A Step-By-Step Guide to Setting Up a Wireless Network

A Step-By-Step Guide to Setting Up a Wireless Network

Wireless networks are becoming increasingly popular as more days pass. They are easy to install and convenient to use when it comes to surfing the World Wide Web from anywhere in your home is. For this reason wireless networks are attractive for Internet users. It 'easy enough to configure a wireless network, but you have some simple things to try before you begin to know the configuration. For a better understanding of the wireless networks you can find out more Of wireless networking protocols.

To configure the wireless network, you should have a broadband connection is in line need a DSL or cable. It typically includes the installation at home on a regular desktop Computer that is connected directly to a modem. If you read this, we can assume that you already own a laptop that you want wirelessly to a Computer with an Internet connection to connect. You need some hardware to do this, as a> Wireless router, a USB wireless network adapter for desktop computers and a paper-based personal computers network card for laptops. Of course it would be appropriate for the provider that no additional hardware, you decide to buy. Consult the docuMentation that came with the hardware for each installation process.

After installing all the necessary hardware, you can start with the installation. First you need to pull out before or DSL modemConnect to the wireless router to the modem. If you need help, just check the hardware docuMentation. Once this is established, the computer is connected wirelessly to the router. Then, you must configure your wireless router. You can go to Internet Explorer on the configuration of your router.

Most default settings are sure to be left alone, but there are some things that need toConfiguration. Do you have a one-of-a-kind name for the SSID or wireless network, which will choose the name of your network. Make sure that no one in your area is to use the same name. Then, if the router is needed, a one-of-a-kind access code, which is being used to generate multiple keys. The last thing we should do before the end of the configuration of the router, set an administrator password. Choose a password that is long and hard to guessfor security purposes. Ensure that you save each configured setting. Actual steps that are involved with setting configuration may vary, depending on your type of router.

Next, configure the network adapter of your laptop. It is quite easy to follow the on-screen instructions on Window's XP when it comes to this. Right-click on the wireless network icon within your taskbar and go to "View Available Wireless Networks" after the menu appears. The window of Wireless Network Connections will show up. Here, you should see your chosen name listed for the wireless network. Click on "Refresh network list", if the network does not appear. After that, you will be asked to enter a key as you have written down within the key boxes of Confirm network key. Choose Connect. Then, you will see the progress of your connection while it connects to the network. Once you are connected, feel free to close this window. Your wireless connection is now set up.

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Wireless Router & Security - A Step-by-Step Guide

Wireless Router & Security - A Step-by-Step Guide

Setting up a wireless router is easy. Essentially you turn your cable or DSL modem off and your wireless router on. Then, you connect the router to the modem with a cable, and turn the modem back on. You are more or less done. The wireless network wizard on your Computer will pick up the router and, if your ISP does not have any special requireMents, away-you-go, you are on the Internet.

For ease of setup and configuration, manufacturers ship wireless routers with all security disabled. Therein lies the problem. If you do not take any further steps to secure your router, and a surprising number of people don't, your network will be wide open to all passersby and strangers. It's like you've hung out a sign, "The door is open. Please come in and help yourself."

The problem is not that strangers will be able to use your router to access the Internet but that, without further protection, would-be intruders will be able monitor and sniff out information you send and receive on your network. Malicious intruders can even hop on to your internal network; access your hard drives; and, steal, edit, or delete files on your Computer.

The good news is that it is relatively easy to secure your wireless router. Here are three basic steps you should take.

1. Password protect the access to your router's internal configuration

To access your router's internal setup, open a browser and enter the routers setup URL. The URL will be specified in the manual. The URLs for D-Link and Linksys routers, two major manufacturers of wireless routers, are [http://192.168.0.1] and [http://192.168.1.1], respectively.

For Linksys routers, leave the user name blank and type "admin" (without the quotes) in the password field and press enter. To change the password, simply click on the Password tab and enter your new password.

For other routers, please consult your manual. Alternately, you can search on the Internet with the term "default login for ". Don't be surprised to find quite a number of pages listing default login paraMeters for many different routers, even uncommon ones.2. Change the default SSID (Service Set IDentifier)

The SSID is the name of a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network). All wireless devices on a WLAN use SSIDs to communicate with each other.

Routers ship with standard default SSIDs. For example, the default SSID for Linksys routers is, not unsurprisingly, "Linksys". As you can see, if you don't change the default SSID of your router a would-be intruder armed with a few common SSIDs from major manufacturers will be able to find your wireless network quite easily.

To change the SSID, click on the Wireless tab. Look for an input item labeled SSID. It will be near the top. Enter a new name for network. Don't use something like "My Network". Use a name that is be hard to guess.

3. Disable SSID broadcast

Wireless enabled computers use network discovery software to automatically search for nearby SSIDs. Some of the more advanced software will query the SSIDs of nearby networks and even display their names. Therefore, changing the network name only helps partially to secure your network. To prevent your network name from being discovered, you must disable SSID broadcast.

In the same screen that you changed the name of your network, you will see options for SSID broadcast. Choose "Disable SSID" to make your network invisible. Now save all your settings and log out.

Since your wireless network is now invisible, you will have to configure your computers to connect to your wireless network using the new name. On Windows XP, start by clicking on the wireless icon in the Notification Area and proceed from there.

With these three steps, your network now has basic security. However, if you keep sensitive information on your computers, you may want to secure your wireless network even further. For example, you can

Change the channel your router uses to transmit and receive data on a regularly basis. Restrict devices that can connect to the router by Filtering out MAC (Media Access Control) adDresses. Use encryption such as WEP and WPA.

As with most things in life, security is a trade off between cost (time, money, inconvenience) and benefit (ease of use). It is a personal decision you make. However for the majority of home uses, the three basic steps plus WEP/WPA encryption provides reasonably strong security.

Turning on encryption is a two-step process. First you configure your router to use encryption using an encryption key of your choice. And then, you configure your computer to use the encryption key. The actual process of configuring your router for encryption varies from router to router. Please consult the router's manual.

There are even stronger methods for ensuring security. A strong and robust security method is RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial In User Service). Using RADIUS requires additional hardware and software. However, there are companies that offer RADIUS security as a subscription based service. The fees are reasonable and dropping.

Therefore for example, if you run a business on your wireless network, have sensitive data on your computers such as credit card information, and have a number of users who access your network, you should consider using RADIUS. Since the service sector for RADIUS is dynamic and growing, a search on the Internet with terms like "RADIUS subscription" or "RADIUS service" is probably the best way to locate one.