Win7 How to set up a wireless network?

Windows7 's Wireless network Setup Tutorial: Imagine sitting on the couch in your living room surfing the web, chatting with friends online comfortably in bed at night, or sending documents from your computer to your Home Office printer in the kitchen.

Wireless networking is a great convenience for networking flexibility, and setting up a wireless network is easier than you think.

This article introduces you to the steps to set up and start using a wireless network.

Get the right equipment

You need to have the following devices to set up a wireless network:

Broadband Internet connection and modems

A broadband internet connection is a high-speed Internet connection relative to a dial-up connection, a slow dial-up connection, and a wireless network is not supported.

Digital subscriber Lines (DSL) and cables are the two most common broadband connections.

You can obtain a broadband connection by contacting your Internet service provider (ISP).

Usually, the ISP that provides the DSL is the telephone company, and the ISP that provides the cable is the cable TV company.

ISPs usually provide a broadband modem and are even responsible for installing it for you.

Some ISPs also offer a combination of modem/wireless routers.

You can also find these devices in your computer or electronics store.

Wireless router

Routers are used to send information between your network and the Internet.

With a wireless router, you can connect your computer to the network using a radio signal, rather than a wired signal.

There are several different types of wireless networking technologies, including 802.11A, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n.

We recommend using a router that supports 802.11g or 802.11n because both routers are faster and can provide a strong wireless signal.

Wireless network adapter

If your computer requires a wireless network adapter, you can purchase it from your computer or electronics store and install it yourself.

It is best to select Universal Serial Bus (USB)-type adapters because they are small, easy to install, and can be moved to other computers.

Be sure to purchase the same adapter as the wireless router type.

The adapter type is usually labeled on the box, typically using a letter mark, such as G or a.

Placement of wireless routers

Secure your wireless network

Security is always important, and it is even more important when using a wireless network, as the network signal may be transmitted outside the home.

If you do not secure your network, users who use your computer nearby may be able to access information stored on your network computer and use your Internet connection to surf the Internet.

To protect your network, do the following:

Protect your router by changing the default user name and password.

Most router manufacturers set a default user name and password on the router and set the default network name.

Some users may use this information to access your router if you do not know it at all.

To avoid this risk, change the default user name and password for your router.

Please check the information that came with your device for instructions.

Set the security key for the network. Like a file cabinet with a key, a safe with a password, a wireless network helps protect the network from unauthorized access through a network security key.

To set up your network security key, follow these steps:

Open Network and Sharing Center by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type Network, and then click Network and Sharing Center.

Click Set up a new connection or network.

Click Set up a new network, and then click Next.

The wizard will guide you through the creation of a network name and security key.

If your router supports it, the wizard will use Wi‑fi security access (WPA or WPA2) security by default.

We recommend that you use WPA2 as much as possible because it provides greater security than WPA or Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP).

You can also use passwords in WPA2 or WPA, so you don't have to remember the encryption sequence of letters and numbers.

Make a note of your security key and save it in a secure location.

You can also follow the instructions in the wizard to save the security key on a USB flash drive.

Use a firewall. A firewall is a kind of hardware or software that can help protect your computer from hackers or malicious software attacks.

Running a firewall on each computer in your network helps control the spread of malicious software across your network, while also helping to protect your computer while you are accessing the Internet.

Windows Firewall is included in this version of Windows.

To add a computer to a network

To connect a portable computer or a desktop computer to your wireless network, follow these steps:

Open connect to network by right-clicking the network icon (or) in the notification area.

In the list of networks, click the network that you want to connect to, and then click Connect.

Enter the security key.

You can type a key, or you can insert a USB flash drive that contains a security key into a USB port on your computer.

Share files and Printers

Most users use wireless networks to access the Internet from any room in their home, but they also want to be able to freely access files and printers over a wireless network.

The easiest way to share files on a network is to set up shared homegroup.

If you do not have a homegroup, you can share the files in one of the public folders.

Any files or folders that you put into a public folder are automatically shared with users who are connected to your network.

To enable public folder sharing, follow these steps:

Open advanced sharing settings by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type network, click Network and Sharing Center, and then click Change advanced sharing settings in the Navigation Pane.

Click the chevron icon to expand the current network configuration file.

Under Public folder sharing, click one of the following options:

Enable sharing so that users who can access the network can read and write files in public folders

Turn off public folder sharing (users who are logged on to this computer still have access to these folders)

Click Save Changes. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

You need to repeat these steps for each computer from which you want to share files.

To share files, save or copy them to a public folder on your computer.

Each type of library (documents, music, videos, and pictures) has a public folder.

These folders can be shared by each user who has a user account for the computer.

For example, open the Public Documents folder:

Open the document library by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Documents.

In the Navigation Pane, under Libraries, double-click Documents, and then double-click Public Documents.

Windows7 Operating system shared printer

Under File and Printer sharing, click Open File and Printer sharing, and then click Save Changes.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

If you turn on key-protected sharing, users need to enter a user account and password on the computer to access the printer.

To access the printer from any computer on the network, follow these steps:

Open Network by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type Network, and then under Network and Sharing Center, click View network computers and devices.

Double-click the icon for the computer that is connecting the printer.

Double-click the printer icon. Windows automatically adds the printer to your computer and installs the printer driver.

Now that everything is ready, you can use the wireless network at all times.

You can relax on the sun loungers or outside on the balcony while browsing the web, emailing or shopping online.

If you have a computer that is connected to a printer, you can print to it from any computer that is connected to the wireless network.

The easiest way to share a printer is to select the Printers check box when you set up a homegroup.

If you do not have a homegroup, you can do this by following these steps:

Log on to the computer that is connecting the printer.

Open advanced sharing settings by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type network, click Network and Sharing Center, and then click Change advanced sharing settings in the Navigation Pane.

Click the chevron icon to expand the current network configuration file.

A network adapter is a device that connects a computer to a network.

To connect a portable computer or desktop computer to a wireless network, the computer must have a wireless network adapter.

Most laptops and many desktop computers have a wireless network adapter installed.

To check to see if your computer has a wireless network adapter, follow these steps:

Click the Start button, Control Panel, System and security, and then, under System, click Device Manager to open Device Manager.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

Double-click Network adapters.

Look for a network adapter with a "wireless" name in it.

Imagine sitting on a couch in your living room surfing the web, or lying in bed comfortably at night chatting with friends online, or sending documents from your computer to your Home Office printer in the kitchen.

Wireless networking is a great convenience for networking flexibility, and setting up a wireless network is easier than you think.

This article introduces you to the steps to set up and start using a wireless network.

Get the right equipment

You need to have the following devices to set up a wireless network:

Broadband Internet connection and modems

A broadband internet connection is a high-speed Internet connection relative to a dial-up connection, a slow dial-up connection, and a wireless network is not supported.

Digital subscriber Lines (DSL) and cables are the two most common broadband connections.

You can obtain a broadband connection by contacting your Internet service provider (ISP).

Usually, the ISP that provides the DSL is the telephone company, and the ISP that provides the cable is the cable TV company.

ISPs usually provide a broadband modem and are even responsible for installing it for you.

Some ISPs also offer a combination of modem/wireless routers.

You can also find these devices in your computer or electronics store.

Wireless router

Routers are used to send information between your network and the Internet.

With a wireless router, you can connect your computer to the network using a radio signal, rather than a wired signal.

There are several different types of wireless networking technologies, including 802.11A, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n.

We recommend using a router that supports 802.11g or 802.11n because both routers are faster and can provide a strong wireless signal.

Wireless network adapter

If your computer requires a wireless network adapter, you can purchase it from your computer or electronics store and install it yourself.

It is best to select Universal Serial Bus (USB)-type adapters because they are small, easy to install, and can be moved to other computers.

Be sure to purchase the same adapter as the wireless router type.

The adapter type is usually labeled on the box, typically using a letter mark, such as G or a.

Placement of wireless routers

Secure your wireless network

Security is always important, and it is even more important when using a wireless network, as the network signal may be transmitted outside the home.

If you do not secure your network, users who use your computer nearby may be able to access information stored on your network computer and use your Internet connection to surf the Internet.

To protect your network, do the following:

Protect your router by changing the default user name and password.

Most router manufacturers set a default user name and password on the router and set the default network name.

Some users may use this information to access your router if you do not know it at all.

To avoid this risk, change the default user name and password for your router.

Please check the information that came with your device for instructions.

Set the security key for the network. Like a file cabinet with a key, a safe with a password, a wireless network helps protect the network from unauthorized access through a network security key.

To set up your network security key, follow these steps:

Open Network and Sharing Center by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type Network, and then click Network and Sharing Center.

Click Set up a new connection or network.

Click Set up a new network, and then click Next.

The wizard will guide you through the creation of a network name and security key.

If your router supports it, the wizard will use Wi‑fi security access (WPA or WPA2) security by default.

We recommend that you use WPA2 as much as possible because it provides greater security than WPA or Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP).

You can also use passwords in WPA2 or WPA, so you don't have to remember the encryption sequence of letters and numbers.

Make a note of your security key and save it in a secure location.

You can also follow the instructions in the wizard to save the security key on a USB flash drive.

Use a firewall. A firewall is a kind of hardware or software that can help protect your computer from hackers or malicious software attacks.

Running a firewall on each computer in your network helps control the spread of malicious software across your network, while also helping to protect your computer while you are accessing the Internet.

Windows Firewall is included in this version of Windows.

To add a computer to a network

To connect a portable computer or a desktop computer to your wireless network, follow these steps:

Open connect to network by right-clicking the network icon (or) in the notification area.

In the list of networks, click the network that you want to connect to, and then click Connect.

Enter the security key.

You can type a key, or you can insert a USB flash drive that contains a security key into a USB port on your computer.

Share files and Printers

Most users use wireless networks to access the Internet from any room in their home, but they also want to be able to freely access files and printers over a wireless network.

The easiest way to share files on a network is to set up shared homegroup.

If you do not have a homegroup, you can share the files in one of the public folders.

Any files or folders that you put into a public folder are automatically shared with users who are connected to your network.

To enable public folder sharing, follow these steps:

Open advanced sharing settings by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type network, click Network and Sharing Center, and then click Change advanced sharing settings in the Navigation Pane.

Click the chevron icon to expand the current network configuration file.

Under Public folder sharing, click one of the following options:

Enable sharing so that users who can access the network can read and write files in public folders

Turn off public folder sharing (users who are logged on to this computer still have access to these folders)

Click Save Changes. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

You need to repeat these steps for each computer from which you want to share files.

To share files, save or copy them to a public folder on your computer.

Each type of library (documents, music, videos, and pictures) has a public folder.

These folders can be shared by each user who has a user account for the computer.

For example, open the Public Documents folder:

Open the document library by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Documents.

In the Navigation Pane, under Libraries, double-click Documents, and then double-click Public Documents.

Windows7 Operating system shared printer

Under File and Printer sharing, click Open File and Printer sharing, and then click Save Changes.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

If you turn on key-protected sharing, users need to enter a user account and password on the computer to access the printer.

To access the printer from any computer on the network, follow these steps:

Open Network by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type Network, and then under Network and Sharing Center, click View network computers and devices.

Double-click the icon for the computer that is connecting the printer.

Double-click the printer icon. Windows automatically adds the printer to your computer and installs the printer driver.

Now that everything is ready, you can use the wireless network at all times.

You can relax on the sun loungers or outside on the balcony while browsing the web, emailing or shopping online.

If you have a computer that is connected to a printer, you can print to it from any computer that is connected to the wireless network.

The easiest way to share a printer is to select the Printers check box when you set up a homegroup.

If you do not have a homegroup, you can do this by following these steps:

Log on to the computer that is connecting the printer.

Open advanced sharing settings by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel.

In the search box, type network, click Network and Sharing Center, and then click Change advanced sharing settings in the Navigation Pane.

Click the chevron icon to expand the current network configuration file.

A network adapter is a device that connects a computer to a network.

To connect a portable computer or desktop computer to a wireless network, the computer must have a wireless network adapter.

Most laptops and many desktop computers have a wireless network adapter installed.

To check to see if your computer has a wireless network adapter, follow these steps:

Click the Start button, Control Panel, System and security, and then, under System, click Device Manager to open Device Manager.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

Double-click Network adapters.

Look for a network adapter with a "wireless" name in it.

Note Place the wireless router in a position where the signal is strongest and the interference is minimized.

To get the best results, follow these tips:

Place the wireless router in a central location. Place the router as close to the residential center as possible to increase the intensity of the wireless signal in the house.

The wireless router should be placed off the ground and away from walls and metal objects (such as metal file cabinets).

The fewer physical obstructions between the computer and the router signal, the more likely it is to use the full signal strength of the router.

Reduce interference. The 802.11G network device uses 2.4 GHz RF.

This frequency is the same as most microwaves and many cordless telephones.

If you turn on the microwave or use a cordless phone to answer the phone, the wireless signal may be temporarily interrupted.

Most of these problems can be avoided by using cordless telephones with higher frequencies, such as 5.8 GHz.

Note Place the wireless router in a position where the signal is strongest and the interference is minimized.

To get the best results, follow these tips:

Place the wireless router in a central location. Place the router as close to the residential center as possible to increase the intensity of the wireless signal in the house.

The wireless router should be placed off the ground and away from walls and metal objects (such as metal file cabinets).

The fewer physical obstructions between the computer and the router signal, the more likely it is to use the full signal strength of the router.

Reduce interference. The 802.11G network device uses 2.4 GHz RF.

This frequency is the same as most microwaves and many cordless telephones.

If you turn on the microwave or use a cordless phone to answer the phone, the wireless signal may be temporarily interrupted.

Most of these problems can be avoided by using cordless telephones with higher frequencies, such as 5.8 GHz.