How to Set Up a Windows XP Home Network With a Wireless Broadband Router
- 1). Read the manuals that came with your computers or check the "Device Manager" section of the "Control Panel" menu to determine whether your computers have wireless networking abilities or only standard wired network cards.
- 2). Purchase either a wireless network card or a wireless network USB adapter if your computers don't already have wireless capabilities (see Resources below).
- 3). Plug the USB adapter directly into an open USB port on your computer if you bought one.
- 4). Unplug all of cables from the back of the computer if you purchased a wireless network card instead. Remove the case screws with a screwdriver, slide of the side panel. Insert the card into an open expansion slot on the motherboard. Put the side panel back on. Re-insert the screws and plug the computer back in.
- 5). Take the installation CD that came with the wireless router and put it into the CD drive on the computer located closest to your cable or DSL modem. Follow the instructions that will appear on the screen to complete the software installation process. Plug the router's power cable into a wall outlet and then connect an Ethernet cable from the outgoing port on your modem to the "WAN" port on the wireless router.
- 6). Navigate to the "Control Panel" on the computer where you installed the router software. Click on the icon that is marked as "Network and Sharing Center." Find the link on the top left side that says "Connect to a Network." Click on "Wireless Network."
- 7). Wait for the computer to locate your wireless router and then click on the name of the router when it pops up. Click on "OK" to connect. Repeat the connection process on the other computes on your network.