- 1). Turn on the Linksys router. Connect the "WAN" port on its back to your cable modem or DSL modem, depending on the type of connection provided by your Internet Service Provider, using an Ethernet cable.
- 2). Connect the computer to any of the numbered ports on the Linksys router, with the remaining Ethernet cable.
- 3). Launch a web browser on the computer. Navigate to the web address used to configure the router. This web address depends on the router's model. For example, for a Linksys WRT54GS, the default address is "192.168.1.1". The web browser will display the main menu of the configuration utility.
- 4). Configure the basic characteristics of the wireless network. For example, on a WRT54GS, click on "Wireless," then on "Basic wireless settings." Enter whichever name you picked for the wireless network. Choose a channel: channels six and 11 are best. Click on "Save settings."
- 5). Configure the encryption (security) for the wireless network. For example, for a WRT54GS, click on "Wireless," then on "Wireless security." Pick "WPA Pre-shared Key" from the "Security mode" pull-down menu, then enter a passphrase of your choice into "WPA shared key." Click on "Save settings." The wireless network is ready to use.
- 6). Connect your laptop to the network by double-clicking on the wireless network icon (shown as an indicator of signal strength using bars of increasing height) on the Windows taskbar. Windows will display a list of available wireless networks. Click on the network name you configured in Step four, enter the WPA2 passphrase and press "Enter." After a short delay, the laptop will be connected to the Linksys wireless router.
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