Home networking guide Get connected

1Install your wireless adaptors

Now go to each of your other PCs in turn and install their respective wireless adaptors. For us this means installing a Linksys WUSB54G USB wireless adaptor in a desktop PC in the spare room, and putting a Linksys WPC54G PCMCIA adaptor in our laptop. 

The set-up procedure will differ depending on the make, model and type of adaptor, but, in the case of the Linksys adaptors, we need to install the devices' software before connecting the adaptors themselves.

During the set-up procedure, follow onscreen instructions, making sure that you put a tick next to 'Infrastructure Mode' and that you enter the name (SSID) of your wireless network ('Hassle Free' in our case). 

If you've secured your wireless network as described (see Security and sharing), you'll need to enter your encryption authorisation key when installing your adaptors. You can test your connection by opening your browser and trying to view a webpage.

2Install your wireless bridge

If you're using a wireless bridge to connect your hi-fi or games console to your network, you'll first need to plug the bridge into your router using an ethernet cable and configure it using your PC.

Like many wireless products, the Linksys WET54G-UK we're using has a set-up wizard that guides you through the configuration. As with the other devices we've set up, you'll need to set it to Infrastructure Mode, enter the name (SSID) of your wireless network, and enter your encryption authorisation key (if you've secured your wireless network). 

You'll also have to select Automatically obtain an IP address (DHCP). When it's all working, unplug your wireless bridge from the router and attach it to the ethernet port of your hi-fi or games console.

3Set up your workgroup

You've now completed the hardware part of your network setup, but there are a few other tasks to perform. 

First, you'll need to set up a Windows Workgroup, so your PCs can 'talk' to each other. On one of your PCs, go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Network Setup Wizard. 

Start the wizard and, when you get to the 'Name your network' page, type in something memorable instead of the default (we've called ours WGROUP).

4Complete your workgroup

You'll have to add all your other computers to this workgroup, too. 

On a Windows XP PC, go to Start, right-click My Computer and select Properties. On the Computer Name tab of the window that appears, click Change and enter a name for your PC, followed by the name of the workgroup you entered in the Network Setup Wizard in the previous step. 

For Windows 98 and ME, go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Network and select the Identification tab. Enter the workgroup name here. 

Now you can share your files and your printer with the workgroup. See Security and sharing. 

For step-by-step advice on using your Windows 7 computer, see the Which? book Computing Made Easy for the Over 50s: Windows 7 Edition.