Home Network: How to connect to a home wireless network

How to connect to a home wireless network

In order to connect to a home wireless network first make sure that the router is setup and working properly. If security has been enabled then the router must be configured to know the MAC address of the machine. This can be found by typing in ipconfig in the Windows command prompt.

Next install the wireless access adaptor hardware on to the client machine. This may be in PCMCIA form for laptop users, PCI card for desktop users or just a USB stick. Please note that some devices require that the drivers and software are installed before connecting the device. The next step is to configure the router and the device and connect to the network.

The device can normally be configured through its own software. If this is not available, then in Windows XP, right click on the Wireless Connection icon in the Network Connections window. From there enter the correct values, such as the network SSID name, username and password. Most of these values are case-sensitive so care should be taken when entering them. The connection speed and security must also match that of the router. If DHCP is specified on the router then there is no need to manually assign an IP address, otherwise a manual IP address such as 192.168.0.2 must be entered. A default value of 255.255.255.0 can be entered for the subnet mask. Once the settings have been entered, then click on connect to establish a connection to the router.