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1.
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Purchase the equipment you need (as described in the
preceding
section).
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2.
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Install the network card(s) on your computer(s) and install the drivers for the card(s). Your network card should come with a disk with the driver as well as a program you can run to set up and install the driver. If the disk doesn't have an installation program, you can use Windows XP's Add New Hardware wizard to search for and install the driver. See Chapter 19, "Upgrading Your Computer" for more information on adding new hardware.
tip
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You can also find
cell
phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) that provide wireless access to the Internet. These also connect using radio signals. Note that only very few Web sites are available through these types of connections. They usually only include text (because of the connection speed, as well as the
size
of the display area). Finally, navigating may be more difficult using these devices because you don't have as many keys to use to scroll through information.
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3.
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Set up your hotspot. If your computers are already networked, you can simply add a Wireless Access Point (WAP) to that network. If you are setting up a new network, you need to buy and install a Wireless Access Point Router.
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4.
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Configure the network. In most cases, you simply need to
turn
on the WAP and your computer(s). On
newer
systems, the network cards will find and automatically connect to the network. If the automatic connection doesn't happen, you need to run the software for the card, searching for the network connection and then accessing the connection. Check the specific steps for your particular network card and WAP.
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