A network can be one computer connected to the Internet, or two or more computers connected to each other (and also to the Internet). In a wireless network, the computers are connected by radio signals instead of wires or cables. Advantages of wireless networks include mobility and no unsightly wires. Disadvantages can include a slower connection than a wired network and interference from other wireless devices, such as cordless phones.
Wireless network with a shared Internet connection
If you have more than one wireless network adapter in your computer or if your adapter uses more than one standard, you can specify which adapter or standard to use for each network connection. For example, if you have a computer that you use for streaming media, such as videos or music, to other computers on your network , you should set it up to use the 802.11a connection, if available, because you will get a faster data transfer rate when you watch videos or listen to music.
Your computer needs an internal or external wireless network adapter. To see if your computer has a wireless network adapter, do the following:
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Open Network Connections by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Network and Internet, clicking Network and Sharing Center, and then clicking Manage network connections.
The adapters installed in your computer are listed.
In the list of available wireless networks, you'll see a symbol
that shows the wireless signal strength for each network. The more bars, the stronger the signal. A strong signal (five bars) usually means that the wireless network is close or there is no interference. For best performance, connect to the wireless network with the strongest signal. However, if an unsecured network has a stronger signal than a security-enabled one, it's safer for your data if you connect to the security-enabled network (but you must be an authorized user of that network). To improve the signal strength, you can move your computer closer to the wireless router or access point, or move the router or access point so it's not close to sources of interference such as brick walls or walls that contain metal support beams.
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Open Connect to a Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Connect to.
Public wireless networks are convenient, but if they are not properly secured, connecting to one might be risky. Whenever possible, only connect to wireless networks that require a network security key or have some other form of security, such as a certificate. The information sent over such networks is encrypted, which can help protect your computer from unauthorized access. In the list of available wireless networks, each network is labeled as either security-enabled or unsecured. If you do connect to a network that is not secure, be aware that someone with the right tools can see everything that you do, including the websites you visit, the documents you work on, and the user names and passwords you use. You should not work on documents or visit websites that contain personal information, such as your bank records, while you are connected to that network.
If you've connected to the network before, make sure your computer is in range of the network (no more than 150 feet [46 meters] indoors and 300 feet [92 meters] outdoors for 802.11b and 802.11g hardware and no more than 50 feet [15 meters] indoors and 100 feet [30 meters] outdoors for 802.11a hardware), the router or access point is turned on (if you have access to the router or access point), and the wireless switch on your computer is turned on. (Not all computers have a switch; if yours does, it's typically located on the front or side of the computer.) If you have not connected to the network, broadcasting might be turned off and you might have to manually add the network. To add a network that is not broadcasting, follow these steps:
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Open Connect to a Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Connect to.
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Click Set up a connection or network.
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Click Manually connect to a wireless network, and then type the network information.
The network is added to your list of networks and is available to connect to in the future when your computer is in range.
The other computers and devices on your network need to know how to communicate with the wireless router so they can send and receive information on the network. Each computer or device needs settings such as the network name and the network security key so that it can communicate with the router. When you add devices or computers to your network using the Set Up a Wireless Router or Access Point wizard, Windows provides step-by-step instructions for copying the appropriate settings to your computers.
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Open Set Up a Wireless Router or Access Point by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Network and Internet, and then clicking Network and Sharing Center. In the left pane, click Set up a connection or network, and then click Set up a wireless router or access point.
Yes. Even though automatic wireless network configuration is enabled by default in Windows, you can disable it by installing and using a different program. Many network adapters come with their own wireless management software. If you are using another program to manage your wireless network connections and you want to use Windows instead, follow these steps:
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Turn off or disable the other program.
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Open the Command Prompt window by clicking the Start button , clicking All Programs, clicking Accessories, and then clicking Command Prompt.
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Type netsh wlan show settings.
If automatic wireless network configuration is disabled, you will see Auto configuration logic is disabled on interface "Interface name".
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To enable auto configuration, type set autoconfig enabled=yes interface="<Interface name>".
When you set up a network, Windows determines what type of encryption your router or access point and your computer's network adapter work with, and recommends an option. To see which types of encryption the network adapter works with, check the information that came with your adapter or computer, or go to the manufacturer’s website.
Router
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Router
A device that sends, or routes, information between two networks (for example, between a home network and the Internet). Routers find the quickest paths for sending information, which makes network connections faster. Routers can be wired or wireless.
Encryption
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Encryption
A way to enhance the security of a message or file by scrambling the contents so that it can be read only by someone who has the appropriate key to unscramble it.
Network security key
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Network security key
A password that can help protect wireless networks from unauthorized access. A network security key encrypts information sent from one network computer to another so that the information can only be read by someone who has the key.
Network adapter
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Network adapter
A device that connects your computer to a network. Sometimes called a network interface card (NIC).
Encrypted
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Encrypted
The condition of information being scrambled so that it can be read only by someone who has the appropriate key to unscramble it. Encryption can be applied to files or to information exchanged over a network connection.
Network
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Network
A group of computers or other devices, such as printers and scanners, that communicate either wirelessly or by using a physical connection, such as an Ethernet cable or a phone line.
Access point
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Access point
A device used to connect wireless computers and other wireless devices to a wired network.
Certificate
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Certificate
A digital document that verifies the identity of a person or indicates the security of a website. Certificates are issued by trusted companies known as Certification Authorities.
Broadcast
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Broadcast
In wireless networking, when a wireless router or access point transmits its service set identifier (SSID) every few seconds so that computers and devices can detect and connect to the network.
Help and How-to
