| You will never meet that 108mbps that most | | | | change your wireless channel to something other |
| wireless routers are saying to have but to come | | | | than channel 6. |
| close you will have to purchase a wireless adapter | | | | Next you need to choose the same type of |
| from the same manufacture. | | | | encryption you have chosen for your wireless |
| Installing your wireless adapter | | | | router or adater. Hopefully you have chosen |
| 1. Stick your adapter into your PCIMICA slot on | | | | WPA2-PSK with TKIP or AES encryption. |
| your laptop. Windows xp will automatically | | | | You might have to install the Microsoft update for |
| recognize the card and ask you for the driver. If | | | | WPA2 support for windows xp- click here |
| you are skilled at installing drivers then I | | | | You will Know if you have to install the update |
| recommend finding the driver manually not by | | | | because you will not see the option of WPA2. |
| using the manufacturers' software to install the | | | | Now enter you encryption key hit OK and you |
| driver. | | | | should be able to connect to your network. |
| If you use their disk installing program you will also | | | | Advance options |
| install a bunch of other crap that you don't need. | | | | Go back to you wireless adapters properties and |
| It will install wireless scanning software and | | | | lets take a look at some advance options. Options |
| wireless monitors that will just bogg down your | | | | will vary in name but not in general function. |
| system. | | | | 1. You should be on the general tab of the |
| 2. Now that you have your driver installed you | | | | wireless adpaters properties and click on the |
| should be able to scan for wireless networks. In | | | | configure button next to the name of the |
| the bottom right hand taskbar you will see a | | | | wireless adapter. |
| computer symbol with radio waves coming out of | | | | 2. Click on the advance tab, (warning some of |
| it. | | | | these setting can cause you to drain your laptop |
| This is apart of Microsoft's zero config wireless | | | | battery a lot quicker but it will improve |
| utility. This feature is good and bad because it will | | | | performance. |
| try to connect to any wireless network in range | | | | 3. First change your channel to 11 or the same as |
| and once you have connected to that network | | | | your wireless network. The default channel for |
| once it's available it will always try to connect. | | | | most wireless networks is 6. |
| This is bad because if you connect to a network | | | | 4. You can change you MAC address if want |
| called "Linksys" you will be connecting to a | | | | 5. If you want to reduce your power output you |
| unsecured network because this is the default | | | | can. This will most often be done for security |
| SSID of alll Linksys wireless routers. | | | | reasons to maks client positions so hackers can't |
| Connecting to wireless networks can be | | | | attack them. |
| dangerous because they could be a hackers | | | | 6. You will have some sort of powersave mode |
| rogue access point meant to collect password info | | | | or performance standard to either save battery |
| on you. | | | | life or concentrate on the most performance |
| 3. I assume you know which network you want | | | | 7. Roaming options of Maximizing Bandwidth or |
| to connect to so lets go to the your wireless | | | | distance - If you are really close to an access |
| adapters properties by clicking twice on the | | | | point and are downloading music then you will |
| wireless icon in the task bar and clicking | | | | want to maximize your band with. If you are not |
| properties. | | | | close to an access point then you will need to |
| Click on the wireless networks tab and click add. | | | | change it to distance. |
| Type in your SSID of you network. If this is your | | | | These are just some of the advanced options for |
| Home wireless network make sure you have | | | | your wireless adapter. Many people don't even |
| changed your SSID to something obscure and | | | | know they are there. |