With the amount of devices that include wireless connection abilities, more and more people are starting to explore setting wireless networks in their homes. Fortunatly, wireless routers and/or modems are becoming easier to find and set up. However, there are still those who have some difficulty setting up wireless networks, or just don't feel comfortable setting up one. This guide is mostly for those people.

What you'll need

To have wireless network, you will need these three items:
  • A wireless router/modem:
    Some Internet Service Providers (ISP's) provide modems that function as both modems and wireless routers. The usual sign that you have one is an antenna, but some models don't have antennas. You can also buy a wireless router from most electronic or computer stores that will connect to your modem via a network cable.
  • A computer connected to the wireless router/modem via a network cable:
    In order to set-up or change settings, a computer is needed that can connect to the wireless router/modem. The computer needs to connect via a network cable because most wireless routers/modems drop their wireless signal when changes are made. Having an actual physical connection such as a network cable will ensure that the computer will stay connected to the wireless modem/router.
  • A device that can connect to the wireless router/modem:
    This can be the same computer that you also have connected to the wireless modem/router. You can switch from wired to wireless, but will need to restart (or reboot) the computer each time you switch your connection type, which can be time consuming.
This guide is written in a way that assumes that you have a high-speed connection to the internet, such as DSL, Cable Broadband, or FiOS. But, you do not need one to create a wireless network.

One last thing I recommend is something to write with and something to write on. There will be a lot of important information, I always recommend writing it down. My personal recommendation is to tape this information to the bottom of your wireless modem/router. This is a list of what you will be writing down:
  • The username and password used to log into your modem/router's configuration utility
  • The address or way to get into your modem/router's configuration utility
  • Your SSID
  • The type of security your wireless network is using
  • The "Key" or "Passphrase" to log onto your wireless network


    • Your physical network setup

    The first thing you need to do is set up your network physically. For someone who is setting up their wireless network for the first time, I would recommend two different models. Before connecting anything, make sure that all devices are powered off.

    Model 1:
    1. You have a modem which connects to the internet either via a telephone wire or a coaxial (cable television) cable.
    2. Connected to that via a network cable is a wireless router.
    3. Connected to the wireless router via network cable is a computer.
    4. And (soon to be) connected via wirelessly to the wireless router is a wireless device, such as a laptop computer.


    Model 2:
    1. You have a modem that has built-in wireless capabilities and is connected to the internet either via a telephone wire or a coaxial (cable television) cable.
    2. Connected to the modem via network cable is a computer.
    3. And (soon to be) connected via wirelessly to the modem is a wireless device, such as a laptop computer.



    Starting the wireless router setup

    I'm going to assume that this is your first time setting up your wireless network. Power on all the devices on the network, except for the device that you will be connecting wirelessly. We do not need that on quite yet.

    We're going to log into the wireless router/modem. Depending on the brand and model of router/modem that you have, this step will vary. It will also vary on if the modem/router is brand new or not.
    • If the modem/router is brand new, then all you have to do is follow the setup utility that came with it. This is usually on a CD or floppy disc and directions will be in a pamplet. It should run a "wizard" that will guide you through setting up the wireless network.
    • If the device is not new, you can usually log into it using a web browser such as Internet Explorer (IE), Firefox, Safari, or Opera. If you have the manual that came with the device, it will tell you how to log into the device. If you cannot find that, then you can usually find the information on my website, or by searching the internet. If the modem/router you have is used and the default username and password does not work, you will need to wipe it's memory. You can do this by holding in the "Reset" button (usully located in the back) on the actual modem/router, usually for 10 seconds or less. This will clear everything out any settings on the modem/router, so be warned! Once you are able to access the modem/router's settings utility, find the wireless settings.

    Wireless terms

    Unfortunatly, due to all the different menus, I cannot walk you through step-by-step in setting up your wireless router/modem's configuration. But, what I can do is explain a few terms that you should run into, so you can make educated decisions on what to select. Some of these terms will vary, depending on what brand of wireless router/modem you are using.

    Like I noted earlier, I recommend you to write down information as you set it up. You will need to write these down exactly how they appear on the computer screen. The reason why is because you will need to use this information to set up your wireless device(s) to be able to connect to your wireless router/modem.
    SSID This is the name of your wireless network. Most wireless routers/modems use their brand name (like Linksys, 2Wire, Westell, etc.) as the default SSID. I would recommend you change this. The reason why is because it helps you know which wireless network is yours.

    I also recommend you make the SSID one word and do not include special characters. I have run into situations where using either more than one word and/or special characters (for example, "Bill's Network") caused issues for devices trying to connect.

    Another reason why I suggest changing your SSID from the default is for security purposes. Most modems/routers have a default username and password to log into the configuration utility, which if you know the brand, you can usually find that information on the internet. If a stranger is able to log into your modem/router's configuration utility, they can change the settings.
    DHCP This means that your wireless router/modem will assign an IP Address to any device (wired or wireless) that connects to it. Unless you know for certain that you have Static IP's, leave this set to "On" or "Use". If you do have Static IP's, then you will need more help setting up your wireless network than this guide will be able to provide you.
    Wireless mode This could refer to a number of things, but usually refers to the wireless speed. It can be set to "A", "B", "G", "N", or "Mixed" or some combination. Most devices on the market today use "B" or "G", with some newer ones using "N". If there is a "Mixed" or "B &G" or "B,G & N" mode, I would recommend that.
    Wireless security The choices usually here are "None", "WEP", and some forms of "WPA". I always recommend setting up some type of security, so you need to chose between "WEP" or "WPA". "WEP" is an older type of security, which will work with just about every wireless device. "WPA" is a newer security, which will work with most devices, but not all (like the Nintendo DS).
    Broadcast SSID If you chose to disable or turn off the broadcasting of your SSID, then it makes your wireless network "invisible" to those searching for wireless networks. The upside to this is that people will not see your wireless network when they are searching. The downside is that you will not see your wireless network if you search for it. That means that if you want to set up a wireless device to connect to your wireless network, then you will have to provide it with the SSID instead of letting it search for an access point.
    MAC Filtering This is added security to ensure that wireless devices cannot connect to your wireless network without your permission. Turning MAC Filtering on means that any device that you want to connect to your wireless router/modem will need to have it's MAC address added to a list. While this may sound like a good idea to keep people from stealing your wireless signal, it's actually a pain. I end up having issues with people stealing your wireless signal, I would suggest setting up WEP or WPA, setting your SSID to not broadcast, and then changing your SSID.