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Wireless networks do not come with out
their set of problems though. One of the first things you must
do is secure your network from anyone outside your home getting
in.
This is because this network works on radio
waves that bounce everywhere within a set range. Read our
article about securing
a wireless network.
Setting up a wireless home network.
If you do not own any wireless hardware as
of yet your best bet is to go out and purchase a wireless router
from your local computer store. With this type of router every
computer on your network can then share an internet connection.
However if you do not care about every
computer sharing an internet connection then you can purchase
what’s called an access point which may be a little cheaper.
However, with the falling prices of hardware
these days routers can be very cheap. You can get a four port
router for around $40.00.
Next you need wireless network cards for
each computer you want in the network. Then they must be
installed.
If you are not sure how to install these
cards then you may want to find someone to help you. However
installing network cards is a very easy job. The cards you buy
should come with instructions.
Once you have all of the cards installed
its time to connect the router to your cable or DSL modem. This
is very easy.
Always remember that your modem is first in
line and then the router connects to it. Last, your computers all
connect to your router via their ports.
When placing your router in your home be
sure to keep it away from appliances like microwave ovens and
anything else that uses radio frequencies.
If you have a home security system, you may
have a little trouble with your wireless network. What you need
to do is try to find the best location to place the router. You
may have to search for a bit in your home.
Once you are setup, it is time to configure
your wireless network. With Windows XP this should be pretty
easy as they will find the network on their own.
However you may need to configure your
router. Most routers these days do not need much work to
setup. If you have questions you will need to call the maker of
the router.
Some basic things you may need to change
are:
- Router password.
- IP address from your ISP.
- TCP/IP ports if they are not defined.
- Remote administration.
- WEP security.
If you have any problems accessing your
router from your browser then you may want to try the PING
command.
This is a network command that will see if
your router is working. To use this command just find the dos
prompt. In Windows XP you can find it under the accessories
menu.
Once at the prompt just type in PING and a
space and then the IP address of your router. If the command
fails you will get a timeout error.
At this point it is time to make sure you
have everything setup right and all of your connections are how
they are supposed to be.
As
you can see setting up a wireless home network is easy.
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