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Setting up a Wifi network will allow all your computers (and any guests you want to share your network with) to get online without needing to plug in an ethernet cable. A wireless network can also make it easy to stream music and video to any device on the network. Still got some old PCs that don't have wireless cards? That's okay, most wifi routers have a few ethernet ports as well.
Before we get started building the network, you will need to purchase a wireless router, as well as some wireless network interface cards if your computers don't already have them built in.
Once you have your router the next step is choosing a good location. Try to install your router in a central location so that every room in your house is covered by the wifi signal.
To set up the network, follow these steps:
===Step 1: Connect Everything ===
Connect your existing modem to the wireless router using an Ethernet cable. This moves the internet connection from your modem, to the wireless router. Once that's done, plug your PC into the back of the router using the ethernet jacks. We'll need this connection to configure the wifi network.
===Step 2: Turning it on ===
Turn on your modem first, then the wireless router and finally the computer. The order is important since each successive device need to to detect the connection to the one that precedes it in the chain.
===Step 3 Set up the network===
Check the documentation that came with your wireless router for the default IP address used by the device. Launch your computer's Web browser and head to IP address of the router.
You should see a login window requiring a username and password. The default values should be in your router's documentation.
Once you've logged in, you'll see your router's settings page. The first step is make sure you change the default admin password so other users won't be able to login to the settings page and reconfiguring the router.
The next thing you'll probably want to do is changing the SSID value of the router. This is the name broadcasted by the router to identify it across the network. Chose a unique SSID name and save your changes (this will likely reboot the router).
===Step 3 Turn on encryption===
Right now your wifi network is up and running, but anyone can access it. If that doesn't bother you, then you're done. However, you might want to enable some sort of wifi encryption to protect your network and make sure that only trusted computers have access.
Different routers support different levels of encryption so what you use is up to you, though we should note that WEP encryption is trivially easy to defeat; you'll be much better off using WPA Personal or WPA Enterprise if your router supports it.
===Step 4 Connect===
Once you're happy with your settings, disconnect your PC and then head to your network settings tool and you should see your new wifi network listed under available networks. Select your network and type in your password (if you're using one) to connect.
==Future Outlook==
With more public wifi hotspots showing up everyday, the need for home networks is dwindling. The promise of wifi through electrical outlets could eventually eliminate the need for home networks -- streaming data from one PC to another will happen over the same wires that deliver power.
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