Wireless Broadband Routers

Setting up a wireless router

When setting up your wireless router, it is strongly advisable to configure a wired connection in the first instance, as per the wired configuration instructions.

Once successfully accessing the Internet via the wired Ethernet connection, you can proceed to configure the wireless router and set up your very own wireless LAN. The pre-requisites are the wireless router, and a wireless adapter for each PC or laptop with which you wish to access the Internet. It's important to optimise the location of your router, as the speed of the wireless links between your PCs and the router will diminish with distance and with intervening obstacles.

The wireless router and each PC/laptop on your network needs to be configured with some shared information, so that your network is secure, and each part of the network can identify the other components:

• Create an SSID. Your router will have a default SSID already assigned, but it's best to change this name to one of your own choice. This will be the shared, common name for your network.
• Secondly you need to secure your network. This is critical to prevent interlopers taking advantage of your bandwidth and using your connection for free. Choose a WEP key and configure it into the router via its web administration interface. Thereafter, configure the same key into each PC via the Control Panel.

Recommended Wireless Routers

We have full reviews of the following full-featured wireless routers:

and also a great choice of wireless routers in the Broadband Verdict hardware shop.