Setting Up Your Home Wireless Network - Computers - Networks

In today's technology-driven world, more and more demand for internet access is being observed each day. Homes that only a decade ago would have one computer, tops, now have at least one per resident. People are living out the majority of their lives on social networking websites. Even refrigerators can go online.

In such a world, it is no surprise that the demand for not only home internet access, but wireless internet, has grown so heavily. People want to be online all the time, and they want to be mobile. Xbox gaming machines, blu-ray players, and cell phones are all able to utilize the wireless connection to access online content, as well.

Setting up a wireless internet connection is easier than most people think. The required equipment is inexpensive, user friendly, and easy to find in stores and online. Before you can get started setting up your wireless connection, you will need:

* A home high-speed internet connection (cable, dsl, etc) * A wireless access point router (sometimes called just "wireless router") * At least one PC or laptop with a wireless network interface card

You can acquire these necessary pieces of hardware from just about any electronics store, as well as large department stores, such as Wal Mart or Target. There are many different types and brands available, but they are nearly all cross-compatible and a lot share the same internal hardware.

The core piece of equipment here is the wireless router. This is what translates your network traffic into a signal that can be transmitted wirelessly over radio waves. It also contains the transmitters and receivers that communicate with wireless devices. In addition to the wireless functions, the wireless router also handles IP routing, which is what allows multiple computers to "see" each other and share one high-speed internet connection.

To set up your wireless network, you need to attach power to the wireless router. Once the router is powered up (the lights will be on), you have to connect the network cable from the back of your Cable/DSL modem to the port on the wireless router labeled "WAN." This stands for Wide Area Network, and will allow your wireless router to access the internet.

Some wireless routers will require a few additional steps, so you should refer to the installation guide, which will walk you through naming your wireless network. At this point, you should be able to see your wireless network by looking for it on your PC or laptop equipped with a wireless network interface card. Once your network is set up and working, consider researching wireless security, to protect your wireless network from unwanted use.

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