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TO SETUP - WiFi USB Adapter on a Windows Desktop PC How to Add Wi-Fi to a Desktop PC USB - Simple and Inexpensive Search Columbia ISA Google Search SETUP - Wireless for a desktop PC • All about the USB Standard SETUP - Wi-Fi for a desktop PC  Laptops usually already have built-in Wi-Fi capability. Desktops may not, particularly older computers. You can get a network card that installs directly into your PC's motherboard often with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth or you can opt for the USB Wi-Fi adapter which plugs into an available USB Type-A port on the computer. Be sure to get a USB Wi-Fi adapter which is compatible with your system. Some adapters only work with certain versions of Windows while others work with Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS. Wi-Fi Network card or USB Wi-Fi adapter PCIe network cards offer superior, more stable performance over USB Wi-Fi adapters due to a direct motherboard connection, higher bandwidth, and better signal reception. However the USB Wi-Fi adapter is easy to install and deinstall.  How do you install a PCIe WiFi adapter in a PC? Disconnect all external power. Remove the appropriate PC covers or panels to check that there is an available and compatible slot in the computer's motherboard to accept a PCIe card. Next, check that there is compatible driver software for the adapter and your particular operating system. Make sure you are well grounded to the chassis of the computer. Carefully install the adapter card into the PCIe slot, orienting correctly and secure it by screwing in the screw on the slot plate. Replace the covers and restore the power. For a desktop computer, attach the appropriate antenna(s). Boot up the computer and install the correct driver for the adapter. To connect to Wi-Fi, go to "Settings" > "Network" > "Show available networks" and CONNECT to your SSID. Enter SSID password. Be sure Wi-Fi is Enabled (Turned "ON"). USB Wi-Fi Adapter  USB Wi-Fi adapters come in a variety of different sizes and capabilities. Check the specifications to be sure you get the correct one which will work in your environment. For Windows 10 and 11, the newer Wi-Fi USB adapters just work, as the drivers self-install. Get Started Unbox your Wi-Fi USB adapter and attach the antenna if available. Next, plug the adapter into an available USB Type-A port on your computer. If drivers do not self-install You may need to insert the CD that came with the adapter and click on the AUTORUN.EXE pop-up to install a driver for the adapter onto your computer. Some USB Wi-Fi adapters may offer the drivers on their website for you to download. Look for the download section on their website and then find your device and model number. Usually the model number is on the box or the adapter itself. Click on the correct link for your adapter to find the driver download. Be sure you download the correct driver for your system. Next, look on your computer's Downloads folder in "File Explorer" to locate the .zip file which contains your drivers. Look for the most recent file. EXTRACT ALL and double click on the Setup.exe file. Click NEXT to Continue. Click FINISH when completed install drivers. Restart the computer. Getting Connected For Windows 10 you can left click on the square at the bottom right of your screen which brings up the Action Panel, then click on "ALL SETTINGS".   Windows Action Panel Next click on "NETWORK and INTERNET". On the next window click on "SHOW AVAILABLE NETWORKS". Your home wireless name (SSID) should appear in a pop-up window. Make sure your wi-fi router is broadcasting wireless signals 2.4GHz and/or 5GHz. You can login to your router using a web browser and entering your router's IP address in the web browser address bar such as 192.168.1.1 and signing in using an administrator password. You can enable or disable wireless signals and perform various administrative actions. Note: The password to login to the router and the network password are two different passwords. If you were not the person to setup the router then you will need to get passwords from whoever did the setup or try to find the passwords. As a last resort, you could reset the router back to the factory defaults and use the "admin" login. The default login password is usually "password". Usually the default settings are listed on the router itself or in documentation that came with the router. This includes the default network password, login and default login password. To reset the router, press and hold in the reset pin/button for 10 to 30 secs. usually labeled "RESET". Connect a computer to the router using a wired Ethernet connection. You can sometimes find information on the router manufacturer's website. Use a web browser to enter the IP address of the router and start the setup process. Only do this if no other option is available because all prior settings will be lost.  Windows Settings screen for Networks - WiFi Enabled If your Wi-Fi router is working properly, you should see a "Wi-Fi" option on the left. Select to make sure Wi-Fi is enabled. Select and CONNECT to your wireless network.  You may see your neighbors wi-fi SSIDs show up in the list. Usually they will be secured. Look for your SSID in the list. Select it and try to connect by clicking on the "Connect" rectangle.  Windows network symbols for wired ethernet and wi-fi look like the following:  Windows symbol for wired Ethernet connection  Windows symbol for secure Wi-Fi connection The first time you try to connect, you may be asked for the password for your SSID.  Enter the correct SSID password and click NEXT.  If the password is incorrect or other problems occur, you will get "Can't connect to this network". Click on "Close". If connection is successful, you will see the following screen showing you are now connected over wi-fi.  To disconnect, select the network name and click on "Disconnect"   A WiFi adapter for PC is an essential piece of hardware for any PC that needs wireless internet connectivity. With the right WiFi adapter, you can easily connect your desktop computer or laptop to WiFi networks at home, work, or in public places. What is a WiFi Adapter? A WiFi adapter is a hardware component that allows a computer to connect to a wireless network and access the internet. It works by taking the WiFi signals transmitted by a router and translating them into data the computer can understand. Simply put, a WiFi adapter bridges the gap between your PC and a wireless network. It acts as an intermediary that facilitates communication between the two. Without a WiFi adapter, a desktop computer or laptop cannot connect to or use WiFi internet connectivity. The adapter gives the PC the ability to locate nearby wireless networks, request access, and transmit/receive data over WiFi frequencies. USB WiFi Adapters As the name suggests, these WiFi adapters connect to the computer using a USB port. They are plug and play devices – just plug them into an available USB port and the computer will automatically detect and install the required drivers. USB WiFi adapters are extremely portable and convenient to use. You can easily plug them into laptops or desktops when required. Positioning them for good signal reception is also easy. They are suited for adding WiFi access to PCs that lack built-in wireless connectivity. The maximum speed depends on the adapter model. In 2024 they support up to wifi 6/6E. Your Wireless Router To connect to internet sites using your wireless router setup, your computer can communicate wirelessly over Wi-Fi from almost anywhere in the home with the USB Wi-Fi adapter.    Do you have an older PC? Are you still using dial-up to access the internet? Why not go wireless? Wireless home networks are very popular today and allow you to place the desktop PC anywhere in the home and access the internet without phone lines or cables. You can buy an adapter which plugs into the computer's USB port and provides wireless internet just like most laptops today. You must also have a compatible wireless router, modem and internet service with a Internet Service Provider such as your local cable company. Broadband internet service is available for a monthly charge, from your cable TV or phone company. • TP-Link AC1300 USB WiFi Adapter(Archer T3U)- 2.4G/5G Dual Band Wireless Network Adapter for PC Desktop, MU-MIMO WiFi Dongle, USB 3.0, Supports Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, XP/Mac OS X 10.9-10.14 There are a variety of adapters available. This one is from TP-Link and can be bought at Amazon.com and many other retailers. • YouTube video on TP-Link USB Wi-Fi adapter  • USB WiFi Adapter 1200Mbps Techkey USB 3.0 WiFi Dongle 802.11 ac Wireless Network Adapter with Dual Band 2.42GHz/300Mbps 5.8GHz/866Mbps 5dBi High Gain Antenna for Desktop Windows XP/Vista / 7-10 Insert the wireless adapter into a free USB port on the computer. Plug and Play. With your wireless router powered on, search for a signal from your Network SSID and proceed with setup. Enter SSID, passphrase. Signal strength is shown as well as an IP address once communication is established with the router. If you cannot get on internet, you may need to power off router and modem and wait a few seconds then power back on to reset. Most routers have encryption enabled such as WPA so communication data is secured. If you were not the person who setup your home network, you will need to contact the person who did and get the SSID, passphrase and type of encryption. • Wall Mounting HDTV - Companies, mounts • How to upgrade SAMSUNG HDTV firmware FAQ Question: What are the current wireless encryption standards for security? Answer: Wireless Security • WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) • WPA2-PSK (Pre-Shared Key) • WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) • WPA-PSK (Pre-Shared Key) WPA, or Wi-Fi Protected Access, is a Wi-Fi standard that was designed to improve the security features of WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). The 2 major improvements over WEP: • Improved data encryption through the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). TKIP scrambles the keys using a hashing algorithm and, by adding an integrity-checking feature, ensures that the keys haven’t been tampered with. WPA2 is based on 802.11i and uses Advanced Encryption Standard instead of TKIP. • User authentication, which is generally missing in WEP, through the extensible authentication protocol (EAP). WEP regulates access to a wireless network based on a computer’s hardware-specific MAC address, which is relatively simple to be sniffed out and stolen. EAP is built on a more secure public-key encryption system to ensure that only authorized network users can access the network. WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK uses a passphrase or key to authenticate your wireless connection. The key is an alpha-numeric password between 8 and 63 characters long. The password can include symbols (!?*&_) and spaces. This key must be the exact same key entered on your wireless router or access point. WPA/WPA2 incorporates user authentication through the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP). EAP is built on a more secure public key encryption system to ensure that only authorized network users can access the network. Question: What are the wireless standards for Wi-Fi? Answer: See the chart below for the Wi-Fi standards and how speeds have improved over the years.  Question: Is Wi-Fi 6 Backwards Compatible? Answer: Wi-Fi 6 is backward compatible with any Wi-Fi device that supports earlier versions of 802.11 ac/n/g/b/a. Devices that do not support Wi-Fi 6 may still connect but will not experience performance gains. How to setup wireless internet at home See also: • Plasma TVs - top ten things before buying HDTV • PC stereo hookup Columbia ISA Audio Video Contact: columbiaisa@yahoo.com • How to hook up a Plasma or LCD HDTV • How to hook up a Cable TV box • Cable TV - Cable Box Setup • How to Install a HD Cable Box • Cable TV - Cable Box Setup Scientific Atlanta 4250HDC • Surround Sound over HDMI • Surround Sound - How to Hookup • HDTV Antennas and Reviews • HDTV BUYING GUIDE in 9 EASY STEPS • Bluray Players, internet-enabled, Netflix movie streaming • Cable Types, audio/video for TV, explanation • Hookup diagrams, TV, VCR, DVD, Digital cable box • DVD Players reviews and Guide • How to Hookup an Audio Video Receiver • see over 100 Hookup Diagrams • TV input select • Timer Record Radio Shows on a VCR • Audio Video Connections • See over 100 Hookup Diagrams © Columbia ISA Audio/Video Empowering consumers through information columbiaisa@yahoo.com SWS |