How to Set Up a Wireless Internet Connection in Windows XP

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Easily connect a Windows XP PC to a wireless network

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: November 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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Connecting Windows XP to Wi-Fi

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Know the Risks

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Q&A

Do you have an older computer or a virtual machine running Windows XP and want to connect it to Wi-Fi? While connecting XP to the internet is risky—the OS is extremely vulnerable to viruses—it can be done. If you're using a much older PC, you might need to connect a Wi-Fi adapter, as many older PCs only came with dial-up modems. This wikiHow guide will walk you through setting up a Wi-Fi connection in Windows XP and connecting to the internet. We'll also cover the risks so you know what you're getting into.

Quick Steps

Check for or install a wireless adapter.
Enable Wireless Zero Configuration.
Right-click the network icon.
Click View Available Wireless Networks.
Select a Wi-Fi network and click Connect.
Enter the network security key and click Connect.

Section 1 of 2:

Connecting Windows XP to Wi-Fi

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1
Check for or install a wireless adapter. If you're using an older computer that came with Windows XP installed, it may not come with the ability to connect to Wi-Fi out of the box. To see if your computer has Wi-Fi:
- Right-click the My Computer icon, which you'll find on your desktop and in the Start menu, and select Properties.
- Click the Hardware tab.
- Click Device Manager.^{[1]
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- Double-click Network adapters and look for an adapter that has something like "Wi-Fi" or "Wireless" in the name. If you see it, you can connect to Wi-Fi.
  - If the card has a yellow exclamation mark, right-click it, select Update Driver…, and follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver.
- If you don't see it, double-click Other devices and look for it there. If you find it here, right-click it, and select Update Driver… to install the drivers.
- If no Wi-Fi card is present, you will need to buy a Wi-Fi adapter that works with Windows XP to get it online.
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Enable Wireless Zero Configuration. This Windows XP service allows Windows XP to connect to Wi-Fi. It should be enabled by default, but may not be.^{[2]
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- Go to Start > Run.
- Type services.msc and press Enter.
- Scroll down and double-click Wireless Zero Configuration.
- If the service is stopped, click Start.
- From the "Startup type" menu, select Automatic if not selected, then hit Apply > OK.
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Make sure Windows can manage your wireless networks. To avoid connection problems, follow these steps:
- Go to Start > Run, type ncpa.cpl, and click OK. You should now see a list of connected network adapters, including your wireless card.
- Right-click your wireless card and select Properties.
- Check the box next to "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings."
- Click OK to return to Network Connections. You are now ready to connect Windows XP to the internet.
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Right-click the network icon and select View Available Wireless Networks. You'll see the network icon, which looks like a computer with some lines radiating from it and a red X, in the system tray near the clock. This will bring up a list of nearby Wi-Fi access points you can connect to.
- If you don't see this icon, open the Start menu and go to Connect to > Wireless Network Connection > View Wireless Networks.
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Select a Wi-Fi network and click Connect. If you don't see the name of the Wi-Fi network you're looking for, click Refresh network list at the upper-left corner of the window.
- If you're using an older device, Windows XP may not recognize more modern Wi-Fi routers, especially if they operate at 5G.
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Enter your Wi-Fi security key and click Connect. Once the Wi-Fi password is accepted, Windows XP will be connected to the internet.
- If you have problems connecting, it's likely the Wi-Fi router you're trying to connect to doesn't support your wireless adapter.
- If your router's network security key is very long, you may not be able to type the entire key into the field in Windows XP. In this case, you'll either need to change the Wi-Fi password or connect to a different network.

Section 2 of 2:

Know the Risks

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The built-in Windows XP firewall cannot protect you against modern viruses and other exploits, as it has not been updated in decades.^{[3]
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Microsoft Support
Technical support and product information from Microsoft.

Go to source} Hackers are continuously scanning the internet for older vulnerable operating systems like Windows XP to infect, and if your computer is discovered, it can be infected with a virus or trojan without even opening a web browser!^{[4]
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You can't browse the web with the built-in version of Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is the only web browser preinstalled on Windows XP, and you won't be able to use it to go to any modern websites—it doesn't support any recent security protocols. If you're serious about wanting to browse the web on Windows XP, try a browser like MyPal, which you can download from https://www.mypal-browser.org/download.html.
- Since you likely can't reach that site with the built-in version of IE for XP, it's best to use a more modern computer to download the installer, save it to a flash drive, and then connect the drive to the XP computer so you can run it.

Community Q&A

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Question

What is meant by network key?

Community Answer

This is the password that you've set up on your router for people to connect and access the Internet.

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How to connect it without a router/modem?

Community Answer

You will need a central access point to connect to and control communication among the wireless devices.

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Question

Does it work in VMWare?

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VMWare does not virtualize a wireless card. These directions would only be applicable if you used PCI Passthrough with a wireless card in your host computer.

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