CIS 103 — Applied Computer Technology
Wireless Home Networks
Last Edited: September 17, 2010
by C.Herbert
Wireless Home Networks
Wireless home networks are becoming increasingly
popular because they:
• allow users to connect to the Internet,
peripheral devices, and other computers
from throughout the home
• are less expensive than wired networks
• are easier to setup than wired networks
They make the most of portable devices at home such
as laptops, wireless printers, and game consoles.
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Broadband Access
Home computer networks are connected to an Internet
service provider’s broadband network.
A broadband network is a high speed networks that
has special hardware allowing data to move across the
network more quickly.
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Broadband Access
Broadband Internet connections, offered by companies
like Verizon and Comcast, are usually:
• a telephone company’s DSL connection
• a telephone company’s fiber optic connection
• A cable television company’s coaxial cable
connection
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Broadband Access
Broadband and Dial-up Internet Access
in American Homes, 2000-2010
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Dial-up
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Broadband
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Wireless Networking Standards
The most important standards for wireless home
networks are the IEEE’s 802.11 standards for wireless
telecommunication.
Standard
Max. Data Rate
Indoor Range
Outdoor Range
802.11 b
802.11 g
802.11 n
11 Mbps
54 Mbps
150 Mbps
125 ft
125 ft
230 ft
460 ft
460 ft
820 ft
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Wireless Home Network Hardware
Almost all home computer networks use Ethernet
technology.
Ethernet, defined by IEEE standard 802.3, is a
networking standard defining cables, connections and
protocols for low cost local area networks.
In a wireless network, a few components must still be
wired together, so, you will need at least two Ethernet
cables, even though it’s called a wireless home
network.
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Wireless Home Network Hardware
Wireless home network hardware includes:
•
a broadband modem
•
a wireless router
•
wireless network adapters for each computer
or device connected to the network
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Wireless Home Network Hardware
Internet service through a broadband DSL, coaxial
cable, or fiber optic line is connected to a home
network using an Ethernet broadband modem.
An Ethernet broadband modem changes high speed
broadband signals into Ethernet signals compatible
with hardware for home computers.
It changes both the speed of the signal and the
transmission media – for example, from a Verizon
coaxial cable to copper wiring in the home.
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Wireless Home Network Hardware
A router is an electronic device that routes data moving
across a network and between two networks, making
sure that data is on its way to the correct destination.
It is the electronic gateway between the Internet
service provider’s network and your home network.
A wireless router moves data between a wired network
and a wireless broadcast network.
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Wireless Home Network Hardware
Here are two views of a
Linksys E1000 wireless
router from Cisco.
It has a port with a yellow
label for the connection to
the broadband modem,
and four numbered ports
with blue labels for
connections to devices in
the home.
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Wireless Home Network Hardware
The ports on wireless routers
use RJ-45 connectors.
RJ-45 is a wiring standard for
8 contact connectors in a
telephone system. The same
connectors are used in
Ethernet technology, but
wired differently.
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Wireless Home Network Hardware
The cables used for the
wired connections in a
home network are standard
Ethernet Category 5 or
Category 6 cables, called
cat-5 or cat-6 cables.
They have 8 wires with RJ-45
connectors on each end of
the cable.
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Wireless Home Network Hardware
Each device with a wireless connections to
the router needs a wireless network adapter.
A wireless network adapter transmits and
receives data over a wireless network. In
essence, it is a specialized digital radio.
Inexpensive USB wireless adapters are
available for devices without built-in
adapters.
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Setting up a Wireless Home Network
Setting up a wireless home network is easier than you
might think it is.
You need to make sure that you have the right
equipment, that it is connected properly, and that it is
properly initialized.
Your Internet Service Provider should install and set up
a broadband modem for you. You only need to set up
the router, and the wireless adapters in each computer.
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Setting up a Wireless Router
Setting up a wireless router requires
you to connect the router directly to
the broadband modem using an
Ethernet cable.
modem
You will also need to connect a
computer directly to the router so
that you can use the computer to
initialize the router.
router
computer
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Setting up a Wireless Home Network
Routers have a control
panel accessed
through an Internet
browser, such as
Internet Explorer or
Firefox.
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Setting up a Wireless Home Network
After you connect the
router, you must enter
the router’s IP
address in the
browser, and the
control panel will
appear. You will use
the control panel to
name the network
and set up network
security, etc.
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Setting up a Wireless Home Network
Step by step details
about IP addresses
and router setup are
covered in the next
section – Securing a
Wireless Network.
Only a few items need
to be changed to
initialize the router.
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Connecting a PC to a Wireless Network
To connect a PC to a
wireless router:
1. Open the windows
Control Panel.
This can be done
from the Windows
start menu.
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Connecting a PC to a Wireless Network
2. When the Control Panel opens, select Connect to the
Internet under the Network and Internet heading.
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Connecting a PC to a Wireless Network
3. A Connect to the Internet window will appear. Select
Wireless and a menu of the wireless routers your
computer can detect will appear.
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Connecting a PC to a Wireless Network
4. Select your network and a Connect
automatically check box will appear,
allowing you to make future
connections automatic, whenever
the computer is in range of the
wireless router.
For now, you need to click the
Connect button to connect to the
network.
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Connecting a PC to a Wireless Network
That’s it. It may take a
minute or two for your
router to connect, but once
that’s done you are ready to
use your home network.
Setting up network security,
including a network security
key, is addressed in the next
section.
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