Setting Up a Wireless Network

If you don't want to run all those cables, you need a wireless network. The setup is similar, but with some important differences.

How It Works

In a wireless network, the hub function is performed by a wireless router, sometimes called a base station or an access point. This device can make both wireless and wired connections; most base stations include four or more Ethernet connectors in addition to wireless capabilities.

As shown in Figure 8.2, you connect your main PC directly to the base station using an Ethernet cable. All the other PCs in your network can connect either wirelessly or via Ethernet.

Figure 8.2. Setting up a wireless network.

The wireless PCs on your network must be connected to or contain wireless adapters. These devices function as mini-transmitters/receivers to communicate with the base station. Wireless adapters can be small external devices that connect to the PC via USB, expansion cards that install inside your system unit, or PC cards that insert into a portable PC's card slot.

Many newer portable PCs come with wireless functionality built in. Intel's new Centrino chip set was designed around this mobile technology.

What You Need

Here's the specific hardware you'll need to set up your wireless network:

• Network interface card (one for the host PC)

• Wireless network adapters (one for each client PC)

• Wireless network router/base station (one for the entire network)

• One Ethernet cable (to connect your host PC to the wireless base station)

In addition, if you're connecting a broadband Internet modem to your network, you'll need to run a second Ethernet cable from the modem to the wireless base station. (See Chapter 21 for more details.)

Making the Connections

Just as when you're setting up a wired network, you should follow the instructions that come with your wireless base station to properly set up your wireless network. In general, however, here are the steps to take:

If your host PC has built-in Ethernet networking, you can skip steps 1 3.

1. Power down your main computer and remove the system unit case.
   
   

2. Install a network interface card into an open expansion slot.
   
   

3. Close up the case, reboot the computer, and run the NIC installation software.
   
   

4. Connect your wireless base station to a power source.
   
   

5. Run an Ethernet cable from your main computer to the wireless base station.
   
   

6. Run the network configuration utility (or Windows XP's Network Setup Wizard) on your main computer to set up your network.
   
   

   caution

   

   Most wireless networks include some sort of wireless security to prevent outsiders from tapping into your network computers and illicitly accessing your PCs and computer files. In many cases, this security consists of a rather long and involved encrypted password or security key that must be applied to each authorized computer. Make sure that you know where this setting is stored on your main PC so that you can write it down and enter it when prompted when configuring the other computers on your network.

7. Move on to the second computer in your network and install a wireless networking adapter either internally, via an expansion card, or externally via USB. (Or, if your second PC is a laptop, insert a wireless networking PC card.)
   
   

8. Run the installation software to properly configure the wireless adapter.
   
   

9. Run the network configuration utility on the second computer to connect it to your new network.
   
   

10. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for each additional computer on your network.
    
    

After you've connected all the computers on your network, you can proceed to connect your broadband modem, as well as configure any devices (such as printers) you want to share over the network. For example, if you want to share a single printer over the network, it connects to one of the network PCs (not directly to the router), and then is shared through that PC.