If you have a wireless network, you must first run the Set Up a Wireless Router or Access Point wizard on at least one computer on your network before following these steps. If you haven't done this, see Setting up a home network.
If you have your settings saved to a USB flash drive, you can use the flash drive to add computers to your network.
1.
Log on to the computer.
2.
Plug the USB flash drive into a USB port on the computer.
3.
For a computer running Windows Vista, in the AutoPlay dialog box, click Wireless Network Setup Wizard. – or – For a computer running Windows XP, in the USB flash drive dialog box, click Wireless Network Setup Wizard.
You might be prompted to restart the computer.
NoteTo save your settings to a USB flash drive, do this:
a.
Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Network.
b.
Click Add a wireless device, and then follow the steps in the wizard.
Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
3.
Click the Computer Name tab, and then click Change.
4.
If the workgroup name is not WORKGROUP, change the name to WORKGROUP, and then click OK. Otherwise, click Cancel to close the Computer Name Changes dialog box.
NoteIf you have to change the workgroup name, you will be prompted to restart your computer. Restart the computer, and then continue with the steps below.
5.
Click Start, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
6.
Click the wireless network connection icon, and then, under Network Tasks, click View available wireless networks.
7.
Choose the wireless network from the list that appears, and then click Connect.
Plug the computer into a hub, switch, or router and then turn it on. (If your home has Ethernet wiring and you have a jack in the room where the computer is, you can plug the computer into the Ethernet jack instead.)
To confirm that you added the computer, do the following:
Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Network.
You should see icons for the computer you added and for the other computers and devices that are part of the network.
Plug the computer into a hub, switch, or router and then turn it on. (If your home has Ethernet wiring and you have a jack in the room where the computer is, you can plug the computer into the Ethernet jack instead.)
2.
Log on to the computer as an administrator.
3.
Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
4.
Click the Computer Name tab, and then click Change.
5.
If the workgroup name is not WORKGROUP, change the name to WORKGROUP, and then click OK.
NoteIf you had to change the workgroup name, you will be prompted to restart your computer. After you restart, click Start, and then click My Network Places. In the left pane, under Network Tasks, click View workgroup computers. You should see icons for the other computers that are currently part of your network.
The "Certified for Window Vista" and "Works with Window Vista" logos indicate that a device is compatible with Microsoft Windows Connect Now (WCN), a technology that simplifies configuration of network devices. For more information about WCN, see What is Windows Connect Now?
1.
Turn on the device.
2.
Click the Start button ,
3.
In Control Panel, click Control Panel Home, and then click Network and Internet.
4.
Under Network and Sharing Center, click Add a device to the network.
5.
Follow the instructions on your screen. When you are finished adding the device, log on to a network computer.
6.
To confirm that you added the device, do the following:
Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Network.
You should see an icon for the device. If the device is a printer, you might need to enable printer sharing so that other computers on the network can use it. (Printer sharing is not included in Windows Vista Starter.)
Follow the instructions in the information that came with the device.
When you are finished adding the device, log on to a network computer.
To confirm that you added the device, do the following:
Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Network.
You should see an icon for the device. If the device is a printer, you might need to enable printer sharing so that other computers on the network can use it. (Printer sharing is not included in Windows Vista Starter.)
Turn on the device and plug it into a hub, switch, or router or into a computer that is plugged into a hub, switch, or router. The device should now be connected to the network.
To confirm that you added the device, do the following:
•
Open Network by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Network.
You should see an icon for the device. If the device is a printer, you might need to enable printer sharing so that other computers on the network can use it. (Printer sharing is not included in Windows Vista Starter.)
You can add a printer connected directly to your computer (called a local printer), add a printer to the network, or connect to a shared printer. For more information, see Add or remove a printer.
To add a Bluetooth enabled device to your network, you need a Bluetooth network adapter. For more information about Bluetooth, search for "Bluetooth" in Help and Support.
A device that sends, or routes, information between two networks (for example, between a home network and the Internet). Routers find the quickest paths for sending information, which makes network connections faster. Routers can be wired or wireless.
Switch
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Switch
A device used to connect computers on a network. The computers are connected to the switch with cables. A switch is similar to a hub, except that it sends the information received from one computer to the specific computers that are supposed to receive it.
Port
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Port
A hardware- or software-based interface used to transfer information between a computer and other devices. Hardware ports are physical connections that are visible on the outside of the computer. Software ports are the numbered gateways in programs that software programs use to exchange information.
Hub
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Hub
A device used to connect computers on a network. The computers are connected to the hub with cables. The hub sends information received from one computer to all other computers on the network.
Network security key
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Network security key
A password that can help protect wireless networks from unauthorized access. A network security key encrypts information sent from one network computer to another so that the information can only be read by someone who has the key.
Icon
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Icon
A small picture that represents a file, folder, program, or other object or function.
Ethernet
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Ethernet
A networking standard that uses cables to provide network access. Ethernet is the most widely installed technology for connecting computers.
Workgroup
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Workgroup
A group of computers that are connected on a network and share resources, such as printers and files. When you set up a network, Windows automatically creates a workgroup and gives it a name.
Network
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Network
A group of computers or other devices, such as printers and scanners, that communicate either wirelessly or by using a physical connection, such as an Ethernet cable or a phone line.
USB flash drive
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USB flash drive
A small device used to store information. USB flash drives plug into computer USB ports so you can copy information to or from them, making it easy to share and transport information.
Passphrase
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Passphrase
A string of characters used to control access to a network or program.
Help and How-to
