How Do I Change From High Speed Internet to Wireless?

by James Wright
A wireless USB adapter connects to a router for wireless Internet access.

A wireless USB adapter connects to a router for wireless Internet access.

wireless image by Szymon Apanowicz from Fotolia.com

Wireless Internet is growing in popularity as broadband Internet becomes less expensive for home, office and personal use. Internet Service Providers provide users with the option to use wireless technology. Switching from a standard wired network to a wireless connection requires a router capable of broadcasting wireless signals to multiple computers.

Step 1

Purchase the necessary hardware to change your network to wireless. You will need a wireless router, which broadcasts the wireless signal your computers will connect to, and wireless adapter cards for all of your current computers. Note that your current router may have wireless capabilities, and your computers may already feature a wireless network adapter. Check with your Internet service provider and computer manufacturer to determine if you already have these capabilities.

Step 2

Access your wireless router's configuration settings. You can do this from a Web browser on a computer. How you access your router will vary, so check the router's manual. For example, to access a Linksys router, type "192.168.1.1" into your Web browser's address bar. For a 2WIRE router, enter "http://gateway.2wire.net."

Step 3

Access the wireless settings. Make sure that you have enabled a wireless network. This may appear as "SSID Broadcast." Enabling this creates the wireless access point that your computers will access. It is also recommended that you name your network and add a custom password to prevent unauthorized access to your wireless network.

Step 4

Connect your computers to the wireless network. If you have purchased and installed wireless network adapters, make sure you install the driver software necessary to use them. Select your network from the list of available wireless networks. This is usually done with your wireless adapter's software. Connect to the wireless network to begin surfing the Internet.

About the Author

Based in California, James Wright has been writing since 1998. Wright's articles have been published on various websites with a focus on technical fields such as computers and the Internet, and were also featured in a now-retired publication for an online artistic community. Wright studied English, journalism, politics and psychology at Riverside Community College.

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