How to Configure a Laptop to a Wireless Router

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Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: May 17, 2024

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This wikiHow teaches you how to connect your Windows or Mac laptop to a wireless Internet router.

Quick Steps

Click the Wi-Fi icon in the bottom-right corner.
Click your Wi-Fi network.
Click Connect.
Enter the password and click Next.
Select Public or Private.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

On Windows

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1
Click the Wi-Fi icon. It's the series of curving lines in the far-right side of the task bar.
- You may first have to click the ^ to the left of the volume or battery icon to see the Wi-Fi option.
- On Windows 7, the Wi-Fi icon looks like a series of increasingly tall bars.
2
Click your router's network name. If you set up the router with a specific name, it should appear here.
- If you didn't set up a specific name, you should see the router's brand (e.g., "Linksys") and model number.
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It's in the bottom-right side of the Wi-Fi network's name card.
4
Enter the network's password. You'll do this in the text box below the "Enter the network's security key" heading.
- If you didn't add a password to your network when setting up the router, the password (called a "Security Key") is on the back or bottom of the router unit.
As long as the password is correct, doing so will connect you to the router's wireless signal.
6
Select a network privacy option. Choosing Yes will allow other devices on the network to find and request access to your computer, while clicking No will hide your computer in the network.
- If you're using a home network, you can typically choose Yes without suffering any negative repercussions.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

On Mac

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It's a series of curving lines in the top-right side of the menu bar. Clicking it will invoke a drop-down menu.
2
Click your router's network name. If you assigned a name to your router when setting it up, the name will appear here; otherwise, look for your router's brand and/or model number.
- For example, you might see "Cisco" and a series of numbers and letters for a Cisco router.
3
Enter the password. You'll do so in the text field to the right of the "Password" heading.
- If you didn't add a password to your network when setting up the router, the password (called a "Security Key") is on the back or bottom of the router unit.
- You can also check the "Remember this network" box to sign into this network automatically whenever you're in range.
As long as your password is correct, this will connect your Mac to the wireless router.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

On Chromebook

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1
Click the Wi-Fi icon. It's a funnel-shaped icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- If Wi-Fi is disabled, you'll need to enable it by clicking the Wi-Fi switch before continuing.
This will be either the name you assigned to your wireless router, or a combination of the router's brand and model number.
3
Enter the network's password. It goes in the text field that's in the Wi-Fi menu.
- If you didn't add a password to your network when setting up the router, the password (called a "Security Key") is on the back or bottom of the router unit.
As long as your password is correct, doing so will connect your Chromebook to the wireless router.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I fix a weak Wi-Fi signal on my laptop?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

If you want to increase your Wi-Fi signal, one of the easiest things you can do is to put your router up higher, on the wall or on a shelf. If the router is too low, it's just going to be broadcasting into the floor; if it's up high, it'll have a further way to go in all directions. Also, make sure to point the router antennas in a good direction.

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Question

I have had to change my router password and cannot now connect my laptop to the network as there is no option to enter the new password when I click on the network name to try and connect.

Community Answer

Go to control panel, network and internet network and sharing center, then manage wireless networks. Find your wireless, right click then and click "remove."

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Question

How do I know whether my laptop has a built-in wireless modem?

Community Answer

Laptops have built-in network cards, so check if it is a wireless card. No computer will connect to the internet by itself without a router or a 3G/4G key, though.

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Tips

You'll need to set up your router before you can connect to it.

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If your router is part of a router/modem combination, you'll find the network key on the bottom or back of the modem instead.

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