subject: Home Wireless Network Setup Guide [print this page] Why make your home look untidy with networking cables when you can install a home wireless network? Now there is no need for all those bundles of wires trailing across the floor. And you can freely move your laptop around without a LAN cable attached. Also you will be able to connect your iPhone etc.
However, there are areas of concern to be aware of such as the need to secure your network so that only allowed devices with the correct login credentials are allowed to connect.
For your PC to connect to the wireless network, it will need to connect to a wireless router since unlike a laptop, it will not tend to have a built-in wireless adapter. The LAN (Local Area Network) port of the PC will be connected via a short cable to one of the LAN ports of the router. Also, your ISP's interface box will connect to the WAN (Wide Area Network) input port of the router.
The router will include a configuration utility that displays a control panel in a web browser window. Typically this will be found at the web address: http://192.168.0.1 Using this utility you may enter the settings for example, wireless network name, encryption method, password and channel number.
To set up the computers to connect to the Internet, it's easiest to run the Internet connection wizard in Windows.
The 2 current popular types of wireless router are wireless-N and wireless-G with N being significantly faster than G, although in most cases, wireless-G is adequate and lower cost.
The 2.4GB radio channel that wireless-G uses can be congested with signals from other networks and appliances, so if possible, a pure wireless-N network is recommended where use can be made of extra channels for better network performance.
When selecting the encryption method, WPA is recommended since it is harder to crack and hence more secure.
In summary, home wireless network setup entails connecting your PC via a LAN cable to a router which in turn connects to your Internet access box. Then the router is set up via a control panel with the encryption and password etc. Then the Internet connection wizard is run on each PC and laptop in the network.
