5 simple steps to setting up a home network

Having a network set up in your home is the twenty-first century equivalent of getting a second phone installed in the bedroom. We've aware, however, that this sometimes isn't the most simple process.

Here's five solutions to commonly encountered problems, plus two extra points to solving potential problems that can cause trouble for users.

1. First-time connection

If you’ve just gone wireless and are having problems getting your wireless router to talk to your PC, fret not: open Windows Vista’s Network and Sharing Center and click Set up a connection or network. Choose Set up a wireless router or access point and the wizard will take you through the necessary steps.

2. Are you secure?

Your wireless network extends a lot further than you think – on to the street and into next door’s home. Keep unwanted computers away from your internet connection and personal data by encrypting your network connection with a password through your router. Choose WPA-PSK (Personal Shared Key) and also change the password used to access your router while you’re at it.

3. Add new computers to your network

Windows Vista makes it incredibly easy to add your new PC to an existing network – if you’re not immediately prompted to connect, click the Start button and select Connect, then pick your network, enter the encrypted password if required and before you know it you’ll be sharing files and playing games online.

4. Restrict access to your networked PC

When you first connect to a new wireless network, Windows Vista will ask you if it’s a home, work or public network. If you’re in a hotspot or public place, select Public and Windows Vista will render your PC invisible to other computers, reducing the possibility of data theft or an attack by malicious software.

5. Beef up your home security by going public

If you’re the only user on your wireless network, with no need to share files or printers with anyone else, protect yourself further from possible intrusion by changing it to a public connection – open the Network and Sharing Center and click Customize to do so.

Plus! Speed up your connection

As you move further away from your router, the speed of your network connection drops considerably. Try to keep your main PC as close to the router as possible, and place it in a central location so it reaches all the corners of your home. If your walls and floors get in the way of the signal, invest in a wireless repeater to carry the signal further and faster.

Plus! Wireless interference

Wireless devices inhabit a narrow bandwidth range, so equipment like cordless phones can interfere with your wireless connection. It’s possible to change the channel your router broadcasts on through its configuration utility – experiment with different settings to see which channel number (1-11) produces the least interference.