How to Install Your Wireless Access

Point

RELATED BOOK
Home Networking Do-It-Yourself For Dummies

By Lawrence C. Miller

After you’ve purchased your wireless access point (WAP), it’s time to install and
set it up! Begin by unpacking your wireless access point. In the box, you should
find the wireless access point, a power adapter, and an Ethernet network cable.

An Ethernet network cable is simply a short cable (often about 3 feet in length)
with a small connector that looks similar to, but slightly larger than, the connector
you use to plug your phone into a wall jack.

To install a wireless access point, turn off your computer and modem and follow
these steps:
1Connect the Ethernet port of your cable modem or router to your
wireless access point’s Internet (or WAN) port using an Ethernet
network cable.

If your modem is already connected to your computer with an Ethernet cable,

disconnect the cable end that is plugged into your computer and plug it into the
Internet (or WAN) port of your wireless access point.

2Connect your wireless access point to your computer using an

Ethernet network cable.

Plug one end of the cable into one of the LAN ports of your wireless access point
and the other end to the Ethernet port on your computer.

3Turn on your DSL or cable modem and wait about two minutes.
This gives your modem enough time to boot up and establish a connection to the
Internet.
4Connect the power adapter to your wireless access point, plug it into
an electrical outlet, and wait about one minute.

This gives your wireless access point enough time to boot up, establish a
connection to your modem, and begin broadcasting a wireless signal.

5Turn on your computer.

At this point, you may need to configure your wireless access point. Refer to the
CD or instructions provided with your wireless access point for details.