How to Set Up a Home Wireless Network

The most important benefit of wireless network is that you can share Internet connection within your work place. Not only this, you can also share CD ROMs, printers and many other computer peripherals which are connected to a single computer. Setting up wireless network provides you the benefits of allowing other people to share your Internet access throughout your home or workplace.

Equipment for Wireless Network
First and foremost, you will need a high speed Internet connection, a wireless router, and devices that support wireless networking. For wireless support devices you can go for computers which come with in-built support for wireless, or else, a wireless networking adapter can solve the purpose.

Wireless Router
A wireless router is basically a network device that allows Internet connectivity without the use of cables. It connects to the high-speed Internet connection and converts the signal into a wireless broadcast. Enabled with Ethernet ports, it helps the Internet connection to be shared with other computers that do not have wireless support.

There are there are various wireless networking technologies viz., 802.11b (wireless B), 802.11g (wireless G) and 802.11n (wireless N). Wireless N is recommended due to its speed and better performance. It's always preferable to have a router that is compatible with all of these technologies.

Wireless Networking Adapter
A wireless networking adapter comes handy in absence of a computer that does not have wireless support system. The adapter establishes a wireless connection between your computer and the wireless router. The adapter is a must for every computer that is supposed to be connected to the router. If you have a desktop computer then a USB (universal serial bus) wireless adapter is the required equipment. And for a laptop, a PC card-based adapter is recommended.

Connecting the Router to the Modem
Now that you have all the required equipment in place, you can connect the wireless router. To start, plug one end of the network cable into the Internet port of the wireless router and the other end into the modem. Thereafter, plug in the modem and switch it on. After it has been connected to the Internet, power on the wireless router; an LED light in the router will glow indicating successful connection between the modem and the router.

Wireless Network Configuration
Once the connection between the modem and the router is done, it's time to configure the wireless router. The router comes with network cables. Use a cable to connect the computer or laptop to an open network port of the wireless router. Once the connection is done, launch the web browser and type in the default address and username, which would depend on the type of router you are using. When the system prompts for a password, use the default password. After completing this procedure, the router's configuration page would be displayed on the web browser. Here, three important things should be considered. Configuring the wireless network name known as the SSID (service set identifier), setting up the wireless protected access (WPA) or the wireless encryption key, and setting the administrative password.

The SSID that you chose, should be a unique name, it should not clash with another network's name (like that of your neighbor's wireless network). The WPA provides security to your wireless network. For the router that you are using, you will have to provide a "passphrase". Passphrase is used by a router to generate certain number of keys. Similar to the SSID, it has to be unique and should contain many characters. The admin password is required if in case you want to change the router's settings. As an obvious fact, the password that you chose, will be least vulnerable to be cracked, if it's a combination of special characters and alphanumeric characters.

Connect the Computer(s)
The final step is to connect your computer(s). Connect the wireless adapter accordingly; a USB adapter for a desktop and a PC-card based adaptor for a laptop. Windows XP (with service pack 2) will prompt you to run the installation CD in the computer, after it has detected the wireless adapter. After a successful installation, you will receive a notification message on your computer. The message would say that it has found a wireless network in its range. Right click on the wireless network icon on the right hand corner at the bottom of the computer's screen. Click on the option that says 'view available wireless networks'. After clicking on it, a box (wireless network connection window) would appear reflecting the name of your wireless network. In case, if you are unable to find the name, click on the refresh option.

When you click on the space showing the network connection, you will be prompted to type in the encryption key in the 'network key' and the 'confirm network key'. Thereafter, click on 'connect'. Once you have initiated the connection, the system will show its progress in establishing the network. Once it's done, your home wireless network is set and ready to be used.

Setting up a wireless network at home does not take much of your time, if proper execution of the recommended steps is followed in a systematic manner. For those who are not tech savvy, follow the instructions or the documentation that came along with the wireless equipment or you can always seek help from their tech support.