I discussed previously the benefits and the downfalls of a wireless network. Now, let’s put one together.

Installing Wireless Adapters

In order to access a wireless network, each computer needs to have a wireless adapter installed. As discussed previously, there are different styles of them available. Each one comes with instructions for installation and this should be your main guide. However, I will try to provide some basic outline of how to go about it.

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If you get a PCI card for your wireless adapter, you will need to install it in your computer. Installing it is done just like you would install any other expansion card in your PC, roughly:

1. Look at the manual that came with the card and see if it tells you to install drivers before installing the actual card. If so, use the CD-ROM that came with it to install your drivers.
2. Turn the PC off and unplug it.
3. Remove the cover from the case of your computer using a screwdriver.
4. Locate an empty PCI slot on your motherboard. PCI slots are white.
5. Remove the guard plate from the hole on the back of the case which corresponds to the slot you have selected.
6. Gently slide the card into the slot with the antenna facing the back of the PC. It may be necessary to unscrew the antenna from the card in order to install it.
7. Secure the card using a screw.
8. Put the cover back onto your case.
9. Secure the antenna onto the back of the wireless card. Leave it so that the antenna is pointing upward.
10. Unless you installed drivers in step 1, do so now.

As with any installation inside your computer, if you lose a screw into the unit while working, make sure to get it out before powering up again. A loose screw could short something out inside the computer and cause damage.

If you are using a CardBus or USB adapter, no physical installation is required. You simply plug the cards in. Couldn’t be easier. As with PCI cards, you may need to install your drivers before actually plugging the unit into your computer. If so, do that now using your CD-ROM that came with the adapter. When all is set up (reboot may be required), simply plug the adapter in and your computer should automatically detect it and be ready to go.

Configuring Your Wireless Adapter

Regardless of how your wireless adapter was installed (even if it was factory-installed), you may need to perform some configuration before it can be used to connect to your network.

Windows XP is very automatic when it comes to wireless. Usually, plugging in a wireless adapter will cause Windows to automatically install the drivers and then start searching for a wireless network to connect to. No user intervention is required. However, again, look at the manual to see if any additional software or configuration is necessary for your adapter. Using manufacturer drivers rather than Windows drivers usually entails a process like the following:

1. Connect the adapter to your computer.
2. Windows will detect the new hardware and give you a “Found New Hardware” window.
3. The option “Install the software automatically” is usually pre-selected. Unless your manual says to override this, leave that as is and insert the CD-ROM that came with your adapter.
4. Windows should locate the driver on the CD-ROM. If it finds more than one, you may be asked to select which driver to use. Select the correct driver and click Next.
5. Windows will install the driver. You will see the final screen saying your hardware is installed.
6. At this point, you should be done.

Installing the Access Point

Next it is time to set up your network so that the wireless adapter you just set up will have something to connect to. The outline for this process will be:

1. Decide where to put your access point or wireless router.
2. Set up the router, plug it in and turn it on.
3. Configure the access point.
4. Put some wireless security into place.

The first step is to determine where to put the router. As said previously, the actual range you will get from a wireless router is usually far less than advertised. Various items in your home will interfere with the signal and reduce the range. If you plan to use a wireless-enabled computer somewhere close to the router, then the location does not matter that much. However, if you want to be able to use the network anywhere in your home, you need to think about placement.

A good way to determine where to place your access point is to do a site survey. Basically, what you will be doing is using some wireless device to walk around the house or office and find strong areas of signal and weak areas of signal. The easiest device to use would be a notebook computer with a wireless adapter. If you don’t have one, you can use a network sniffer which will look for wireless signals, or you can even move the wireless router around the building and see when you signal drops off.

1. Decide what the ideal location in the home is for your router.
2. Set it up there, plug it in, and get it set to actually be wireless accessible.
3. Go somewhere within sight of the router and check out your notebook computer (or whatever you are using) to see if you are getting a wireless signal. If you are, you will get a popup dialog in the lower right notifying you that it has found a wireless network. If you get nothing, then it is not getting a wireless signal.
4. Double-click on that popup balloon. If it has disappeared, double-click on the network icon (two little computer screens that will cycles on and off). You will get the wireless connection dialog box.
5. You should see the name of your network. Select it, check “Allow Me to Connect” and then click “Connect”.
6. You should not be connected to the network. Click on the network icon again and get the “Wireless Network Connection & Status” window. This window will provide a readout on your signal strength.
7. Now, walk around the house and observe the signal strength in various locations. Pay close attention to the Speed reading as well.
8. If you have other computers on the network, check their signal strength and speed rating as well.
9. If the signal is weak in key areas, try moving your router and trying again. If you are satisfied with the coverage, leave as is.

Some general notes on access point placement:

• Many times mounting the access point high up on the wall will provide the best coverage.
• If you don’t want to wall-mount it, at least place it as high as possible.
• Try placing the access point in the middle of your home as close as possible.
• Keep the antennas pointed straight up.
• Try not to place the access point next to any major metal object, such as a filing cabinent.
• Keep it as far away from microwaves or 2.4 GHz phones as these are interference sources for the wireless signal.
• Keep it away from water beds or aquariums. Large water collections can impede the signal.
• Try to keep it away from exterior walls.

If you are using a stand-alone access point, it will be necessary to plug that access point into a port on your Ethernet router. If your router has a wireless access point built-in, then you’re good to go.

When configuring your access point or router, you will usually do so via your web browser. You will type in an IP address in your web browser (provided in the manual) and you will access the configuration settings. The layout of configuration is different depending on which brand of hardware you are using. I will cover router settings in more detail later, however there are certain key settings you will need to configure for your wireless network:

• Password. Set up a password to protect your network configuration. Too many people leave their access information default for the hardware. Anybody within range of your wireless network who knew the common IP addresses and logins would then be able to get into your configuration settings.
• SSID. This is the name for your network. You can call it anything you want. I definitely recommend changing it. It is an on-going joke to make fun of all the “linksys” networks out there simply because “linksys” is the default SSID on LinkSys routers and many people forget to change it.
• Channel. Select a channel for your network, between 1 and 11. Usually this will be pre-set to channel 6. Unless you experience interference (perhaps from a neighbor’s network), you can leave it as that. If you intend to install a second access point in your home, choose different channels for each.
• Encryption. This is the security feature for the network. During initial setup, I recommend leaving this disabled. When first getting everything set up, you do not want to introduce another element to go wrong – security. So, leave this disabled until you see that your network is functioning properly. Then, do not forget to go back and enable security.

On the computer you want to connect to the network, you will need to enter the SSID you chose so that Windows can connect to the network. Usually, the computer will detect the network and provide the “One or more wireless networks are available” dialog. Simply choose the SSID from the list and connect.

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