Download Wireless Networks for Dummies

Wireless Networks
for Dummies
or …
How to connect computers
without wires.
Roll Call
• How many of you have more than one
computer at home?
• How many of you connect to the Internet
using broadband (Cable or DSL)
• How many already have a home router?
• Already have a wireless router?
AGENDA
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The why, what, and how
Typical home network setup
The 4 steps
Detailed connection outlines (XP, Vista, 7)
Security
Quick overview
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Get broadband service
Make sure you have a DSL or Cable modem
Purchase wireless router
Connect devices
Configure devices
Configure and connect computers
Enjoy your new network
Lets take a quick look
http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/learningcenter
Why?
There are many advantages to having your
computer connect to the internet wirelessly
the most obvious being that with wireless
connectivity you are no longer confined by
cables. Another being that when building a
wireless home network you can easily connect
multiple PC's to that network. Obviously there
are also some disadvantages such as possibly
a slower transfer rate and security issues.
What?
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
(ISP) or none of this is possible!
(Windstream, Time Warner, etc.) They will provide a modem that will allow you to connect your
wireless network to the internet
The first step to creating a wireless home network is
purchasing a router. A few points to consider when making
this purchase is your price range, the reliability of the
device, speed, and compatibility. Once you have found the
perfect model, go ahead and familiarize yourself with your
new router carefully reading its accompanying
documentation.
I would also suggest locating your router in a central part of your home so that the distance from
your PC's to your router is relatively short this will give you the best possible rate of speed.
Click on the link below for information concerning purchasing a wireless router
http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/learningcenter
How?
Now plug the router into a power source and
follow the documentation to prepare it for
internet hookup. Once this is completed we can
turn our attention to preparing the computer or
computers. Depending on the age and model of
your computer you may be required to purchase
a PCI or PCMCIA card (Notebooks usually use PCMCIA)
in order to connect wirelessly follow the
documentation of the card to install it correctly
also it is possible to connect through a USB
adapter for a much lower price
How did you say?
From this point we can begin physically
connecting our network the steps for the physical
install will vary depending on what type of ISP
you are using, For instance if using a cable or DSL
modem you can simply take the Ethernet cable
that came with your router and connect one end
to the back of the cable/DSL modem and the
other to the wireless access point (router). Power
the access point on and your modem off wait at
least 10 seconds and then repower the modem.
Ohhh now I see
If a CD or DVD came with your wireless router
now would be a good time to run the software.
Make sure to follow the directions exactly. It is
imperative that you read the documentation
carefully and configure the router accordingly
paying careful attention to the security
configuration.
Finally connect to the internet to make sure you
have connectivity and enjoy your new wireless
lifestyle.
A typical Home network
Internet – ISP
Wire to home
Modem
Translates electronic data
Router
Disperses electronic data
Network Adaptor
Required for each Computer
Wired
NIC (network interface card) or
ethernet card
Wireless
Wireless Adaptor
A note about Firewalls
Internet
Firewall
Home
Network
1.
Checks incoming traffic from the network before it gets to your home network …. default – Blocks all Incoming
connections
2.
Traffic leaving your home network … default - Allow all outbound connections
3.
Hardware firewalls protect you home network by stop all traffic before it get to your computers
4.
Personal software firewall on your computer blocks incoming and outgoing (lets you know what is leaving your
computer)
Typical Firewall page on Router
Typical Firewall page on Router
Firewall Protection
Enable this feature to employ Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) for more detailed review of data packets entering your network environment.
Internet Filters
Filter Anonymous Internet Requests
When enabled, this feature keeps your network from being "pinged", or detected, by other Internet users. It also reinforces
your network security by hiding your network ports. Both functions of this feature make it more difficult for outside users to
work their way into your network. This feature is enabled by default. Select Disabled to allow anonymous Internet requests.
Filter Multicast
Multicasting allows for multiple transmissions to specific recipients at the same time. If multicasting is permitted, then the Router will allow IP multicast packets to be forwarded to the
appropriate computers. Select Enabled to filter multicasting, or Disabled to disable this feature.
Filter Internet NAT Redirection
This feature uses port forwarding to block access to local servers from local networked computers. Select Enabled to filter Internet NAT redirection, or Disabled to disable this feature.
Filter IDENT (Port 113)
This feature keeps port 113 from being scanned by devices outside of your local network. Select Enabled to filter port 113, or Disabled to disable this feature
Web Filters
Web Filters
Using the Web Filters feature, you may enable up to four specific filtering methods.
Proxy
Use of WAN proxy servers may compromise the Router's security. Denying Proxy will disable access to any WAN proxy servers. To enable proxy filtering, click the Proxy box.
Java
Java is a programming language for websites. If you deny Java, you run the risk of not having access to Internet sites created using this programming language. To enable Java filtering, click the
Java box.
ActiveX
ActiveX is a programming language for websites. If you deny ActiveX, you run the risk of not having access to Internet sites created using this programming language. To enable ActiveX filtering,
click the ActiveX box.
Cookies
A cookie is data stored on your PC and used by Internet sites when you interact with them. To enable cookie filtering, click the Cookies box.
You can use a wireless network
to share Internet access, files,
printers, and more. Or you can
use it to surf the Web while
you're sitting on your couch or in
your yard. Plus, it's easier to
install than you think.
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Choose equipment
Connect Router
Configure Router
Connect computers
Step 1 – Choose your wireless equipment
The first step is to make sure that you have the
equipment you need. As you're looking for
products in stores or on the Internet, you might
notice that you can choose equipment that
supports three different wireless networking
technologies: 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g.
I recommend 802.11g, because it offers excellent
performance and is compatible with almost
everything. What about 802.11n?
What the A/B,G,N, dual band, MIMO??
Wireless-A (802.11a/b)
•
802.11a operates at the frequency of 5 GHz, which is less crowded than 2.4 GHz where telephones and microwaves may
cause interference. Although the speed is up to 54 Mbps, the range is only up to 75 feet. Wireless-A is incompatible with
Wireless-B, -G and -N because it operates at a different frequency.
•
Wireless-b –(802.11b) supports bandwidth up to 11 Mbps, comparable to traditional Ethernet. 802.11b uses the same
unregulated radio signaling frequency (2.4 GHz) as the original 802.11 standard. Vendors often prefer using these
frequencies to lower their production costs. Being unregulated, 802.11b gear can incur interference from microwave ovens,
cordless phones, and other appliances using the same 2.4 GHz range. However, by installing 802.11b gear a reasonable
distance from other appliances, interference can easily be avoided.
Pros of 802.11b - lowest cost; signal range is good and not easily obstructed
Cons of 802.11b - slowest maximum speed; home appliances may interfere on the unregulated frequency band
Wireless-G (802.11g)
•
Features the same benefits as Wireless-B, but offers up to five times the speed at up to 54 Mbps. You can mix Wireless-B
with Wireless-G equipment, but you will lose the higher performance speeds of Wireless-G.
Wireless-N (802.11n)
•
The next generation of high-speed wireless networking, capable of delivering the range and capacity to support today's most
bandwidth-hungry applications like streaming high definition video, voice, and music. Wireless-N is based on MIMO
(Multiple Input, Multiple Output) technology, which uses multiple radios to transmit multiple streams of data over multiple
channels.
Dual Band
•
Dual-band routers work on both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. Some dual-band routers work on one band or the other
but not both at the same time. Other dual band routers use both radio bands simultaneously, reducing interference and
providing more bandwidth for media intensive applications like streaming video.
What do I need???
Shopping list
• Broadband Internet connection
• Wireless router
• A computer with built-in wireless networking
support or a wireless network adapter
You need a Cable/DSL Modem
• Modem (modulator/demodulator)
– encodes/decodes information transmitted to the internet
• Usually provided and controlled by your ISP
• Connects your home to the Internet.
• This is the device that gets your public IP (internet
protocol) address
• Normally has no firewall protection
You need a wireless router
The router converts the signals coming across your Internet
connection into a wireless broadcast, sort of like a cordless
phone base station. Be sure to get a wireless router, and not a
wireless access point.
•Connects one network to another … Sometimes called a “Gateway”
•Connects your computer to the internet (cable modem or DSL Line)
•Keeps LAN traffic local
•Routers keep track of IP addresses and physical (MAC) addresses of hosts
IP (Internet Protocol) address … your computers internet address
MAC (Media Access Control) … id for each physical communication device
Each computer needs wireless
network adapter
Network adapters wirelessly connect your computer to your wireless
router. If you have a newer computer you may already have wireless
capabilities built in. If this is the case, then you will not need a wireless
network adapter. If you need to purchase an adapter for a desktop
computer, buy a USB wireless network adapter. If you have a laptop, buy a
PC card-based network adapter. Make sure that you have one adapter for
every computer on your network.
Note: To make setup easy, choose a network
adapter made by the same vendor that made
your wireless router. For example, if you find a
good price on a Linksys router, choose a Linksys
network adapter to go with it. To make shopping
even easier, buy a bundle, such as those
available from D-Link, Netgear, Linksys,
Microsoft, and Buffalo. If you have a desktop
computer, make sure that you have an available
USB port to plug the wireless network adapter
into. If you don't have any open USB ports, buy a
hub to add additional ports.
Step 2 - Connect your wireless router
Locate your cable modem or DSL modem and
unplug it to turn it off. A DSL or cable modem
will look similar to this:
It is generally installed by your Internet
provider and is connected to your incoming
cable or phone line.
Step 2 - Connect your router (cont.)
Next, connect your wireless router to your modem.
Your modem should stay connected directly to the
Internet. Later, after you've hooked everything up,
your computer will wirelessly connect to your router,
and the router will send communications through
your modem to the Internet.
Router
Modem
Step 2 (continued)
Note: The instructions below apply to a Linksys wireless router. The ports on your router may be
labeled differently, and the images may look different on your router. Check the
documentation that came with your equipment for additional assistance.
• If you currently have your computer connected directly to your modem:
Unplug the network cable from the back of your computer, and plug it into
the port labeled Internet, WAN, or WLAN on the back of your router.
• If you do not currently have a computer connected to the Internet: Plug
one end of a network cable (included with your router) into your modem,
and plug the other end of the network cable into the Internet, WAN, or
WLAN port on your wireless router.
• If you currently have your computer connected to a router: Unplug the
network cable connected to the Internet, WAN, or WLAN port from your
current router, and plug this end of the cable into the Internet, WAN, or
WLAN port on your wireless router. Then, unplug any other network
cables, and plug them into the available ports on your wireless router. You
no longer need your original router, because your new wireless router
replaces it.
Let’s look at each of these situations
If you currently have your computer connected
directly to your modem:
Unplug the network cable from the back of your
computer, and plug it into the port labeled
Internet, WAN, or WLAN on the back of your
router.
Plug in network cable
from computer here
Unplug network
cable from here
If you do not currently have a computer connected to
the Internet
Plug one end of a network cable (included with
your router) into your modem, and plug the
other end of the network cable into the
Internet, WAN, or WLAN port on your wireless
router.
If you currently have your computer connected
to a router
Unplug the network cable connected to the Internet, WAN, or WLAN port
from your current router, and plug this end of the cable into the Internet,
WAN, or WLAN port on your wireless router. Then, unplug any other
network cables, and plug them into the available ports on your wireless
router. You no longer need your original router, because your new wireless
router replaces it.
Let’s assume this is a wired router:
unplug cable from here and plug it into the
new wired router
Unplug any wired
connections and plug
them into the new
wireless router
Plug in and turn me on!
Next, plug in and turn on your cable or DSL
modem. Wait a few minutes to give it time to
connect to the Internet, and then plug in and
turn on your wireless router. After a minute,
the Internet, WAN, or WLAN light on your
wireless router should light up, indicating that
it has successfully connected to your modem.
Step 3 - Configure your wireless router
Using the network cable that came with your wireless router,
you should temporarily connect your computer to one of the
open network ports on your wireless router (any port that
isn't labeled Internet, WAN, or WLAN). If you need to, turn
your computer on. It should automatically connect to your
router.
Next, open Internet Explorer and type in the
address to configure your router.
Generally this IP address is:
192.168.1.1 or 192.168.1.0
Step 3 continued – Configure router
Open IE or other browser
Once in your browser, and after entering IP address, you might
be prompted for a password.
The address and password you use will vary depending on what type of router you
have, so refer to the instructions included with your router.
As a quick reference, this table below shows the default addresses, usernames, and
passwords for some common router manufacturers.
Router
3Com
Address
http://192.168.1.1
Username
admin
Password
admin
D-Link
http://192.168.0.1
admin
Linksys
http://192.168.1.1
admin
admin
Microsoft
http://192.168.2.1
admin
admin
Netgear
http://192.168.0.1
admin
password
Default Wireless setup page
Your browser will show your
router's configuration page.
Most of the default settings
should be fine, but you should
configure three things:
1. SSID
2. Wireless Encryption info
3. Admin password
Default Wireless setup page
1.
2.
3.
Your wireless network name, known as the SSID. This name identifies
your network. You should choose something unique that none of your
neighbors will be using.
Wireless encryption (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), which help
protect your wireless network. For most routers, you will provide a
passphrase that your router uses to generate several keys. Make sure
your passphrase is unique and long (you don't need to memorize it).
Your administrative password, which controls your wireless network.
Just like any other password, it should not be a word that you can find in
the dictionary, and it should be a combination of letters, numbers, and
symbols. Be sure you can remember this password, because you'll need it
if you ever have to change your router's settings.
The exact steps you follow to configure these settings will vary depending on the type of router you have. After each
configuration setting, be sure to click Save Settings, Apply, or OK to save your changes.
Step 4 - Connect your computers to the wireless network
How do we do this
7 Vista XP
To manually add a wireless computer running Windows XP
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Log on to the computer as an administrator.
Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
Click the Computer Name tab, and then click Change.
If the workgroup name is not WORKGROUP, change the name to
WORKGROUP, and then click OK. Otherwise, click Cancel to close the
Computer Name Changes dialog box.
If you have to change the workgroup name, you will be prompted to
restart your computer. Restart the computer, and then continue with
the steps below.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet
Connections, and then click Network Connections.
Click the wireless network connection icon, and then, under Network
Tasks, click View available wireless networks.
Choose the wireless network from the list that appears, and then
click Connect.
How to connect to network using
Windows XP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrlIF8LaeWY
To manually add a wireless computer running Windows Vista
• Log on to the computer.
• Click the Start button , and then click Connect To.
• Choose the wireless network from the list that appears, and then click
Connect.
• Type the network security key or passphrase if you are asked to do so, and
then click OK.
• You will see a confirmation message when you are connected to the
network.
• To confirm that you added the computer, do the following:
• Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control
Panel. In the search box, type network, and then, under Network and
Sharing Center, click View network computers and devices.
• You should see icons for the computer you added and for the other
computers and devices that are part of the network.
NOTE: If you don't see icons in the Network folder, then network discovery and file sharing might be turned off. To turn network
discovery and file sharing on, click the Start button , click Control Panel, click Network and Internet, click Network and Sharing
Center, and then, under Sharing and Discovery, change the settings you want
How to connect to network using
Windows Vista
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nK9B49dpTA
To manually add a wireless computer running Windows 7
• Log on to the computer.
• Open Connect to a Network by right-clicking the network icon ( or ) in the
notification area.
• Choose the wireless network from the list that appears, and then click
Connect.
• Type the network security key or passphrase if you are asked to do so, and
then click OK.
• You'll see a confirmation message when you are connected to the
network.
• To confirm that you added the computer, do the following:
• Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control
Panel. In the search box, type network, and then, under Network and
Sharing Center, click View network computers and devices.
• You should see icons for the computer you added and for the other
computers and devices that are part of the network.
Note: If you don't see icons in the Network folder, then network discovery and file sharing might be turned
off. Use the help feature of Windows for information about network discovery and file sharing
How to connect to wireless network
using Windows 7
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-set-up-a-wireless-network-inwindows-7.html
http://www.talktalk.co.uk/video/21223/technology/Windows-7-Video-Guide%3AWireless-Networking/#21223
To add a wireless computer running Windows 7 or
Windows Vista Service Pack 2 by using a push button
If your router supports Windows Connect Now (WCN), or
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), you can add a computer to
the network by following these steps:
1. Turn on the computer.
2. Open Connect to a Network by right-clicking the
network icon ( or ) in the notification area.
3. A list of networks currently available is displayed.
4. Click your network, and then click Connect.
5. Instead of typing a security key or passphrase, press
the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button on the
router. The router will automatically set up the
computer to connect to the network and apply the
network's security settings.
A word about Encryption
Wireless encryption (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected
Access (WPA), help protect your wireless
network from intruders. We strongly suggest
using one of these methods to protect your
wireless network. WPA2 is the strongest
method. Most routers setup programs will
walk you through this stage during the initial
setup of your wireless router.
A word about Encryption
Encryption – coding transmissions
Multiple variations. 2 most common:
WPA-PSK … Wireless Protected Access (Pre-shared key)
Use same password for all computers
Preferred Choice
WEP … Wired equivalent privacy
64 or 128 bit encryption … doesn’t matter
Enter Password … converts to hex code
Must enter hex code
2nd Choice (if WPA not supported)
http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/learningcenter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UFh0W_Z3kI
How to connect – let me See!
Below are some Reference videos for your use
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CI-HUi99TM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlvYyWbzVa0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nK9B49dpTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UFh0W_Z3kI
Step by step Dummies guide - http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/how-to-access-a-wireless-network-on-yourpc.pageCd-storyboard,pageNum-1.html
QUESTIONS ???
Dummies?
Not anymore!