Wireless Broadband set-up guide
Wireless Broadband
Home wireless broadband internet technology, commonly know as WiFi, enables you to share your broadband connection with more than one computer or device without needing to install network cables throughout your home or office. This is a process known as "wireless networking", and it means you can be free to use the internet wherever you like within your home – whether that be on the sofa, at the kitchen table or in bed!
To set up a wireless network all you will need is a wireless router. Wireless routers can be purchased separately, from around £50 - £80, although a nifty perk of some providers is that these are now available for free as part of the annual broadband package.
Any computers or devices which you would like to connect to wireless broadband need to have an adapter - this is built in with nearly all new laptops / PC's, but can also be bought as a USB device from approximately £20.
Set up your Wireless Broadband
Luckily it should now be reasonably easy to setup wireless broadband – the main thing to remember is to follow the instructions carefully, and you should be OK!
If possible place your wireless router as close to the centre of your home / office as possible, so that the radio wave coverage is more likely to be inside the building.
Initially the wireless router needs to be connected to a laptop / PC in order to configure it – this is usually done through an admin control window in the internet explorer when you type in the IP address supplied in the router instructions (usually an 8-digit number). At this point you also enter the user name and password that have been supplied by your broadband provider, and away you go!
The wireless broadband will now be configured automatically, but remember to set up security for your network.
Secure your wireless network
Wireless broadband works by sending information over localised radio waves. This means that anybody who has a receiver and is within the radio coverage can access the wireless network. It's worth getting this security bit sorted out. If others gain access to your wireless connection (which is a crime in itself), they could potentially access your computer too.
It is therefore highly advisable to change the administrative password on your wireless router to a secured password. It is ideal to have a 128-bit WEP encryption for the wireless network (don't worry if you have no idea what this means – it's basically just a really long password!), and if your equipment does not support this then it could be better to replace it.
Now you should be free to use the internet from your laptop anywhere in the house. It's great for families as kids can surf in their rooms, and everyone can get a connection at the same time (no more arguments or waiting to check emails!). If you're interested in packages with a free wireless router, checkout BT, AOL and PlusNet on Broadband Genie.
