10. Complete the setup of your router as explained in ???Set Up a Wireless
Router,??? earlier in this chapter, and make sure to enable wireless
encryption and any other security settings at your disposal.
This should do it. The bridge will funnel the public Internet connection into
your router, and your router will funnel it to the computers in your workgroup.
The router acts like a firewall, provided that you connect all your
computers directly to your own, personal WiFi network, and not the public,
unsecured one.
Among other things, your bridge/router combination will serve as a
repeater (a.k.a. range extender), and should boost the signal strength and
might even improve performance over connecting your PCs directly to the
public network.
376 | Chapter 7: Networking and Internet
Add Wireless Support to Any Device
As soon as you have your wireless network up and running, you??™ll probably
be inclined to do away with as many cables as you can. This feeling is normal;
there??™s no need to seek psychiatric help or psychic guidance.
Here??™s how to add support for wireless networking to nearly any computer
or device:
Desktop computer
Add a wireless PCI card just as you would an Ethernet NIC (network
interface card). When shopping for a WiFi NIC, look for a card with an
adjustable, external antenna (versus merely a nub); and make sure to get
one certified for Windows Vista. Alternatively, you can use a USB-based
WiFi adapter and avoid having to take apart your PC; the downside is
that these tend to be less reliable than internal adapters.
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