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Computers & Hardware => Networking => Topic started by: nomeames on May 03, 2009, 12:29:46 PM

Title: Wireless home networking
Post by: nomeames on May 03, 2009, 12:29:46 PM

Hi, I am sorry if this is a repost. I didn't actually search the forum if this question is already posted.

I want to know about setting up a home wireless network. I have a Netgear DG834G router and 2 computers both using Win XP Pro. Is there a way I can connect wirelessly to the other computer? If yes, please can anyone give me a step by step guide how to do it. By setting up a wireless network, will I be comprmising with the security in any way?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Title: Re: Wireless home networking
Post by: HPsauce on May 03, 2009, 01:06:05 PM

It is in almost all respects the same as connecting with wires.
In essence, connect each computer to the router wirelessly or wired (it's irrelevant) and check you can connect to the internet OK from each. Job pretty much done.
Then you may well be able to see one from the other already. If not run the Network Setup Wizard on each and ignore the bit about creating a setup disk.
It works best if they are in the same workgroup, but if they are both XP Home edition they will both probably end up in MSHOME anyway by default.
Use help in windows to find out more about sharing resources and setting up the network, it's quite comprehensive.
Security is down to what wireless security you define in the router. WPA or WPA-2 is best if your PC's wireless cards support it.

Title: Re: Wireless home networking
Post by: nomeames on May 03, 2009, 02:20:41 PM

Thanks for the tip Hpsauce. Do I need to change any setting on the wireless router? I mean enabling anything thats not by default?

Title: Re: Wireless home networking
Post by: roseway on May 03, 2009, 03:41:29 PM

If you don't want other people pinching your bandwidth, you need to secure the wireless connections. By default the router will probably be set up with no security at all, or maybe with WEP (which isn't very secure). You need to go into the router setup and configure the wireless connection to use WPA or (best of all) WPA2 encryption. Which you choose depends partly on what the wireless interface on the PC is capable of - it will almost certainly support WPA-PSK but may not support WPA2, so choose the latter if you can, or WPA-PSK otherwise.

Title: Re: Wireless home networking
Post by: nomeames on May 03, 2009, 05:43:29 PM

Thanks roseway. it is set to WPA-PSK but there is no option to set it to WPA2. The next available option is WPA-802.1x. What if I set it to WPA-802.1x?

Title: Re: Wireless home networking
Post by: HPsauce on May 03, 2009, 06:00:37 PM

It won't work.  8)