Upgrading & Fixing Laptops DUMmIES

Note that the instructions I have given in this section are from Windows XP;

the language you see onscreen in earlier versions (dating back to Windows

98SE) may be slightly different, but the steps are the same. If you run into

problems disabling the internal wireless facilities, consult the instruction

manual for your laptop or call the support desk of the manufacturer for fur-

ther assistance.

It’s much easier, of course, if your previous wireless adapter had been a PC

Card or USB device. Here all you need to do is remove the old and plug in the

new. Follow the instructions that come with the new device to install any

needed drivers or other software.

Setting up a wireless network at home

Adding a wireless network in your home or office is as easy as one-two-three...

and four and five. Here’s my list of steps:

1. Select a compatible and capable set of wireless equipment for the
   base station and each of the devices attached to it.
   
   
   • The base stationis the receiver/transmitter attached to whichever
     computer you choose to be your network hub. If you plan to share
     an Internet connection over your private wireless network, the
     base station should be attached to the machine that is also con-
     nected to the modem.
   
   
   • The wireless routerassignment is to convert signals coming from
     a wired network or from a broadband Internet connection into a
     form that can be broadcast.
   
   
   • The wireless transceiver(also called a wireless network adapter) is
     the broadcaster and receiver necessary at each device that seeks
     to communicate with the router. Your newer-vintage laptop may
     come equipped with a transceiver. Some new printers and other
     peripherals (extras) may have a built-in transceiver, too. You can
     easily add a USB or PC Card wireless transceiver to a laptop.
   
   
   
   

216 Part IV: Failing to Communicate

Keeping it in the family

Although any device that has an official Wi-Fi

Certified label on it should be interoperable with

any other such device, you will probably find it

easier to create a network that uses hardware

from the same vendor. For example, stay within

the Linksys, D-Link, or Microsoft families rather

than mixing and matching devices from these or

other makers. But as I write these words, I’m

glancing over at the table alongside my desk

that holds my communications gear, and no two

of the various pieces of equipment there is from

the same maker. I see a Linksys cable/DSL hub

and router, a Motorola cable modem, a D-Link

telephone adapter, and a Belkin USB Ethernet

wired adapter.