Good Wifi routers can be found for less than $100 dollars. They work just like a standard router, but provide the added capability of wireless networking. The Netgear WGT624 Super G is a good Wifi router with great coverage and can be found on Amazon for around $60.00.
Many newer laptops come with built-in Wifi capabilities. If your laptop is not equipped with wifi, you can add a PCMCIA card, or a usb wifi adapter. Most desktops do not come with Wifi built in so you will also need to add a usb adapter or PCI card to any desktop that you want to add wireless networking to.
You may see a list of Wifi standards such as 802.11a,b,g. G is the currently the top certified choice but the new N standard may be approved as early as this year. Most newer products are backwards compatible with all of the available standards. If you want to get a jump of the new N standard (which should be faster and cover greater distances), you can find routers available with the Pre-N designation. However, most people will be more than happy with a backwards compatible G standard.
The router you purchase should come with its own installation CD that will guide you through the setup process. Here are some of the key things to keep in mind.
- Your network will need a name: Pick something catchy that only you would know.
- You'll need to set up security or anyone can access your network. Most routers give you a choice between WEP and WPA. Although neither are completely secure, your best bet is to go with WPA. You will need to create a key and write it down in a safe place. Anyone who wants to access your network will need to enter this key.
- You may want to turn off the broadcasting of your network name as an added security measure. Any computer that wants access to your computer will first need to know the name of your network.
- You can also control access to your network by individual MAC addresses (a computer's unique id). You can restrict access of your network to specific MAC addresses.
- To connect to the Internet via a Wifi connection, make sure that you run an ethernet cable directly from your cable or dsl modem to your wireless router.
- In order to share files, you will need to run the windows wireless network setup wizard. After you run the wizard, save the setup file on a usb drive (you will be given this option) and use the usb drive to run the wizard on every computer that you want to set-up on your network.
- If you want to share a printer, you can install the printer on any computer set-up on your network and print through that computer as long as it is turned on. Go to Control Panel -> Printers and Faxes -> Add Printer -> A network printer -> and browse for a printer. Select the printer that is connected to your networked computer and finish the wizard. You should be able to print wirelessly through that computer.
- Your computer's network connections will either be managed by windows or by software included in your wireless laptop or networking card. You will use this program to connect to any network that you might want to access.