have set up on the router. The computer should be
able to connect to it, adjust the security settings to match those of
the router i.e. the encryption key your router produced should now be
entered.
To set up a notebook PCMCIA card refer to the
printed guide with your card and install the relevant software from the
CD. Turn off the notebook and plug in the card to an available slot on
the side of the laptop. Turn on the notebook and the hardware should be
detected and then wireless networks should be visible. Select your
network and enter the Key provided by your router as you do on a Desktop
PC.
Step3...Running Windows XP network setup wizard
To run the wizard click Start > My Network
Places on the left you should see a column that says Set Up a Home or
Small Office Network. Run the wizard and follow the onscreen
instructions. Repeat this on all machines on the network entering the
same information each time.
Congratulations you have now successfully set
up a wireless network.
There are extra peripherals that you can
install such as a wireless adapter for your sound system to stream music
off your computer through your television.
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