Each device on a wireless network needs a wireless adapter. Some of the devices connected to your network — such as laptops — may already have built-in Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) capabilities. If a device does not have built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, one solution is to add an external Wi-Fi adapter.
Connecting an external Wi-Fi adapter
Follow these steps to connect an external Wi-Fi adapter to your network:
1. Obtain an external adapter, such as the one shown in Figure 1, that is compatible with your computer.
Figure 1: Cardbus Wi-Fi cards are compatible with most laptops.
Most newer laptops have a cardbus slot that can accept a cardbus Wi-Fi adapter. Other wireless adapters can connect to a USB port or an Ethernet port.
2. Install the adapter's software as described by the manufacturer's documentation.
3. Connect the adapter to the appropriate port on your computer and then turn on the computer's power.
4. Log in to Windows.
5. In the resulting Found New Hardware Wizard, choose whether or not you want Windows Update to search for installation software for the card and then click Next.
If the card's installation CD isn't still in the CD-ROM drive, insert it at this time. If you have the card's installation CD, choose No, not This Time in the Found New Hardware Wizard.
6. On the next screen, choose the Install the Software Automatically option and then click Next to install the driver. (If you see a warning that the hardware hasn't passed Windows Logo testing, click Continue Anyway.)
7. Click Finish to close the Found New Hardware Wizard.
If you are using a cardbus-style Wi-Fi adapter in a laptop, remove the adapter when you are transporting the laptop. Leaving the adapter in the laptop's cardbus slot may damage it.
If you use a USB Wi-Fi adapter, make sure you connect it to a USB port directly on your computer, rather than a USB hub. Although connecting the adapter to a USB hub might work, the likelihood of configuration problems is greater.
Some external Wi-Fi adapters connect to an Ethernet port on your computer, rather than a USB port or Cardbus slot. Adapters that use an Ethernet port are actually called network bridges because they create a bridge between an existing network connection and your network.
Configuring the adapter software
Follow these steps to configure the adapter software:
1. Double-click the desktop icon for the adapter software.
In many cases, a Wi-Fi adapter's management software places an icon in the Windows system tray, which is the area in the lower-right corner next to the clock. You should be able to double-click the system tray icon to open the adapter software.
2. When the program opens, locate the screen that lists available networks.
3. If your network appears in the list, select it. If your network doesn't appear, click Add under Preferred Networks.
4. Enter the SSID for your network and choose encryption settings that match the settings used in your WAP.
5. Enter the network key (see Figure 2).
Figure 2: Set the SSID and network keys.
6. Click OK and view your network in the Preferred networks list (see Figure 3). Click the Refresh button if your network does not appear in the list of available networks.
Figure 3: Check for available networks.
Sometimes the Windows wireless connection utility does a better job of managing wireless connections than the software that comes with Wi-Fi cards. If you are unable to connect to your wireless network using the card's proprietary software, try using the Windows utility instead
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