Setting up a wireless network

A wireless network at home lets you get online from more places in your house. This article describes the basic steps for setting up a wireless network and starting to use it.

Get the right equipment

Before you can set up your wireless network, here’s what you’ll need:

Broadband Internet connection and modem. A broadband Internet connection is a high-speed Internet connection. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable are two of the most common broadband connections. You can get a broadband connection by contacting an Internet service provider (ISP). Typically, ISPs that provide DSL are telephone companies and ISPs that provide cable are cable TV companies. ISPs frequently offer broadband modems. Some ISPs also offer combination modem/wireless routers. You can also find these at computer or electronics stores, and online.

Wireless router. A router sends info between your network and the Internet. With a wireless router, you can connect PCs to your network using radio signals instead of wires. There are several different kinds of wireless network technologies, which include 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.11ac.

Wireless network adapter. A wireless network adapter is a device that connects your PC to a wireless network. To connect your portable or desktop PC to your wireless network, the PC must have a wireless network adapter. Most laptops and tablets—and some desktop PCs—come with a wireless network adapter already installed.

To check whether your PC has a wireless network adapter:

Select the Start button, type device manager in the search box, and then select Device Manager.

Expand Network adapters.

Look for a network adapter that might have wireless in the name.

Setting up the modem and Internet connection

After you have all the equipment, you’ll need to set up your modem and Internet connection. If your modem wasn’t set up for you by your Internet service provider (ISP), follow the instructions that came with your modem to connect it to your PC and the Internet. If you’re using Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), connect your modem to a phone jack. If you’re using cable, connect your modem to a cable jack.

Positioning the wireless router

Put your wireless router somewhere where it will receive the strongest signal with the least amount of interference. For better results, follow these tips:

Place your wireless router in a central location. Place the router as close to the center of your home as possible to increase the strength of the wireless signal throughout your home.

Position the wireless router off the floor and away from walls and metal objects, such as metal file cabinets. The fewer physical obstructions between your PC and the router’s signal, the more likely that you’ll be using the router’s full signal strength.

Reduce interference. Some networking equipment uses a 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) radio frequency. This is the same frequency as most microwaves and many cordless phones. If you turn on the microwave or get a call on a cordless phone, your wireless signal might be temporarily interrupted. You can avoid most of these issues by using a cordless phone with a higher frequency, such as 5.8 GHz.

Securing your wireless network

Security is always important; with a wireless network, it’s even more important because your network’s signal could be broadcast outside your home. If you don’t help secure your network, people with PCs nearby could access info stored on your network PCs and use your Internet connection.

To help make your network more secure:

Change the default user name and password. This helps protect your router. Most router manufacturers have a default user name and password on the router and a default network name (also known as the SSID). Someone could use this info to access your router without you knowing it. To help avoid that, change the default user name and password for your router. See the documentation for your device for instructions.

Set up a security key (password) for your network. Wireless networks have a network security key to help protect them from unauthorized access. We recommend using Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) security if your router supports it. See the documentation for your router for more detailed info, including what type of security is supported and how to set it up.

Some routers support Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS). If your router supports WPS and it’s connected to the network, follow these steps to set up a network security key:

Do one of the following, depending on which version of Windows is running on your PC:

In Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, select Start, start typing Network and Sharing Center, and then choose it in the list.

In Windows 10, select Start , then select Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network and Sharing Center.

Select Set up a new connection or network.

Select Set up a new network, then choose Next.

The wizard will walk you through creating a network name and a security key. If your router supports it, the wizard will default to Wi‑Fi Protected Access (WPA or WPA2) security. We recommend that you use WPA2, because it offers better security than WPA or Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security. With WPA2 or WPA you can also use a passphrase, so you don’t have to remember a cryptic sequence of letters and numbers.

Write down your security key and keep it in a safe place. You can also save your security key on a USB flash drive by following the instructions in the wizard. (Saving your security key to a USB flash drive is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7, but not in Windows 10.)

Use a firewall. A firewall is hardware or software that can help protect your PC from unauthorized users or malicious software (malware). Running a firewall on each PC on your network can help control the spread of malicious software on your network, and help protect your PCs when you’re accessing the Internet. Windows Firewall is included with this version of Windows.

Connect a PC to your wireless network

Select the Network or icon in the notification area.

In the list of networks, choose the network that you want to connect to, and then select Connect.

Type the security key (often called the password).

Follow additional instructions if there are any.

If you have problems with your Wi-Fi network when using Windows 10, see Fix Wi-Fi problems in Windows 10 for advanced troubleshooting info.

How to Reset Network Settings in Windows 10

As a last resort, resetting network settings may get you back online

What to Know

• To reset network settings, go to Start menu >Settings >Network and Internet >Status >Network Reset.
• If you have a VPN or a proxy server, it may need to be reconfigured following the reset.
• Resetting network settings removes and reinstalls every network adapter installed on your system.

This article explains how to reset your network settings on Windows 10.

How to Reset Network Settings in Windows 10

Using the network reset utility in Windows 10 is fairly simple.

Go to Start menu > Settings, then select Network and Internet.

In the left navigation pane, select Status to make sure you’re viewing the network status window. Then scroll down until you see the Network Reset link.

Click the Network Reset link and review the Network Reset information message. When you’re prepared to network your reset settings, select Reset now.

Select Yes in the network reset confirmation window. This will initiate the reset process and restart your computer.

You will get a warning when the computer’s about to reboot. You should have plenty of time to save your work and close out all applications.

When the computer restarts, you’ll notice that your network connection isn’t active. This is because your network card reset and released its previous connection. Just select the network icon, pick the network you want to reconnect to, and choose Connect.

If your TCP/IP settings are set to automatically detect, your network connection should detect the appropriate network settings and connect to the internet without any problems.

Fixing Any Remaining Settings

If you configured a VPN client or other network software before the network reset, you may need to reconfigure them to get them working again.

Fixing this software is as simple as opening the VPN software and entering your IP and other settings like you did when you originally installed the software.

If you were connecting to a corporate network using a proxy server, you may need to reconfigure your proxy server settings.

Select the Start menu and type Internet Options. Select Internet Options.

In the Internet Options window, select the Connections tab.

Select the LAN settings button, and in the LAN Settings window, select Use a proxy server for your LAN. In the Address field, type the address for your corporate LAN proxy server. Select OK on both windows to accept the changes.

If you don’t know the correct proxy server settings, contact your IT help desk to ask for the correct network address and port of your proxy server.

You may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect, and your network card to reconnect to your corporate network.

What Does a Windows 10 Network Reset Do?

Resetting network settings in Windows 10 should be a last resort. When you initiate a network reset, it removes and reinstalls every network adapter currently installed on your system.

The Network Reset Utility was originally introduced by Microsoft after the Windows 10 Anniversary Update build (version 1607) so people could quickly resolve network problems caused by the update. The utility still remains to help people fix network connection issues.

The network reset utility also sets every networking component on your system back to the original factory settings. The components that get reset are as follows:

• Winsock: This is an interface for applications that handles input and output requests to the internet.
• TCP/IP: This stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, and allows all network devices on your computer to communicate over the internet.

If you’ve customized any of these settings from their defaults, you’ll need to note those settings because performing a network reset will remove any custom settings.

However, most people have all of these components set to automatically detect, so in most cases you won’t see any issues after a network reset.

Network and Internet Settings in Windows 10

Windows 10 brings the entire Settings options under one hood. We have already taken a look at the Windows 10 Personalization Settings, Privacy Settings, Devices Settings, and the Update and Security settings. In this post, we will learn about the Network and Internet Settings in Windows 10.

The new and the latest version of the Network and Internet Settings in Windows 10 include quite a lot of features such as mobile hotspot, automatic proxy setup, manual proxy setup, airplane mode, and so on. You will also be able to access the Network Reset feature that can help you reinstall Network adapters and reset Networking Components to original settings.

To open these settings, click on Start menu > Settings > Network and Internet.

Network and Internet Settings in Windows 10

In the Network and Internet Settings in Windows 10, you will see the following tabs –

• Status
• WiFi
• Ethernet
• Dial-up
• VPN
• Airplane mode
• Mobile hotspot
• Data usage
• Proxy

Let us go through them in detail.

1. Status

This tab shows you the status of the network – whether you are connected to a network or not. You can change the connection properties where you can choose to connect to a network automatically when in range. You can choose your Network Profile as public or private.

Moreover, this tab allows you to view the available network adapters, change connection settings, change sharing options for different network profiles, and diagnose and fix network problems. You will be able to access the Network Reset feature that can help you re-install network adapters and reset networking components to original settings.

2. WiFi

Check for available networks and connect to the wireless network you want. You can also manage and add a new network.

Random Hardware Addresses when turned on, makes it difficult for people to track your location when you connect to different WiFi networks. You can turn on the Hotspot 2.0 Network feature to make yourself more secure and safe when connected to public WiFi hotspots.

You can also select the option of setting a Metered Connection which gives you more control over the data usage. Turning it ON makes your apps work differently so that they use less data. This is especially helpful for users having a limited data plan. You will also see the properties of your device.

This tab allows you to adjust the Wi-Fi Sense settings in Windows 10. Wi-Fi Sense is a feature in Windows 10 that allows you to connect to your friend’s shared Wi-Fi connections. That is, you and your friends may opt to share your or their Wi-Fi connections.

3. Ethernet

You can set and view Ethernet settings here. It also allows you to set it as a metered connection if you have a limited data plan.

4. Dial-Up

This tab allows you to choose and set up a new Dial-up connection or network with the following options –

• Set up broadband or dial-up connections to the Internet.
• Set up a new router or access point.
• Connect to a hidden network or create a new wireless profile.
• Set up a dial-up or VPN connection to your workplace.

5. VPN

To add a VPN connection, keep your VPN provider, connection name and server name or address details ready. Fill in the type of sign-in info, username, and password and click Save.

Under Advanced Options, turn on the following settings if desired –

• Allow VPN over metered networks
• Allow VPN while roaming

6. Airplane Mode

Airplane mode when turned on, stops all wireless communication, Bluetooth, WiFi networks, and cellular networks.

7. Mobile Hotspot

The Mobile Hotspot feature is a new one in the latest version of Windows 10 Settings which enables you to share your Internet connection with other devices. The users can choose to share their Internet connection over Wifi or Bluetooth. User can also set the Turn On Remotely feature to allow another device to turn on mobile hotspot.

8. Data Usage

This section allows you to check the data used in the last 30 days for both WiFi as well as Ethernet. You can also view usage per app which will give you detailed information on data used by various apps on your PC. Additional features include setting data limits and restricting background data to reduce data usage on WiFi.

9. Proxy

In this section, you can set your PC to detect the Proxy settings automatically. However, you can also adjust the settings manually by entering the IP address and the proxy port.

In this post, all the features and the importance of the Network and Internet Settings in Windows 10 have been covered. Hope this post was a helpful read!

Date: June 21, 2019 Tags: Network, Settings