What You Need to Connect to Wi-Fi
All modern smartphones, tablets, and computers come with a built-in wireless network adapter. If you’re using an older device, or if your internal Wi-Fi adapter is broken, you can purchase a USB Wi-Fi adapter. If the network is secured with a password, or the administrators have hidden the network name (SSID) from being broadcast, you’ll also need to find out that information to get connected.
How Connect to a Wi-Fi Network on Windows
How to Stay Safe Using Wi-Fi
To mitigate the risks of using an unsecured wireless network, make sure you have a firewall installed and turned on before connecting to a public hotspot. You should also have the latest antivirus updates and operating system patches. On Windows, you can assign network location types to automatically set up the appropriate security level.
How to Fix Wi-Fi Connection Problems
If you have trouble connecting to a Wi-Fi network, there are several things you can check depending on your specific type of issue:
If you can’t find any wireless networks, make sure you have Wi-Fi enabled. If your wireless signal keeps dropping, you may need to get closer to the access point. If you have a wireless connection but no internet access, then the modem or router may need to be rebooted. If you have forgotten the password to your home network, your wireless security key may be found on the bottom of your router if you didn’t change the defaults when setting up your network.
