Wireless at Home

Wireless at Home
Section 1:
Benefi ts of Wireless
Essential Information
Wireless or ‘Wi-Fi’ Internet (Wi-Fi stands for wireless
fidelity) enables you to enjoy broadband without wires,
by transmitting your Internet connection as radio waves
to your computer. Wi-Fi enables you to surf the web
anywhere in your home and gives you the freedom to do
a lot more with your computer, such as:
• Browse the latest news online instead of buying a
newspaper.
• Take breakfast in the garden whilst listening to your
favourite radio shows online.
• In the kitchen, use your laptop to discover new
recipe ideas.
• Chat to your friends online in the lounge, kitchen
or study.
• Download a film and watch it anywhere in the
house.

Wireless Home Networks
Essential Information
With home Wi-Fi, you can connect your broadband service
to just one computer or to several. Wi-Fi is best with a
laptop, but you can also use it with a desktop computer.
Laptops
If you have just one laptop, Wi-Fi gives you the freedom
to go online anywhere in your home. If you have more
than one they can be connected together to share your
broadband connection.
Desktops
If you have a desktop computer and a laptop, Wi-Fi can
connect them together. For example, you may have a
desktop in the kids’ bedroom and a laptop in your study.
Wi-Fi can also connect two desktop computers together
if they are in different rooms of the house.
Networks
Connecting more than one desktop or laptop together
creates a ‘home network’. A home network allows each
computer to share the same folders, Internet connection
and even printer (Fig. 1). A home network is also called
a LAN (Local Area Network). They can be connected
using wires, but wireless home networks (or WLANs)
mean that you don’t have to hide network cables under
carpets or in walls.
Wireless Standards
Essential Information
To create a wireless home network you’ll need to buy
extra equipment (it can be found at any computer store).
But before you do so, you need to choose which wireless
standard to use. A wireless standard describes the type
of radio waves used to transmit your broadband signal
through your home. There are two home wireless
standards to choose from.
Wireless B
Also known as 802.11b, this is the most common standard
and is good for connecting together one or two computers.
This is the same standard used in coffee shops and airports
(see Chapter Eleven for more about wireless on the move).
However, you might find watching live video on your
laptop to be a little jerky.
Wireless G
Also known as 802.11g and five times faster than Wireless
B, this is a more recent standard and is great for watching
lots of live video. Choose this standard if you will be using
your laptop all over a big house, or if you’ll be connecting
several computers together and will often have people
using them simultaneously. If you, your partner and the
kids are all online at once, it won’t slow down the speed
of your network.
EXPERT TIP
Whether you go for Wireless B or Wireless G, buy
equipment with the same standard (and preferably
from the same manufacturer). If you buy Wireless G
equipment, it’s also compatible with Wireless B.
Section 4:
Two Ways to Go Wireless
You can create a wireless home network in one of two ways.
For each one you’ll need different equipment.
Ad-hoc
This is the easiest way to go wireless if you have two or
more computers. You’ll need at least one desktop computer
with broadband connected to your telephone or cable
service as normal using a modem. The desktop computer
then wirelessly connects to all the other computers in your
home. The other computers can be all laptops, desktops,
or a combination of the two. (Fig. 2).
All you need for an ad-hoc network is a wireless adapter
for your desktop and for each of your other computers
(wireless adapters are explained in Section 6 of this
chapter).
Infrastructure
This is the option to use if you don’t have a desktop
computer but have one or more laptops you wish to use
without wires. This requires a router. A router is a box
that takes the Internet connection from your modem and
converts it into radio waves to transmit throughout your
home (Fig. 3).
For this type of set up you’ll need a modem and a separate
router although you can use a combined modem/router
as shown in Fig. 3. You’ll also need wireless adapters for
each of your laptops.
Section 5:
Routers
Essential Information
A typical router looks like
the image in Fig. 4. There
are two types of router you
can buy depending on what
type of modem you have.
If you have an Ethernet or
USB modem you’ll need an
Ethernet or USB compatible
router to match.
Action 1
To find out which type of broadband modem you have,
look at the back of it. If it has a thin oblong slot about half
an inch wide or square in a similar shape to the outline
of a house, you have a USB modem. If it is square like
a telephone socket you have an Ethernet modem. Some
modems have both sockets (as in Fig. 5) so you can choose
whichever router you want.
If you need to buy a router you may want to consider
replacing your modem with a combined modem/wireless
router. Make sure you buy wireless equipment, as you can
also buy combined modem/routers for wired networks.
Ask your Internet provider if they can provide one when
you first sign up for broadband.
Section 6:
Wireless Adapters
Essential Information
You’ll need a wireless adapter for each of the computers
you’ll be connecting together. A router transmits your
broadband connection as radio waves and the wireless
adapter receives the incoming radio waves. You’ll also need
an adapter for your printer if you wish to share it amongst
all the computers in your network.
Action 1
Check first if you already have a wireless adapter in each
of your computers. Right click on the My Computer
icon on the desktop and then select Properties. Click the
Hardware tab and then the Device Manager button. If
you have a wireless adapter it will be listed in the Network
Adapters option. The majority of modern laptops come
with wireless adaptors built in as standard.
If You Don’t Have a Wireless Adapter
If you don’t already have a wireless adapter you’ll need to
buy some and fit them to each of the computers in your
home network. The type you buy will depend on whether
you have a laptop or a desktop computer.
Laptop
If you have a laptop
computer you’ll need a
wireless PC card. It’s a
small, flat credit-card sized
adapter (Fig. 6).
Desktop
If you have a desktop computer you’ll need either a
wireless PCI card (Fig. 7) or a USB wireless adapter
(Fig. 8). A wireless PCI card plugs into an empty expansion
slot in the back of your computer but you will have to
remove the outer case of your computer to connect it.
With supplied instructions it’s not too complicated but
for most people it’s a job for your local computer store.
It is better to get a USB wireless adapter. Plug this into a
spare USB socket on your computer so you don’t
have to open it up.
Connecting a Wireless Network
Once you have the right equipment, connecting everything
together should take less than half an hour. You need to
follow these four steps:
1. Install your router (if required).
2. Install your wireless adapters.
3. Configure your network.
4. Secure your network.
Section 8:
Installing a Router
You’ll need to do this if you’re setting up an infrastructure
network. If you wish to create an ad-hoc network or have
a combined modem/wireless router already installed, then
you can skip this step and go straight to Section 9.
Action 1
Plug your router into your modem. The cables that come
with your router will plug into either the Ethernet or
USB socket of your modem depending on which type
you have.
EXPERT TIP
To ensure your router’s signal can reach all parts of
your home, place it off the ground. If you have a large
house, place it somewhere central to ensure the best
signal. Avoid placing it next to metal doors, fi ling cabinets
or electronic devices that use radio waves such as
microwave ovens or cordless phones. They will all
interfere with your router’s signal.
Action 2
Next change the connection settings on each of the
computers in your network. Go to Start, Control
Panel then Network and Internet Connections and
then Network Connections. Double click the network
connection marked Local Area Connection and on
the General tab select Properties. A new window will
appear.
Action 3
In the General tab of this new window (Fig. 9) double
click on Internet Protocol from the drop-down list in
the centre of the window. Another new window will pop
up. Choose Obtain an IP address automatically (Fig.
10). Finally click OK twice to finish.
EXPERT TIP
With Windows XP, if you cannot see the Network and
Internet Connections link in Action 2, then you’ve
probably got your system set to Classic View. This is
the older style of Windows desktop. To change this to the
more user friendly Category View, click on Switch to
Category View in the top left of the window.
Action 4
Next you need to configure your router. In your router’s
user guide there will be a special web address (also called
an IP address). Go to any computer in your home network,
open the web browser and enter this address.
Action 5
When you are asked for a user name and password, enter the
user name and password from your router’s user guide.
Action 6
You should then see the router online set-up page (Fig. 11).
Here you must select the Internet Connection Type. For
most people this will be Obtain an IP automatically
(also known as Automatic Configuration). During set-up
you will need to enter the user name and password you
use to connect to your broadband service. Some Internet
providers require you to enter extra information to
complete the set-up page. If you have connection problems
with your router, you should contact your Internet
provider to ask if you need this extra information.
Installing Wireless Adapters
Action 1
Switch off your computer and plug in your wireless
adapter. Switch it back on and if you have Windows XP,
your computer will recognise the adapter and start the
Found New Hardware Wizard (Fig. 12).
Action 2
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation
automatically. If you have an older version of Windows you’ll
need to first insert the CD that came with your adapter and
install set-up software before plugging in the adapter.
Action 3
Repeat the above for each laptop or desktop computer in
your network.
Section 10:
Configuring an Ad-hoc Wireless
Network
Essential Information
If you’ve decided to create an ad-hoc wireless network and
you’ve installed all your wireless adapters, you now need to
configure your computers to talk to each other. Remember,
ad-hoc uses an existing desktop computer connected to the
Internet and shares the connection with other computers
in your home whether they be desktop or laptop.
Action 1
When you installed your wireless adapters you will
have been given the choice of using either an ad-hoc or
infrastructure network. Make sure you choose ad-hoc.
On each of your computers you can go back into the
software for your wireless adapter via the All Programs
menu in Windows to select ad-hoc, if you haven’t done
so already.
Action 2
Go to your existing desktop computer
which is connected to the Internet. In
the bottom of your screen you will see
the wireless connection icon (Fig. 13).
Right click your mouse over the icon and select Open
Network Connections.
Action 3
You’ll see a list of your Internet and network connections.
Right click over the one marked Wireless Network
Connection and choose Properties. Click on the
Wireless Networks tab (Fig. 14) and then press the
Advanced button near the bottom of the screen.
Action 4
Finally select Computer-to-computer (ad hoc)
networks only (Fig. 15). Make sure the box marked
Automatically connect to non-preferred networks
is not ticked.
Action 5
Click back on the Wireless Networks tab at the top of
the window and select Add.
Action 6
Give your network a name (Fig. 16). This is known as the
SSID or ‘Service Set Identifier’. Enter a name, for example
‘Peter Home Network’. Here you can also set security
options (these are discussed later in Section 13). Click
OK. You’ll see your new network listed with a red cross
next to it. This means you need to add other computer(s)
such as your laptop to complete the network.
Action 7
On each of your other computers right click the mouse
over the wireless connection icon (Fig. 13) and choose
View Available Wireless Networks. You should see your
new network name listed. Select it and click OK.
Action 8
Go back to the desktop computer you first set up and tell
Windows to share your Internet connection between all
the computers on your network. To do this, click on Start,
Control Panel then Network Connections. Select
your Internet connection and click on Change settings
of this connection from the list of Networks Tasks on
the left (Fig. 17).
Action 9
Select the Advanced tab and then tick the box that says
Allow other network users to connect through this
computer’s Internet connection (Fig. 18).
Action 10
You can now access the Internet wirelessly on any computer
in your network by opening your web browser.
Confi guring an Infrastructure Wireless
Network
Essential Information
For this, you will need a modem and router. Infrastructure
is also the option to choose if you have one laptop and want
to use it wirelessly around the house.
Action 1
If all the computers in your network have Windows XP you
can do this using the Wireless Network Setup Wizard.
This guides you through configuration and also lets you
add new computers to a wireless home network you may
have already set up. You’ll need to download Windows
Service Pack 2 or later, on each computer in order to use
the setup wizard. Service Pack 2 is an essential download
as it also includes important security patches for your
computer. Find out how to get it in Chapter Three.
Action 2
Once you’ve downloaded and installed Windows Service
Pack 2, go to a computer (preferably one already connected
to a printer) and click Start, Control Panel, Network
and Internet Connections and click on Wireless
Network Setup Wizard (Fig. 19).
Action 3
You’ll be asked to give your network a unique name
(known as the SSID or ‘Service Set Identifier’).
Action 4
Next the wizard will ask you how you want to set up your
network (Fig. 20). You’ll be given a choice of using a USB
flash drive or doing it manually.
Action 5
A USB flash drive (Fig. 21) is the easiest way to configure
a network and is a small disk drive the size of a keyring.
It plugs into the USB socket on your computer and can
store and upload files instantly. It’s
a handy way of carrying files around
in your pocket. Flash drives are
inexpensive and can be purchased
from all computer retailers.
Plug the drive into the USB socket on your computer
and follow the wizard’s on-screen instructions. The
configuration files for all the computers in your home
network will be downloaded to the flash drive. Plug it into
the USB socket on your router, each of your computers
and your printer (if required).
When you plug the flash drive into your router or
printer, the lights on it will flash to let you know it has
configured that device. When you plug it into each of your
other computers a pop-up window will appear. Select the
Wireless Network Setup Wizard and follow the onscreen
instructions.
Action 6
Finally plug the USB flash drive back into the first
computer on which you initially started the wizard and
follow the on-screen instructions. Your home network
will then be complete.
Manual Setup
If you don’t have a USB flash drive you can select to
configure your network manually. The wizard will then
print out a list of settings, or you can write them down.
The settings will include the name of your network and
any security codes.
All you need to do is go to the other computers in your
home network and right click your mouse over the wireless
icon at the bottom of your desktop screen. Choose View
available wireless networks (follow the instructions in
Section 4 of Chapter Eleven to do this). When you try and
connect you will be asked for a network key (Fig. 22). This
will be provided on the printout that the wizard created
for you. Enter the key to allow your other computers to
access your wireless home network.
EXPERT TIP
If your wireless connection stops working you can fi x it
by right clicking your mouse on the wireless connection
icon (Fig. 13) and selecting Repair.
Section 12:
Signal Strength
Action 1
The strength of your wireless signal decreases as you move
away from your router. The maximum range indoors is
approximately 100 metres. Once your network is running,
check the signal strength by right clicking on the wireless
connection icon at the bottom right of your screen and
selecting View available wireless networks. You’ll see
your wireless home network listed along with an indication
of the network’s signal strength (Fig. 23).
Carefully positioning your router will minimise signal
reduction, especially in large homes with lots of walls. If
the signal strength drops in the far corners of your home
you will need to buy a booster (also known as a ‘repeater’).
A booster simply plugs into an electrical plug socket in low
signal areas, and helps to boost the radio waves from your
router so they reach a greater distance. A good choice of
booster is the Linksys Range Expander (linksys.com).
EXPERT TIP
To extend the range of your wireless home network, you
can buy a router (or wireless laptop adapters) that has a
connector to which you can attach an external aerial. The
aerial is only small but will help boost the signal range.
Section 13:
Wireless Security
Essential Information
Many people go to the trouble of setting up a wireless home
network but don’t secure it. This means any neighbour o
passer-by in the street with a wireless laptop can find and
access your home network.
If you’re feeling generous you can leave it unsecured for
your neighbours to use. But if you’re using a broadband
service with usage limits, letting others gain access means
that you may reach your monthly limit more quickly.
More importantly, an unsecured network makes it easier
for hackers to access your computer.
There are five simple steps to get basic security on your
wireless home network:
Buy a Router with a Built-in Firewall
A firewall monitors traffic flowing from the Internet to
your home network. Check the product specifications of
your router to see if it has a built-in firewall. Alternatively
you can install a firewall on each of the computers in your
home network. See Chapter Three for more on this.
Change the SSID
Your router will have its own default name (SSID). Hackers
know what default manufacturer settings are, so you need
to change the SSID to prevent them gaining access.
Action 1
In your router’s set-up page (Fig. 11) change the SSID to
a different name.
Disable the SSID Broadcast
An SSID broadcast sends a signal to nearby computers to
tell them you have a wireless network, so it is important
to switch it off to keep your network hidden.
Action 1
In your router’s set-up page select Disable SSID
broadcast.
Change Your Router’s User Name and
Password
On your router set-up page it will also have a default user
name and password. Hackers know the default user names
and passwords.
Action 1
In your router’s administration or security page, enter
your own unique user name and password. You’ll find the
administration or security page during router setup (see
Section 8 of this chapter).
Enable WEP Security
WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy and you can ask
Windows XP to automatically turn it on. It encrypts your
wireless broadband signal to prevent anyone snooping
on it.
Action 1
To turn on WEP, tick the box that says Automatically
assign a network key (Fig. 19) when you start the
Wireless Network Setup Wizard.
EXPERT TIP
If you’ve had your router for a while you can update it by
downloading software (also known as ‘fi rmware’) from
the manufacturer’s website.
Section 14:
Advanced Wireless Security
Essential Information
Basic security will be fine for most homes. However, there
are three advanced security measures you can take if you
want to reduce the chances of anyone getting unauthorised
access to your home network.
Action 1
On every wireless device (such as your wireless laptop
adapter or router) find the ‘Media Access Code’ or MAC.
It looks just like a serial number and can be found on the
outer casing of each device. Next go to your router set-up
security page. The exact set-up page will vary depending
on which router you have. With a Linksys router, select
the button that says Permit only PCs listed below to
access the wireless network. Next click on the Edit
MAC Filter List button and enter each MAC code
(Fig. 24). This initiates what’s known as ‘MAC address
filtering’ or cloning. This means that your wireless home
network will only work with the devices that have those
specific MAC codes.
Action 2
You’ll also need to enter the MAC address for each of the
computers on your network. Click Start, Run then enter
‘command’ in the box and click OK. You’ll see a new
window with a black background. Next type ipconfig/
all and press the Enter key. You’ll see a list of network
information. Look for the line called Physical address.
That’s your computer’s MAC address. It will consist of
a series of numbers and letters.
Action 3
With basic wireless security, you can enable WEP on
your network. WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is a more
advanced form of encryption. When buying wireless
equipment, look to see if it is WPA enabled. If it is then
you can turn on advanced encryption by ticking Use
WPA encryption instead of WEP in the Wireless
Network Setup Wizard (Fig. 19).
EXPERT TIP
If you want advanced security with minimum fuss buy
software that will confi gure and secure your network
for you. Download the excellent ZoneAlarm Wireless
Security at zonealarm.com, or Wireless Home Network
Security at mcafee.com.
Section 15:
Other Wireless Devices
Essential Information
It’s not just computers and a printer you can connect
wirelessly. You can now buy Wi-Fi compatible devices for
your television and music system.
Television
Wireless television adapters allow you to watch video clips
or films from your computer on your television. The
NETGEAR Wireless Digital Media Player (netgear.co.uk)
is a good device to choose.
Music System
Wireless music adapters allow you to send tracks from
your computer and listen to them on your music system.
Choose a device such as the Linksys Wireless Media
Adapter (linksys.com).
You’ll also find home media systems that connect your PC
to both your TV and your music system. Try the Philips
Streamium (streamium.com).
Games Consoles
Consoles such as a Microsoft Xbox or PlayStation allow
you to play games against real people in real time over your
broadband connection. Visit playstation.com or xbox.com
to find out more.
Connecting Other Devices
Connecting these devices to your wireless network is the
same as with your computer. Each will come with set-up
software that allows you to configure them using either a
USB flash card or manually. They then connect to your
TV or music system using normal audio and video wires.
When buying equipment, Wireless B standard is fine for
music, but go for Wireless G for TV, to ensure betterquality
video.
Section 16:
Further Help
For further help and advice on wireless set-up and security
check out these useful websites:
About
compnetworking.about.com
D-Link
dlink.com/tutorial/wireless
Linksys
linksys.com/learningcenter
Microsoft
microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/default.
mspx
NETGEAR
netgear.com/applications
PC Pitstop
pcpitstop.com
Practically Networked
practicallynetworked.com
Section 17:
Other Ways to Go Wireless
There are two alternative ways to create a wireless network
in your home:
HomePlug Technology
If you have a large house with thick walls, getting a strong
wireless signal in the outer reaches of your home may be
troublesome. A solution to this problem is to use a mains
network kit.
This connects your router to your nearest electrical plug
socket and transmits your broadband connection using
the electrical wires that run through your home. Plug an
adapter (Fig. 25) into a socket in any other room and your
laptop will easily be able to pick up the signal. If you need
to move to a different room, unplug the adapter and plug
it in somewhere else.
EXPERT TIP
Try MicroLink’s dLAN Starter Kit (devolo.co.uk),
NETGEAR’s Wall-Plugged Ethernet Bridge (netgear.co.uk)
or the Instant PowerLine USB Adapter from linksys.com.
Wireless Broadband Providers
Instead of buying broadband from an Internet provider and
then converting it into radio waves in your home with a
router, you can buy radio wave broadband directly. A large
antenna transmits broadband throughout your local town
and into your home using radio waves.
However, such services are in limited areas and have a
maximum speed of around 1 Mb. Now (now.com) offers
this service in selected areas of the UK. Check your local
area to see if there’s a similar service near you.