Setup Wireless Network in Windows XP

Windows provides the Wireless Network Setup Wizard that will take you step by step through the process of setting up a wireless network. A wireless network allows computers to share information on a network using radio signals instead of cables to transmit information.

Wireless networks are useful when computers are located where cables are not practical or economical. Wireless networks also allow notebook computers to access a network from many locations in a home or office.

Wireless networks are much easier for unauthorized people to access compared to wired networks. When setting up a wireless network, Windows will automatically assign a network key, or password, to your network to help prevent outsiders from accessing your network. A network key encrypts, or scrambles, data transmitted over a network. You can use a Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) network key or choose a more secure network key, known as a Wireless Protected Access (WPA) key, that provides stronger network security. Some devices on a network do not support a WPA network key.

Equipment Needed

Wireless Network Card
To set up a wireless network, each computer requires an internal wireless network card or an external wireless network adapter. A wireless network card or adapter allows computers on a wireless network to communicate using radio signals.

Wireless Access Point
You will also need a wireless router or wireless access point, which is a device that uses radio signals to transmit and receive data between computers on a network. To set up a wireless network using the steps below, you need a wireless router or wireless access point that supports the Windows Connect Now feature.

USB Flash Drive
You will also need a flash drive, which is a small, portable, lightweight storage device that plugs into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port on a computer. You will use the flash drive to transfer your network settings to each computer and device on your network. A flash drive is also known as a USB key. When setting up a wireless network, you can use a flash drive, or USB key, to transfer your network settings to all the other computers and devices on your network. Using a flash drive provides the easiest way to set up a wireless network.

You will need to plug your flash drive into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port on your computer. Once plugged in, Windows can save the network settings on the flash drive. You then plug the flash drive into your wireless router or access point and then into each computer and device that you want to add to your network. When you are done, you need to plug the flash drive back into your computer to finish setting up the network.

When you close the wizard, the wizard will remove the network settings from your flash drive for security reasons. If the network settings are not removed from the flash drive, unauthorized people could use the flash drive to add their computers to your network without your knowledge.

Sharing Internet Connection

You can share an Internet connection on a wireless network. If you use a wireless router on your network, you can connect an Internet connection device, such as a cable modem or Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), directly to the router. Once connected, all the computers on the network will be able to use the device to connect to the Internet. If you use a wireless access point that does not have built-in router capabilities on your network, you can connect an Internet connection device directly to one computer on your network to share the Internet connection.

After you set up a wireless network, you should run the Network Setup Wizard on each computer on your network. The Network Setup Wizard allows you to turn on file and printer sharing for each computer on the network to enable the computers to share files and printers. To run the Network Setup Wizard, click start, All Programs, Accessories, Communications, Network Setup Wizard and then follow the steps on the screen.