Wireless Home Networking - Index of

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Part III: Installing a Wireless Network
If Windows can’t find the driver, it may start the Found New Hardware
Wizard (or Add/Remove Hardware Wizard or even New Hardware
Wizard — it depends on which OS you’re using). If this does happen,
don’t panic. You can direct Windows to search the CD-ROM for the
drivers it needs, and they should be installed without issues (although
you may have to reboot again).
After you insert or install your wireless network adapter — and restart
the computer, if prompted to do so — the OS might prompt you to
configure the new adapter. In most cases the configuration is handled
through the OS automatically, but if it’s not, keep reading. If you just get
a message that your hardware is installed and ready to use, you can skip
Step 3 and move on.
3. If the software prompts you to configure the new adapter, you need to
make sure that the following settings, at minimum, match those of
your network’s wireless AP:
• SSID (network name or network ID): Most wireless network adapter
configuration programs display a list of wireless networks that are
in range of your adapter. In most instances, you see only one SSID
listed. If you see more than one, it means that one (or more) of
your neighbors also has a wireless network that’s close enough for
your wireless adapter to “see.” Of course, it also means that your
neighbor’s wireless adapter can see your network too. This is one
good reason to give your wireless network a unique SSID (network
name), and it’s also a compelling reason to use encryption.
• WPA2 passphrase (or WEP key): Enter the same key or
passphrase you entered in the AP’s configuration. We discuss this
concept in greater detail in Chapter 9.
• Device PIN: If your Wi-Fi gear supports the new WPS security configuration
system, you can skip entering the passphrase and just
enter the PIN for connecting to your AP. Typically the PIN is
located on a label attached to your network adapter. We discuss
WPS in greater detail in Chapter 9.
After you configure the wireless network adapter, the setup program
may announce that it needs to reboot the computer.
As a bonus, most wireless adapters — as part of their driver installation
package — include a bandwidth monitor. This handy tool is used to debug
problems and inform you of connection issues. Almost all these tools are
graphical and can help you determine the strength of the signal to your AP
device as well as the distance you can travel away from the device before
the signal becomes too weak to maintain a connection.