How to connect the Internet through a router?
Using a router, or, as it is also called, a router, you can create a local network in your apartment that will distribute the Internet to all technical devices connected to it.
Today we will look at how to connect the Internet via a router yourself.
Open the box and check the contents. The router package should include the following: the device itself, an adapter (power supply), an Ethernet network cable (RJ-45 connector), a disk with drivers and installation program, router setup guide. The installation disk is in our in this case will not be needed, since we will set all the settings ourselves.
Turn over your router rear panel to yourself and pay attention to the ports. Typically the device contains five connectors, four of which are the same color. These inputs are called LAN ports and are intended for connecting equipment with which you want to access the global network. The fifth connector is different in color and is called WAN or Internet port. This connector is intended for connecting the Internet cable that was provided to you by the specialists of your Provider.
To the right of the Internet connector is the input for connecting the power supply. And the panel closes with a small button called “Reset”. The button is used to reset settings and reboot the router. To restart the device, you need to press the button (with a thin tip, such as a toothpick, etc.) and hold it for five seconds. When you press the "Reset" button, all installed settings and the default parameters are set.
Check out the articles as well.
With distribution broadband access On the Internet, wireless routers are becoming increasingly popular among home users, making it possible to organize Internet access in an apartment, shared among several computers. In addition, given the capabilities of routers to organize wireless communication channels, their use eliminates the need to lay network cables throughout the apartment. Today there are many different models available wireless routers for home use. But how to do right choice? Which router should you choose and, most importantly, how to configure it correctly? In this article we will look at the main features of modern routers and give step-by-step instructions for setting them up.
A modern home computer is no longer conceivable without an Internet connection. Analogue modems are irrevocably a thing of the past, and they have been replaced by high-speed Internet access technologies, and tariffs for organizing unlimited access have become comparable to the monthly payment for a telephone. Therefore, it is quite natural that after the purchase home computer users are thinking about organizing access to the Internet.
There are no problems connecting one home computer to the Internet. This, of course, is a non-trivial task for novice users, since it requires creating a new network connection and making the necessary settings for it, but if you're lucky, all this will be done by the engineers who will connect the computer to the Internet.
However, over time, you may have a second computer, laptop or PDA with wireless adapter. Of course, you'll want to connect all of these devices to the Internet. To do this, you will already have to use a router, which will act as a gateway between your local network in the apartment and the external Internet network.
Naturally, the question arises about choosing a router and its functionality.
Let us immediately note that all modern routers aimed at home users combine many network devices and the router is only one of them, although the main one. That is why some manufacturers, trying to emphasize the focus of their devices on home users, as well as their versatility, call them home Internet centers for marketing reasons. True, this only introduces confusion into the classification of such devices, but their generally accepted name is broadband wireless routers.
Until recently, routers for home users did not have an integrated wireless access point. Now these devices are already obsolete and you should not rely on them.
So, a modern broadband wireless router is multifunction device, which combines:
The main task assigned to wireless routers is to connect all computers home network into a single local network with the ability to exchange data between them and organize a high-speed, secure connection to the Internet for all home computers (Fig. 1).
Rice. 1. Using a wireless router to connect
home computers to the Internet
Currently, the most popular methods are connecting to the Internet via a telephone line using an ADSL modem and via a dedicated Ethernet line. Based on this, all wireless routers can be divided into two types:
In the latter case, the router also has an ADSL modem built into it.
According to statistics, the method of connecting via a dedicated Ethernet line is becoming increasingly popular among providers. At the same time, routers designed for this can also be used to connect to the Internet via a telephone line, but for this you will have to additionally purchase an ADSL modem.
In what follows, we will only consider routers designed to connect to the Internet via a dedicated Ethernet line.
So, routers are network devices installed on the border of the internal local home network and the Internet, and therefore acting as a network gateway. From a design point of view, routers must have at least two ports, one of which is connected to the local network (this port is called the internal LAN port), and the second is connected to the external network, that is, the Internet (this port is called the external WAN port). Home routers have one WAN port and four internal LAN ports, which are combined into a switch (Fig. 2). Both WAN and LAN ports have a 10/100Base-TX interface, and you can connect an Ethernet network cable to them.
Rice. 2. LAN and WAN ports of the router
The wireless access point integrated into the router allows you to organize a wireless network segment, which for the router refers to internal network. In this sense, computers connected to the router wirelessly are no different from those connected to the LAN port.
The purpose of the firewall integrated into the router is to ensure the security of the internal network. To do this, firewalls must be able to mask the protected network, block known types of hacker attacks and information leakage from the internal network, and control applications that access the external network.
In order to implement these functions, firewalls analyze all traffic between external and internal networks for compliance with certain established criteria or rules that determine the conditions for the passage of traffic from one network to another. If the traffic meets the specified criteria, the firewall allows it to pass through. Otherwise, that is, if the established criteria are not met, the traffic is blocked. Firewalls filter both incoming and outgoing traffic and also allow you to control access to certain network resources or applications.
By their purpose, firewalls resemble a checkpoint of a protected facility, where the documents of everyone entering the territory of the facility and everyone leaving it are checked. If the pass is in order, access to the territory is allowed. Firewalls operate in a similar way, only in the role of people passing through the checkpoint they act network packets, and a gap is whether the headers of these packets match a given set of rules.
All modern routers with built-in firewalls are NAT devices, that is, they support the NAT (Network Address Translation) protocol. This protocol is not part of a firewall, but helps improve network security. Its main task is to solve the problem of the shortage of IP addresses, which is becoming more and more urgent as the number of computers grows.
The NAT protocol defines how network address translation occurs. A NAT device converts IP addresses reserved for private use on local networks into public IP addresses. Private addresses include the following IP ranges: 10.0.0.0-10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255, 192.168.0.0-192.168.255.255. Private IP addresses cannot be used on the World Wide Web, so they can be freely used for internal purposes only.
In addition to the above functionality Some models of wireless routers have a number of additional ones. For example, they may be equipped with USB 2.0 ports to which you can connect external devices with the possibility of organizing shared network access to them. So, when connecting to a printer router via USB interface 2.0 we also get a print server, and when connecting an external hard drive- network storage device such as NAS (Network Attached Storage). In addition, in the latter case, the software used in the routers even allows you to organize an FTP server.
There are router models that have not only USB ports, but also a built-in HDD, and therefore can be used for network data storage, as FTP servers for access both from outside and from the internal network, and even serve as multimedia centers.
Despite the apparent similarity in functionality of broadband wireless routers, there are significant differences between them, which ultimately determine whether a particular router is suitable for your purposes or not. The fact is that different Internet providers use Various types Internet connection. If we are talking about connecting one computer (without using a router), then there are no problems, since user operating systems (for example, Windows XP/Vista) contain software that supports all connection types used by providers. If you use a router to connect your home network to the Internet, then it is necessary that it fully supports the connection type used by the provider (we will look at connection types in the section on setting up the WAN interface).
Almost all routers aimed at home users have built-in software quick setup(setup wizards) or auto-configuration tools - for example, Quick Setup, Smart Setup, NetFriend, etc. However, you need to keep in mind that there can always be a provider that will not support the automatic configuration function of a specific router. In addition, the presence of such functions does not mean that by pressing one “magic” button you will immediately cope with all problems and configure your router. After all, even in order to get to this “magic” button, you will have to make some network interface settings on your computer.
For the above reasons, we will not rely on the router's automatic configuration capabilities and will consider the most universal method its manual step-by-step configuration.
It is advisable to configure the router in the following sequence:
The first step in setting up the router is to gain network access to its settings via the web interface (all routers have a built-in web server).
Let's take a closer look at the steps of setting up the LAN interface and the built-in DHCP server, as well as setting up the WAN interface. We will not talk about setting up a wireless network, firewall and NAT protocol in this article - separate publications will be devoted to these issues.
To access the router's web interface, you must connect a computer (laptop) to the LAN port. The first thing you need to find out is the IP address of the router’s LAN port, the default login and password. Any router, being network device, has its own network address (IP address). In order to find out the IP address of the router's LAN port and password, you will have to look through the user manual. If the router has not been used before, its settings coincide with the default (factory) settings. In most cases, the IP address of the router's LAN port is 192.168.1.254 or 192.168.1.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, and the password and login are admin. If the router has already been in use and its default settings have been changed, but you do not know the IP address of the LAN port, or the login and password, then the first thing you will have to do is reset all settings (return to factory settings). To do this, all routers have a special recessed reset button. If you press it (with the router's power on) and hold it for a few seconds, the router will reboot and restore its factory settings.
In addition to the ability to quickly return to factory settings, most routers have a built-in DHCP server that is activated by default. This allows you to easily connect to the router, since a computer connected to the router's LAN port will automatically be assigned an IP address of the same subnet as the router's LAN port itself, and the IP address of the default gateway will be used. router LAN port address. But in order to take advantage of this opportunity, you need to make sure that in the properties network connection The computer used to connect to the router’s LAN port has the Obtain IP address automatically function installed. It is activated by default for all network interfaces, and if, after installing the operating system, network connections on the computer were not specially configured, then most likely you will be able to access the router settings immediately after connecting to its LAN port on the computer.
Attention! If your computer has already been connected to the Internet, then it is likely that you are using different network connection settings than the default settings. Before changing anything, write down all settings.
If so in a simple way If you cannot connect to the router, you will have to first configure the network interface of the computer connected to the router. The point of the setup is that the network interface of the computer that connects to the LAN port of the router and the LAN port of the router have IP addresses belonging to the same subnet. Let's assume the router's LAN port has an IP address of 192.168.1.1. Then the network interface of the connected computer must be assigned a static IP address 192.168.1.x (for example, 192.168.1.100) with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. In addition, you must specify the IP address of the router's LAN port (in our case, 192.168.1.1) as the default gateway IP address.
Naturally, setting up a computer's network interface depends on the operating system used. We will show how to make such a setup using the example of the most popular operating system Microsoft Windows XP SP2 (English version) and the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system (Russian version).
Setting up the network interface of a PC running Microsoft Windows XP SP2
If you are using the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system, to assign a static IP address to the network interface of your computer, click the icon My Network Places(Network Neighborhood) right-click and in the opened context menu select item Properties(Properties). In the window that opens Network Connection(Network Connections) select the icon Local Area Connection(Local Network) and by right-clicking on it, go to the item again Properties. After this a window should open Local Area Connection Properties(Network connection properties), which allows you to configure the network adapter (Fig. 3).
Rice. 3. Local Area Connection Properties Dialog Box
On the tab General select the protocol Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on the button Properties. A window will open allowing you to set the computer's default IP address, subnet mask, and gateway. Check the box in this dialog box Use the following IP address: and enter the IP address and subnet mask in the appropriate text fields (Fig. 4).
Rice. 4. Setting a static IP address, subnet mask
and gateway IP addresses
Once the computer's network interface has been configured, you can access the settings of the router itself. To do this, enter the IP address of the access point (192.168.1.1) in the address field of your web browser. If everything is done correctly, the access point (router) settings dialog box will open. You may first need to enter your username and password (they are in the documentation).
Setting up the network interface of a PC running Microsoft Windows Vista
If you are using the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, to assign a static IP address to the network interface of your computer, click the icon Net right-click and in the context menu that appears, select Properties. In the window that opens Network connections Network connections(Fig. 5), which displays all network adapters installed on the computer.
Rice. 5. Network connections window with a list of network adapters
Having selected in this window the network adapter (if there are several of them) with which the computer is connected to the LAN port of the router, right-click on it and select the item in the context menu that opens Properties(Fig. 6).
Rice. 6. Select the network adapter connected to the router,
and right-click on it
In the properties window for the selected network adapter(Fig. 7) on the tab Net you need to highlight the item Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and press the button Properties. Next, a window will open allowing you to set the computer’s IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway IP address. Check the box in this window Use the following IP address: and enter the IP address, subnet mask and gateway IP address in the appropriate text fields (Fig. 8).
Rice. 7. Network adapter properties window
Rice. 8. Setting a static IP address, subnet mask
and gateway IP addresses
After the computer’s network interface has been configured, in the window Network Sharing Center with shared access You can make additional settings for the newly created local network. Initially, this network is given the name default (Private network) - fig. 9.
Rice. 9. Displaying the properties of the newly created local network
If you select a link Settings opposite the local network name, then in the window Setting up network location(Fig. 10) you can specify the name of the created network connection (for example, home network), select the icon for this connection and the network location type ( Public or Private). In the case of a home network, it is better to set the placement type Private, because this will allow your computer to discover other computers and devices on the local network and make it possible for them to discover your computer.
Rice. 10. Setting the properties of the created network connection
After the network properties have been set, in the window Shared Network Center you can view the full network map by clicking on the link View full map. Since in our case there is only one computer connected to the router (gateway), and the Internet connection has not yet been configured, the network map will look as shown in Fig. 11. If you move your mouse pointer over the computer or gateway icon on this map, a tooltip will display the IP and MAC addresses of the network adapter or LAN port of the router, respectively.
Rice. 11. Diagram of the created network
Once the connection between your computer and the router’s LAN port has been configured, you can access its settings. This is done in the same way as in the case of the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system: the IP address of the access point (192.168.1.1) is entered in the address field of the web browser.
The first thing we recommend doing after gaining access to the router settings is to configure its LAN interface. It is considered good form when, when connecting a new computer to the router (both wired and via wireless interface) its network interface is configured automatically. To do this, you need to configure the DHCP server built into the router and set the default gateway IP address used for connected PCs.
In addition, when configuring the LAN interface, you can change the default IP address and subnet mask of the router's LAN port. However, it only makes sense to change these router settings when there are compelling reasons for doing so. In most cases, changing the IP address and subnet mask of the router's LAN port is not required, which means that setting up the LAN interface consists only of setting up a DHCP server and setting (if it is not set automatically) the IP address and subnet mask of the default gateway, which will be used for computers connected to the router.
The router's LAN interface is configured in the IP config section. Its name may be different, so you just need to find the section in which the network interfaces (WAN and LAN) of the router are configured. As a rule, in the same section there is a subsection that allows you to configure DHCP server settings (in our example it is called DHCP Server).
The DHCP server is configured in the following sequence:
Different router models may have different ranges of IP addresses reserved for the DHCP server. But don’t think that the bigger it is, the better. It's unlikely that you'll ever need to connect more than ten computers to your router at home, so for home routers, the range of IP addresses reserved for the DHCP server is completely uncritical. In any case, it includes more than 30 addresses, which is quite enough. If we are talking about using a router in an office, then it is desirable that this range be 253 IP addresses (there are no more within the same subnet, since one IP address is reserved by the router itself). For example, these could be addresses from 192.168.1.2 to 192.168.1.254. Naturally, all IP addresses reserved for the DHCP server will belong to the same subnet as the router’s LAN port. Moreover, if you change the IP address of the router’s LAN port, the pool of IP addresses reserved for allocation will also change - thus, both the IP address of the router’s LAN port and all reserved addresses will always belong to the same subnet.
Using a DHCP server on a router does not mean that you cannot set static addresses on computers connected to the router and configure the network interface manually. It’s just that in this case, the address assigned to the network interface of the computer connected to the router will not be used by the DHCP server for dynamic allocation.
After allowing the use of a DHCP server on the router (usually this option is activated by default), all that remains is to register the IP address of the Default Gateway, which must be the IP address of the router’s LAN port (in our example - 192.168.1.1 ). There is no point in changing other settings.
An example of setting up a DHCP server is shown in Fig. 12 (ASUS WL-566gM wireless router is used as an example). After making all changes, you must reboot the router (otherwise the changes will not take effect). To do this in different models routers use various buttons - for example Finish or Apply and Restart, etc.
Rice. 12. Configuring a DHCP server in ASUS router WL-566gM
After setting up the LAN interface and DHCP server in the router, you can return to the settings of the network interface of the computer connected to the router.
In the network adapter properties window, which allows you to set the computer's IP address, subnet mask and default gateway IP address, check the box Obtain an IP address automatically(Fig. 13). IN in this example The operating system is Windows Vista. For operating room Windows systems XP SP2 settings are made in the same way.
Rice. 13. Configuring the network adapter to automatic
obtaining an IP address from the router's DHCP server
(when using Windows Vista OS)
When the changes take effect, the computer will briefly lose connection with the router, but then it will be restored and the router settings will become available again.
Naturally, the question arises: why did we spend so much time setting up a DHCP server on the router if we already had access to the router’s settings? The fact is that in order to gain access to the router we had to configure the network interface of the connected computer. If there is only one computer, then you don’t have to configure a DHCP server, but if there are two or more computers, then to combine them into a local network based on a router, you will have to perform a similar setup of the network interfaces of all computers and not get confused in the IP addresses, so that Do not assign the same network address to several computers. It is much easier to configure a DHCP server on the router once, and activate the function of automatically obtaining an IP address on all computers connected to it (it is activated by default). Then all computers connected to the router will be automatically assigned IP addresses. In addition, if in the future you have to reinstall the operating system on any computer, you will not need to remember all the network controller settings, since they will be made automatically when you connect to the router.
In conclusion, we note that the DHCP server function applies to computers connected to LAN ports not only via network cables, but also via a wireless interface, that is, through the wireless access point integrated into the router.
At the next stage of setting up the router, you need to configure the WAN interface, which will provide Internet access. There are quite a few options for setting up a WAN interface, and in each specific case it is determined by the type of connection used by the Internet provider. Let's look at all the popular connection types used by providers.
In Moscow, there are more than 300 home network providers involved in connecting end users to the Internet. Sometimes up to ten providers can provide Internet connection services in one home. Unfortunately, on the websites of home network providers the settings they use are not indicated. Therefore, when choosing a provider (if there are several of them in your area), you should call the technical support service and find out about all the nuances of connection.
In general, choosing a provider is by no means a trivial task. In this case, it is necessary to take into account not only tariffs, but also factors such as the quality of the communication channel, type of communication, availability of home network resources and much more. For example, in Moscow there are still home network providers whose contracts stipulate that the user is prohibited from using a router to connect several home computers to the Internet. So what, you say, how will he find out? Elementary! The fact is that any router is also a NAT device, therefore, by analyzing network packets (and the structure of packets sent by a NAT device differs from packets sent by a regular network controller), the provider can easily determine whether you are using a router or not. As a rule, on the websites of such providers you can find prices for connecting a second computer to the Internet. What can I say? It is better not to deal with such providers at all.
Another circumstance that must be taken into account when choosing a provider is providing access to home network resources. It is produced free of charge (which is important if you do not have unlimited tariff) and at full network interface speed (100 Mbit/s). Home networks contain collections of films and music, game servers and servers with different software, file sharing networks between home network users. In addition, many home networks are pooling their local resources, providing users with even greater capabilities. Therefore, you should under no circumstances neglect such an opportunity as using local resources of your home network.
I would also like to draw the attention of readers to the fact that some unscrupulous providers are engaged in banal deception of users. For example, instead of the promised bandwidth of 4 Mbit/s, they can actually limit traffic to 2 Mbit/s. Often the promised bandwidth is realized only in one direction - from the provider to the user, and traffic in the opposite direction is cut.
However, there are many more examples of how providers scam users. Fortunately, there are many forums where all this is discussed. However, let's return to the main topic of our article.
So, if we talk about the main types of connection, we can note the following:
Let's look at each connection type in more detail.
Dynamic IP address allocation
From the user's point of view, the simplest way to connect to the Internet when using one computer is to allocate the user a dynamic IP address. However, if you have a router, the connection procedure becomes somewhat more complicated.
When just one computer connects to the Internet without using a router, there is actually no need to configure the computer's network interface, since with the default network controller settings, the computer immediately has access to the Internet. Let us recall that by default the network interface is configured to automatically obtain an IP address, subnet mask, gateway IP address, and DNS and WINS server IP addresses. In this case, the router WAN port is configured automatically using the provider's DHCP server. However, in some cases you may need to manually set the IP addresses of the DNS server and gateway (although this is rare).
If you use a router to connect to the Internet, its WAN port is configured in exactly the same way as the network controller of a computer connected to the Internet without using a router. That is, in the settings of the router’s WAN interface, you must specify the Dynamic IP connection method (all routers support this type of connection). The problem, however, is that most routers, unlike PC network controllers, cannot automatically obtain the IP addresses of the default gateway and DNS servers (primary and secondary). Therefore, these addresses will most likely have to be entered manually. An example of such a setting in the Gigabyte GN-B49G router is shown in Fig. 14.
Rice. 14. Configuring the router’s WAN interface when using the connection type
with dynamic IP address allocation
Naturally, the question arises: where to get these same IP addresses of the gateway and DNS servers? Indeed, in the case of dynamic settings, providers focus on connecting to the Internet using just one computer, which is able to receive all the settings automatically. But most routers cannot automatically receive settings. In order to find out the IP addresses of the default gateway and DNS servers, you must first set up an Internet connection for one PC (without using a router). Next you need to run the console command ipconfig/all. To do this, launch the command console on your computer (in the window Execute(Run) dial cmd command) and type the command ipconfig/all. This command will display a list of all network controllers installed on the computer (if there are several) with their settings ( network addresses) and MAC addresses (Fig. 15). In the same window you can find out the IP addresses of the Default Gateway and DNS server. All that remains is to write down these addresses so that you can use them later when configuring the router.
Rice. 15. Clarification network settings controller
Once all the necessary IP addresses are registered in the router, all computers connected to the router via LAN ports and wireless interface will have access to the Internet. Moreover, the Internet connection is activated immediately after turning on the computer (as long as the router is turned on). Note that if your provider, in addition to Internet access, provides a connection to home network resources, then there are no problems with simultaneous use both the Internet and home network resources do not arise (we will talk about such problems later).
Another problem with using a dynamic IP address is that very often this type of connection is combined with MAC address binding. A MAC address is a unique identifier for a network device. No two MAC addresses are the same - no matter what type network equipment we're talking about. Binding by MAC address means that the provider controls the MAC addresses of the network controllers of the computers from which they access the Internet, that is, a MAC address filter is configured on the provider’s side. If, for example, the connection to the Internet was initially set up on one computer and a binding was made by MAC address, then an attempt to access the Internet from another computer (for example, you bought a new PC) will no longer be successful. The problem, of course, can be solved, but to do this you need to tell the provider the MAC address of the new computer.
If several computers are connected to the Internet using a router, the binding must be made to the MAC address of the router's WAN port. In principle, you can call your provider and ask them to enter a new MAC address, but you can do it easier. Almost all modern routers have such a function as MAC address spoofing. That is, any MAC address can be assigned to the WAN port. If the router is installed after you have set up an Internet connection using one computer, then it is enough to assign the WAN port of the router the MAC address of the network controller that was used in the computer to set up the Internet connection.
The MAC address of the network controller can be found in the same window where the IP addresses of the default gateway and DNS server are indicated (see Figure 15).
Having opened the router's web interface, you need to assign a new MAC address to the WAN port. Note that this function can be implemented in the router not in the settings section (IP config) of the LAN and WAN interfaces of the router, but in some other one. For example, in Gigabyte wireless routers this function is located in the Change WAN MAC section (Fig. 16).
Rice. 16. Changing the MAC address of the router WAN port using the example of a router
Gigabyte GN-B49G
One last issue to mention about connecting to the Internet using a dynamic IP address is that your ISP's default gateway and DNS server IP addresses may change from time to time. Therefore, if your Internet suddenly disappears, do not rush to call technical support. It is quite possible that you just need to change the gateway and DNS server IP addresses on your router. Of course, periodically reconfiguring the router is an extremely unpleasant task, but what to do - in some cases this is the only thing possible way. The good news is that the IP addresses of the provider’s gateway and DNS server change quite rarely. In addition, some router models, like the PC network controller, are capable of automatically obtaining the IP addresses of the default gateway and DNS servers.
Allocation of a static IP address
The connection method with the allocation of a static IP address (Static IP), from the user's point of view, is also very simple, although the number of settings that will have to be made is slightly greater than in the case of a dynamic IP address. Actually, there is no difference between these connection methods, except that in the first case, the provider’s DHCP server is used to configure the network interface and the configuration occurs automatically, and in the second, all settings must be entered manually.
Having selected a connection type with a static IP address in the settings of the router's WAN interface, you must specify the IP address of the WAN port, the subnet mask, the IP addresses of the gateway and the primary and secondary DNS servers. All this data is provided by the provider when you connect to the Internet. An example of such a setup on the Gigabyte GN-B49G router is shown in Fig. 17.
Rice. 17. Configuring the router’s WAN interface when using the connection type
with allocation of a static IP address
Almost always, when using a connection type with a static IP address, MAC address binding is used. We have already described what additional settings need to be made in the router in this case. It remains only to note that when using of this type connection, the user has no problems with simultaneous use of both the Internet and local resources of the home network.
Connecting to the Internet using the PPPoE protocol
PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) is also quite often used by home network providers. It is supported by all routers, which means there is no problem of router incompatibility with the connection type.
The use of a connection via the PPPoE protocol opens up wide opportunities for providers to account for user access to the network. Thanks to this technology, the provider can easily restrict users' access to the Internet and keep track of their traffic. PPPoE technology runs a PPP session over an Ethernet network.
At the same time, user authentication using the PAP and CHAP protocols, dynamic allocation of IP addresses to users, assignment of gateway and DNS server addresses, etc. are supported.
The operating principle of PPPoE is based on establishing a point-to-point connection over general environment Ethernet. The process of functioning of PPPoE is divided into two stages: first, devices communicate their addresses to each other and establish an initial connection, and then a PPP session is launched.
All clients are allocated private addresses and are asked to log in via PPPoE.
From the user's point of view, setting up a connection using the PPPoE protocol cannot be called simple. Even if you set up an Internet connection on just one computer (without using a router), you will have to open a lot of dialog boxes. In principle, the process of setting up an Internet connection on a computer using the PPPoE protocol is similar to the process of setting up an Internet connection using an analog modem.
In addition, the PPPoE protocol has another inconvenience for the user. The fact is that in order to simultaneously access the Internet and access the local home network, it is necessary to make additional (and by no means trivial for novice users) settings. That is, with a normal Internet connection setup, simultaneous access to the Internet and home network resources is impossible. However, we will talk about these subtleties later, but for now let’s look at setting up an Internet connection using the PPPoE protocol when using one computer (without a router).
Setting up a PPPoE connection using one computer
The sequence of settings and the appearance of the dialog boxes depend on the operating system used, so we will consider two options for setting up the connection - for Microsoft Windows XP SP2 (English version) and Microsoft Windows Vista (Russian version).
For Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system
When using the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 operating system, to create a new network connection, you must run New Connection Wizard Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > New Connection Wizard(Fig. 18).
Rice. 18. Launching the Network Connection Wizard
New Connection Wizard(New Connection Wizard) click on the button Next and move on to the section New Connection Type(Network connection type). In this window, check the box Connect to the Internet(Connect to the Internet) - fig. 19.
Rice. 19. Setting the network connection type
Getting Ready(Preparations in progress) select the method for creating a network connection. It is necessary to note the point here Set up my connection manually(Establish connection manually) - fig. 20.
Rice. 20. Setting the network connection setup method
Next we move on to the section Internet Connection(Internet connection) - fig. 21, in which you set the type of equipment for connecting to the Internet, and select the item Connect using a broadband connection that requires a user name and password(Via a broadband connection that requires a username and password).
Rice. 21. Selecting the type of equipment for the Internet connection
In the next section called Connection Name(Connection name) You must specify the connection name (ISP Name). In principle, this name can be anything, for example, the connection can be called Internet (Fig. 22).
Rice. 22. Setting a name for the Internet connection
Further in the section Internet Account Information(Details account on the Internet), you must enter the data received from the provider, that is, the user name (User Name) and password (Password). To avoid errors, the password is entered twice: in the Password(Password) and in the field Confirm Password(Confirmation) - fig. 23. If you are the sole owner of the computer, that is, if there are no other users with other profiles, or you want this Internet connection to be available to all users of this computer, then you can check the box Use this account name and password when anyone connects to the Internet from this computer(Use the following username and password when connecting any user). If there is only one Internet connection on the computer (which is most likely), then we also check the box Make this the default Internet connection(Make this connection your default Internet connection).
Rice. 23. Setting a username and password
At the final stage of creating an Internet connection, you can check the item (Add a connection shortcut to the desktop) - fig. 24.
Rice. 24. Adding an icon for the created Internet connection to the desktop
Once you have completed creating a new connection using New Connection Wizards you need to configure it further so that you can use it to access the Internet. To do this, left-click on the icon of the created connection and in the Internet connection window that opens, enter the user name and password again (Fig. 25). In order not to repeat this procedure every time you access the Internet, check the box (Save username and password) and check the box Anyone who use this computer(For any user).
Rice. 25. Setting up an Internet connection
Operating system Microsoft Windows Vista
If you are using the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, to create an Internet connection using the PPPoE protocol, click the Net right-click and in the context menu that opens, select Properties. In the window that appears Shared Network Center Select the link on the left side by clicking on it with the left mouse button. After this a window should open Connect to the network(Fig. 26), in which you need to select the item Internet connection.
Rice. 26. Launching the Internet Connection Wizard
At the next stage, select the type of Internet connection - High speed with PPPoE(Fig. 27) and in the next window enter the username and password received from the provider (Fig. 28). All you have to do is press the button To plug, after which an attempt will be made to connect to the Internet. Actually, this completes the creation of a new Internet connection.
Rice. 27. Selecting the type of Internet connection
Rice. 28. Setting a username and password
Next in the window Shared Network Center select the link on the left side Connect to the network by clicking on it with the left mouse button. After this a window should open Connect to the network, which displays the created Internet connection. Having selected the created Internet connection in this window, right-click on it and select the item in the context menu that opens Properties(Fig. 29).
Rice. 29. Go to the Properties window for the created Internet connection
On various window tabs Properties Once the Internet connection has been created, you can check whether the settings are correct.
As we have already noted, from the user’s point of view, the main problem with a connection using the PPPoE protocol, in addition to complex setup, is that the created Internet connection does not provide simultaneous access both to the Internet and to the resources of the local home network. To access local network resources, another network connection is created. The process of creating it is quite simple and is no different from connecting with a dynamically allocated IP address using the provider’s DHCP server (how such a connection is configured has already been described in the corresponding section). As a result, the user has two connections: to the Internet and to local network resources, but they cannot be used simultaneously, that is, you can access either the Internet or the provider’s home network. Of course, this is inconvenient, especially when multiple devices are connected to the Internet. This problem can be solved by using one Internet connection for simultaneous access to both the Internet and local home network resources. To do this, you need to create a so-called static routing table.
Before you begin creating a static routing table, you need to find out the default gateway IP address that is used when connecting to the Internet. To do this, run the ipconfig command in the Shell, after which a list of all connections with their settings will be displayed. After choosing to connect to local resources, note down the IP address of the Default gateway.
The command syntax is as follows:
ROUTE –p ADD ,
Where destination- IP address of the host (server) in the provider’s local home network; netmask- network mask for the host IP address in the provider’s local home network; gateway- Default gateway IP address.
Thanks to the key –p, the routes will be remembered and restored after the computer is restarted. However, if you make a mistake, you risk disrupting your connection to both the Internet and the local network. If this happens, enter the reset routes command route –f and restart your computer. After rebooting, you can try executing the ROUTE command again.
The specific IP addresses of the provider's local network servers can be found from the provider itself, for example, on its website.
As an example, we will give commands for adding static routes used in the Konkovo.Net network:
To check the added routing table, enter the ROUTE PRINT command (Fig. 30).
Rice. 30. Checking the static routing table
After creating such a table and restarting the computer, both Internet resources and local resources of the home network become available at the same time.
Setting up a PPPoE connection using a router
If Internet access via the PPPoE protocol needs to be organized for several home computers using a router, then you will need a router that supports the PPPoE protocol. However, you don’t have to worry about this: all modern routers support this protocol, so there won’t be any problems.
After gaining access to the router settings, in the WAN interface settings section, select the PPPoE connection type and enter the username and password received from your provider. Actually, this is where the process of setting up the router ends. Next, all computers connected to the router via LAN ports will be able to use the Internet connection.
However, the problem of simultaneous use of the Internet and local resources of the home network with this connection method remains. The fact is that most ordinary routers are designed to route IP packets from the user's home network to the Internet and back. That is, it is assumed that the router can simultaneously have two interfaces and route packets between two networks. If you need simultaneous access to both the Internet and the provider's home network, it is necessary that packets be routed between three networks: the user's home network, the provider's local network and the Internet. However, not every router is capable of this.
In the most general case, a regular router, when establishing a PPPoE connection, stops routing packets between the user's home network (LAN) and the home network of the Internet provider. This happens because after establishing a PPPoE connection, the router has a PPP interface, which is designed to route home network packets to the Internet. The router changes the default route, which routes all requests from the home network to the ISP's home network, to a route that routes all requests from the home network to the Internet. Therefore, when using a PPPoE connection to implement simultaneous access to both the Internet and local resources of the provider, it is necessary that the router be able to support the simultaneous operation of two connections on the WAN interface.
In addition, Internet providers very often use segmented networks, where different servers are located in different subnets. To have access to all of the ISP's resources, the router must also allow the creation of static routing tables. Therefore, if your provider uses the PPPoE connection type and you want to connect several home computers to the Internet, but in such a way that the resources of the provider’s segmented home network remain available, then you need a router that, firstly, supports the simultaneous operation of two connections on WAN interface, and secondly, allows you to register a static routing table.
Creating a routing table on a router is even easier than on a computer. The only thing worth noting is that different router models allow you to create routing tables with different numbers of entries. However, there is no need to worry about this, since it is unlikely that you will need to add more than a dozen entries to this table, and all routing tables are designed for at least 20 entries.
An example of a routing table created on the ASUS WL-500W router is shown in Fig. 31.
Rice. 31. Example of a static routing table created on a router
ASUS WL-500W
Connecting to the Internet using the PPTP/L2TP protocol
The PPTP and L2TP protocols are a type of VPN protocol. PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) is a point-to-point tunneling protocol that allows a computer to establish a secure connection with a server by creating a special tunnel in a standard local network connection. PPTP forms PPP frames in IP datagrams for transmission over global network Internet type IP. PPTP uses TCP communications for tunneling services.
The L2TP protocol (Layer Two Tunneling Protocol) is also a tunnel protocol that has approximately the same capabilities as the PPTP protocol.
Connecting via the PPTP protocol is the most common method of authorization from providers for Internet access for users connected via a dedicated Ethernet line.
The PPTP protocol, unlike PPPoE, allows Internet providers to build segmented home networks and at the same time use a centralized node for user authorization and Internet access.
However, with a large number of subscribers, one PPTP server for authorization and Internet access may not be able to cope with the load. Therefore, sometimes providers install a whole farm of PPTP servers. To ensure equal load distribution across all PPTP servers, load balancing is used using DNS. This method relies on the DNS server periodically querying each PPTP server to determine the current load. The DNS server then responds to the host address query by returning the IP address of the least loaded PPTP server.
From the users' point of view, the process of setting up a computer to connect to the Internet using the PPTP and L2TP protocols is not much different from setting up a connection using the PPPoE protocol. The problem of simultaneous access to the Internet and local resources of the provider’s home network is solved in a similar way.
Next, we will look at setting up an Internet connection using the PPTP and L2TP protocols on one computer (without a router) running Windows XP SP2 (English version) and Windows Vista (Russian version), as well as setting up a router. Note that the procedure for creating a connection using the PPTP protocol is no different from the procedure for creating a connection using the L2TP protocol, and therefore we will limit ourselves to considering only the PPTP protocol.
Setting up an Internet connection on a PC running Microsoft Windows XP SP2
When connecting to the Internet via PPTP or L2TP on a PC running Microsoft Windows XP SP2, the first steps to create are the same as when connecting to the Internet via PPPoE. To create a new connection, run New Connection Wizard by running the following commands: Start > Programs > Accessories > Communications > New Connection Wizard.
In the dialog box that opens New Connection Wizard(New Connection Wizard) go to the section New Connection Type(Network connection type) and check the box Connect to the Network at my workplace(Connect to the network at your workplace) - fig. 32.
Rice. 32. Setting the network connection type
In the next section called Network Connection(Network connection) select how to connect to the network and check the box Virtual Private Network connection(Connect to virtual private network) - rice. 33.
Rice. 33. Setting the network connection method
Rice. 34. Setting a name for the Internet connection
In chapter Public Network(Public network) checkbox must be checked Do not dial the initial connection(Do not dial the number to pre-connect) - fig. 35.
Rice. 35. Installation of connection details
Then in the section VPN Server Selection(Select VPN Server) you must specify the name or IP address of the VPN server to which you are connecting. This data must be obtained from the provider (Fig. 36).
Rice. 36. Setting the name (IP address) of the VPN server
This completes the procedure for creating an Internet connection. You can check the box Add shortcut to this connection to my desktop(Add a connection shortcut to your desktop).
After creating a new connection using New Connection Wizards left-click on the icon of the created connection and in the Internet connection window that opens, enter the username and password received from the provider (Fig. 37). To avoid repeating this procedure every time you access the Internet, check the box Save this user name and password for the following users:(Save username and password).
Rice. 37. Setting a username and password
Setting up an Internet connection for a PC running Microsoft Windows Vista
If you are using the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system to create an Internet connection using the PPTP protocol, open the window Shared Network Center and select the link on the left side Establishing a connection or network by clicking on it with the left mouse button. After this a window should open Connect to the network, in which you need to select the item Connection to the workplace(Fig. 38).
Rice. 38. Launching the Internet Connection Wizard
At the next stage, select the item Use my Internet connection (VPN)(Fig. 39) and further (in the next window) - item Postpone Internet connection setup(Fig. 40).
Rice. 39. VPN connection setup step
Rice. 40. In this section you need to select the item Postpone connection setup
to the Internet
In the next window in the field Internet address you need to enter the VPN server address received from the provider (for example, vpn.corbina.ru), and in the field Destination name- connection name (Fig. 41).
Rice. 41. Setting the VPN server address
In the next window, enter the username and password that you need to obtain from your provider (Fig. 42).
Rice. 42. Setting a username and password
Then in the window The connection is ready to use press the button Close. This completes the process of creating a new connection.
If now in the window Network and Sharing Center select link Connect to the network, then in the window that opens there will be a shortcut to the created VPN connection (Fig. 43). By right-clicking on it and selecting the item in the context menu Properties, you can check all the settings of the created connection and, if necessary, adjust them.
Rice. 43. Displaying a shortcut for the created connection in the window
Connect to the network
If you double-click on the created connection shortcut with the left mouse button, the connection process will start.
After a successful connection, a window will appear asking you to select the user’s location (private, work, public). It is recommended to select a placement type Public. This will limit detection of computers and devices on your home network.
Solving the problem of simultaneous connection to the Internet and local home network resources
As we have already noted, from the user’s point of view, the main problem of connecting via the PPTP/L2TP protocol is that the created Internet connection does not provide simultaneous access to local home network resources. This problem is solved in the same way as in the case of a PPPoE connection - by creating two connections (in this case, it is possible to use either the Internet or resources of the local home network) or a static routing table (in this case, the Internet connection can be used simultaneously for access to local home network resources). We have already described how a static routing table is created, and, naturally, the procedure for creating it does not depend at all on the type of connection.
As an example, here are the commands for adding static routes used in the Corbina telecom network, where a connection using the PPTP or L2TP protocol is used.
Common to all:
route -p add 85.21.29.242 mask 255.255.255.255
The local network:
route -p add 10.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0
Statistics server:
route -p add 195.14.50.26 mask 255.255.255.255
Mail server:
route -p add 195.14.50.16 mask 255.255.255.255
Local resources:
route -p add 85.21.79.0 mask 255.255.255.0
route -p add 85.21.90.0 mask 255.255.255.0
Game servers:
route -p add 83.102.231.32 mask 255.255.255.240
route -p add 85.21.108.16 mask 255.255.255.240
route -p add 85.21.138.208 mask 255.255.255.240
route -p add 85.21.52.254 mask 255.255.255.255
route -p add 85.21.88.130 mask 255.255.255.255
route -p add 83.102.146.96 mask 255.255.255.224
Setting up an Internet connection via PPTP or L2TP using a router
If you want to access the Internet via PPTP or L2TP using a router, you will need a router that supports these VPN protocols. Note that not all routers support them, and support for the L2TP protocol is generally very rare.
The process of setting up a router to create a connection using the PPTP or L2TP protocol is very simple: in the WAN interface settings section, select the connection type: PPTP (L2TP) - and enter the username and password received from the provider. After this, all computers connected to the router via LAN ports will be able to use the Internet connection.
If you need access not only to the Internet, but also to the resources of the provider’s local network, then not just any router that supports the PPTP or L2TP protocol will do. As in the case of a PPPoE connection, you need a router that supports the simultaneous operation of two connections on the WAN interface and allows you to register a static routing table (how to do this has already been described in the corresponding section).
As we have already noted, with a large number of subscribers, providers can use an entire farm of PPTP servers, and to ensure uniform load distribution across all PPTP servers, server load balancing is used using a DNS server.
For proper operation of a subscriber router in such a network, in addition to the ability to specify a PPTP server with a domain name, it must provide the ability to change the known IP address of the PPTP server each time a connection is established, regardless of the reason for the termination of the previous PPTP connection. In addition, often the PPTP server may not be located in the user’s segment, but in a remote segment of the provider’s local network, then access to the PPTP server is possible only through the gateway. Therefore, it is not a fact that even if you use a router that supports the PPTP/L2TP protocol and the ability to create a static routing table, everything will work.
After short course When setting up home routers, it becomes clear that the answer to the question of which router to choose depends on what type of connection your ISP uses. If it uses a connection with a static or dynamic IP address (as a rule, bound by MAC address), then this is the simplest case, from the user’s point of view, and any router will suit you. If you are using a connection via the PPPoE protocol, then you need a router that, firstly, supports this protocol, and secondly, allows you to register static routing tables.
When using a connection via a VPN channel (PPTP or L2TP protocol), you will need a router that, firstly, supports these protocols, secondly, allows you to register static routing tables, and thirdly, provides the ability to specify a PPTP server with a domain name and change the IP address of the PPTP server known to him every time a connection is established, regardless of the reason for the termination of the previous PPTP connection. Of these router models, the following can be noted:
This, of course, does not mean that other routers will not work when using this type of connection, however, the listed models are guaranteed to provide simultaneous Internet access and access to home network resources. The best solution Today the ZyXEL P-330W EE router is on the market, which compares favorably with other models in its ease of configuration using the specialized ZyXEL NetFriend program.
If the power of the router is not enough for stable Wi-Fi coverage of an apartment, home or office, there is a need for additional devices. There are three ways to strengthen the weak signal of the main router: install an additional antenna, a repeater, or another router. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages; let’s take a closer look at the third option.
To configure the router, connect a computer or other device with a web browser installed to it:
By default, the wireless network is assigned a name (SSID) identical to the name of the router model, and access to the distributed Wi-Fi network is not protected by a password.
After establishing a connection with the router, open a web browser on your computer or connected wireless device and address bar enter the router's IP address. For example, for a TP-LINK router the address will be as follows: http://192.168.0.1
Entering the router's IP address in the browser's address bar will open access to the control panelIllustrations taken from Settings TP-LINK router TL-WR 1045, other manufacturers' control panel looks different, but general principles, abbreviations and terms will be the same.
The correct IP address, login and password required to log into the control panel are indicated on the plate attached to the bottom of the router.
The IP address, login and password of the control panel are indicated on the nameplate on the bottom of the router The login and password indicated on the sign apply only to the control panel, but not to the wireless network distributed by the router. After entering your login and password, the main screen will appear, displaying information about the status of the device and providing access to menu items for setting modes.
Do not change the factory settings of the router unless necessary. After making changes to the router settings, reboot the device.
Routers are connected to one local network either by cable or wirelessly. It is recommended to use devices from the same manufacturer.
A twisted pair cable (UTP cable) is laid between the main and additional routers. In the main router, the cable is connected to the LAN socket, and in the additional router - to the WAN socket (this socket is highlighted in color and is sometimes called Internet). With this connection, the additional router will be a network device for the main one, and the main router will act as a provider for the additional one, distributing the Internet and providing a dynamic IP address.
Before installing an additional router, consider how the cable will be laid and carefully measure the length of the future cable channel. When purchasing a cable, buy one meter longer than the measured cable channel, and ask the seller to immediately crimp the ends of the cable into the connectors. If the cable channel runs outside the premises and is exposed to natural influences, then purchase a cable with a reinforced sheath.
Advantages of the method:
Disadvantages of the method:
If the main router is already configured to work with the provider and there are no complaints about the work, then there is no need to change anything in the settings.
Make sure that the DHCP function in the main router is enabled to automatically distribute IP addresses on the local network. The start and end IP addresses do not need to be changed.
It is recommended to immediately reset any changes made to the router settings to those preset by the manufacturer. To do this, turn on the router, find the Reset button on the rear panel, press and hold it pressed for 5-7 seconds. To protect against accidental reset of settings, the button is hidden inside the case and can be pressed through the hole using a needle or an unbent paper clip.
An example of the location of the reset button on the back panel of the router: the button is hidden inside, only the hole for pressing is visible In the additional router, two settings are checked and set:
Making changes to the additional router’s own IP address allows you to avoid conflicts between identical addresses on the same network
After changing the router's IP address, to re-access the control panel, enter the new address in the browser's address bar.
There is a cable connection option in which the cable is connected to the LAN port of an additional router. This option requires complex setup and does not provide any advantages over a WAN port connection.
Advantages of the method:
Disadvantages of the method:
The main router receives Internet from the provider and distributes it via the wireless network LAN1; the additional router receives the Internet wirelessly from the main router and distributes it via the LAN2 wireless network
When two routers are connected on a local network via a wireless channel, a “bridge” connection is used, in English Wireless Distribution System (WDS), designed specifically to expand Wi-Fi coverage area.
When installing this type of connection, the main router operates in standard mode, and the additional one performs the function Wi-Fi booster, receiving and distributing the signal further.
To connect routers in bridge mode, you need to establish a permanent (fixed) communication channel between them and specify the physical addresses of the connected devices in the settings. To set up a “bridge”, both routers are turned on, the main router is pre-configured to the provider, receives and distributes the Internet, and the settings of the additional router are pre-set to factory settings by pressing Reset buttons.
We change the automatic broadcast channel selection mode to a fixed channel mode (for example, to the 11th channel).
Setting a fixed channel number prevents the router from automatically scanning the airwaves and selecting the least loaded channel. Therefore, if other wireless networks are operating nearby, you may have to manually experimentally select the least loaded channel or use special program to search for a free channel. The channel number must be changed simultaneously on both routers - the main and additional ones.
On home page In the router control panel, the “WDS Status” line should display “working.” This means that the additional router has connected to the main router and is distributing the Internet.
Creating a complex network requires knowledge and experience. If you are confident in your abilities, use our instructions. If you doubt your abilities, it is better to ask for help.
If you are a regular reader of our site, then you probably remember our article in which we talked about. In continuation of this article, we want to tell you how to set up a Wi-Fi router in an apartment, placing emphasis when setting it up.
By creating a Wi-Fi network at home, you can get rid of wires in your apartment, and also get access to the Internet in any room of the apartment or private house. As mentioned above, for creating Wi-Fi The network requires a router, the correct configuration of which will be discussed further.
In the article about this, we gave recommendations on the best place to install a Wi-Fi router. When a place is chosen, and this place is most likely located near desktop computer, That this computer you need to connect to the router using a twisted pair cable (network cable), which comes with all router models. If the location of the Wi-Fi router is not near the computer, then in any case initial setup The router must be connected via an Ethernet cable.
When the router is connected to a computer or laptop, you need to go to the router settings menu. The router settings menu is designed as a website, so you shouldn’t have any difficulties with it. In order to open the router settings, you need to enter the local address of the router in the address bar of the browser: “192.168.1.1”. Before logging in, enter your username and password to access the settings menu. The login and password are the same: “admin”. The router menu will look approximately as shown in the picture below.
Reflashing the router for high-quality work
To begin with, it’s worth saying a few words about the firmware. We would advise experienced users to reflash their Wi-Fi router, since in the vast majority of cases the standard firmware of routers is not up-to-date, and therefore there may be some flaws in them. To fix this, we recommend flashing the router to improve Wi-Fi quality network and router operation.
You can download the firmware file on the official website of the router manufacturer. You can reflash the router by going to the “System Tools” section in the “Firmware Update” category. If your router has an English shell, then go to the “System Setup” section in the “Firmware upgrade” category. Specify the path to the firmware and update it. Now let's move directly to Wi-Fi settings networks.
Setting up an Internet connection and Wi-Fi network
First, you need to set up a WAN connection, that is, configure the router to connect to the provider so that Internet traffic flows to the router.
Now let's move on to setting up the Wi-Fi network. Go to the “Wireless” section, where you can set the following settings.
How to set up Wi-Fi on a laptop
You can set up Wi-Fi on your laptop by clicking on the network connections icon in the system tray, in which you will be offered a list of available Wi-Fi devices. To connect to a Wi-Fi router, select your device from the list and click the “Connect” button. Enter your password and save it.
Sometimes users have problems accessing Wi-Fi networks when Wi-Fi network not available. To do this, search on your laptop function key, responsible for turning on and turning off Wi-Fi module in a laptop. Turn on the module, and after that the Wi-Fi network will be available.
How to set up Wi-Fi on a computer
Most computers do not have a Wi-Fi module, and therefore, it will be impossible to connect to a Wi-Fi network. In order to have access to a Wi-Fi network on your computer, purchase a Wi-Fi adapter. This device connects to a computer via a USB port. After you install the drivers for the adapter, the Wi-Fi network will be available on the computer.
