How to connect a computer to a Wi-Fi network

Ways to connect a desktop computer to Wi-Fi

The following options are possible here:

1. Connecting the PC to the Internet with a network cable.
   Here you need to realize that to lay a cable from the router to the computer either may not always be technically feasible, or the user may simply have no desire to bother with the process.
2. Wireless PC connection via a network adapter.
   With the help of this device, you can relatively easily provide your computer with access to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
3. Setting up an additional router as a repeater.
   If you purchase another router, you can set it up in receiver mode. Then it will receive a signal from the main router and give Internet to the desktop PC via cable.

Next, let's look at how to organise a Wi-Fi network Internet connection to your computer using the second and third methods.

How to connect your PC to Wi-Fi via an adapter

You can connect your PC to a Wi-Fi network via an internal (PCI) or external (USB) adapter.

PCI models connect to the PCI slot on the motherboard. The advantage of internal devices is that they do not occupy USB ports, do not stick out of the system unit and do not spoil its aesthetic appearance. But the connection process requires disassembling the system unit.

USB models are very easy to connect to a USB port, as well as to pull out if necessary and connect to another PC. But if the number of USB ports is not enough to work at the computer, it can become a problem. In addition, with this method of connection, the data transfer speed will be slow.

If you have decided to connect your computer to Wi-Fi via a PCI adapter, the algorithm of actions is as follows:

1. Remove the side panel of the system unit.
2. Connect the Wi-Fi adapter to the appropriate slot.
3. Assemble the system unit.
4. Find and download the drivers. If your PC is running Windows 10 or 8, the system will automatically detect the adapter and install the universal driver. If the system does not recognise the device, you need to install the appropriate software for your model by downloading it from the manufacturer's website.
5. When the icon of available Wi-Fi networks appears in the notification area, click on it.
6. In the list that opens, select your Wi-Fi network and connect to it, entering the password if it is password-protected.

In case you are going to connect your computer to Wi-Fi via a USB adapter, the first step is to insert the device into a free USB port. Then Windows 10 or 8 system will automatically detect the adapter and install the universal driver. But it will be better if you go to the manufacturer's website and download the appropriate driver for your model yourself.

What to look for when choosing an adapter

There are several criteria that should be taken into account when choosing an adapter among a variety of models:

• Speed. For most tasks, speeds of up to 150 Mbit/s are enough. But if you have a good router and fast Internet, it is better to choose from models that work at speeds up to 300 Mbit/s and higher.
• External antennas. They are useful if the signal is not very strong in the place where your computer is located.
• Support for the new 802.11 standard and 5 Hz frequency. With these parameters of the router should be selected and the appropriate modern adapter that supports the new standard.

To date, the popularity of adapters such brands as TP-Link, Tenda, ASUS. We advise you to choose devices from reliable manufacturers.

Setting up your router in repeater mode

If you need a faster Internet connection speed than the one that can be provided by the adapter (e.g. for gaming, etc.), it is worth organising a connection to the Internet using a remote access point. To do this, you need to:

1. Enter the interface of the router.
2. Go to «Wireless mode» — «Wireless mode setting».
3. Tick the «Enable WDS» checkbox.
4. Press the «Search» button in one of the fields that will appear.
5. Select the required connection from the list that the system will give you and click on the «Connect» button.
6. Enter the password for the selected connection and click «Save».

After the router is ready to work in the receiver mode, you can connect to it using a cable.

To find out in detail how to configure the Totolink router as a repeater using the A3002R model as an example, please refer to the following instructions here.

Now you know at least three ways to connect your PC to Wi-Fi. And if you have already done it, write in the comments how exactly.