Normally, when you sign up for a broadband Internet contract, you will be provided with all of the equipment that you need and a quick start guide to help you get everything up and running easily. However, if you are replacing your router or moving house, you may find that it is not so easy. The following guide will explain how to get online in half an hour or less.

Things You Need

Installing the Hardware

Once you have all of the above hardware unpacked, connect the microfilters between the telephone sockets and every telephony device in your house, such as fax machines and telephones. These are important for reducing interference with your Internet connection.

Connect the router to the mains power and plug the Internet cable to into the micro filter. Connect this to the telephone socket. If you are using a wired connection, connect an Ethernet cable between the router and the computer. Even if you only plan to use wireless Internet, it tends to be easier and more reliable to set up your home network using a wired connection. This should not be a problem, since almost all computers have an Ethernet port. Also, new routers often come with an Ethernet cable.

Setting Up Your Router

You will not need to set up the router via its webpage. Go to the computer connected to the router by the Ethernet cable. In the system tray in the bottom-right corner of your screen, you should see the network icon. This will most likely be displayed with a yellow exclamation mark, in which case, you will need to set up the router. Open your Web browser and go to the router webpage. In the vast majority of cases, the address should be one of the following: 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, or 192.168.2.1. If neither of these work, you will need to consult the manual for the router or refer to the manufacturer.

Use the quick setup feature on the router webpage to enter the user name and password provided by your Internet service provider. Once this setup procedure is complete, you will need to wait a few minutes for it to start working. You should not have to set up the router again unless you change your service provider. Note, however, that some routers provided by your Internet service provider are locked so that they will not work with any other provider.

Connecting Wirelessly

Now that your router is installed, you should be able to connect wirelessly to it. The router name and wireless passkey should be written on the back of your router. In Windows, click on the networking icon in the system tray and click on the name of your local wireless network. Enter the passkey when requested and press Enter. Choose a suitable network type when asked by Windows. From now on, the computer should automatically connect to the wireless network whenever it is in range, without requesting a passkey.