How to Connect a Desktop Computer to a Router

The fact that wireless Internet access technology or virtual networking is now more popular than ever is probably not worth talking about. True, the benefits that they provide to everyone, for the most part, are used mainly by owners of mobile equipment and laptops, which initially provided for the availability of the appropriate wireless Wi-Fi modules. But what is worse than stationary computers, in which such equipment, as a rule, is not initially installed? And connecting a stationary terminal to a wireless network or router can be done, moreover, quite simply.

How appropriate is the use of wireless connectivity on desktop PCs?

And it’s worth starting the discussion of the main topic with why stationary terminals are not initially equipped with wireless modules. Indeed, many of them surpass both laptops and mobile devices in their basic characteristics. As is generally believed, a stationary computer with its configuration was originally designed to solve more complex problems associated with the use of offline applications or Internet access, but with higher quality communications.

This, as well as the prevention of possible signal loss, for example, due to increased load on the router, can be achieved only with a wired connection, not to mention the speed of Internet access. Thus, the use of a wireless connection on a stationary PC is more likely for purely aesthetic reasons (especially since you can’t get to another place with a computer, as you can do with a laptop, tablet or phone).

However, as they say, they do not argue about tastes. Therefore, let’s still see how to connect a stationary computer to Wi-Fi. There is nothing particularly complicated about this, and the actions performed are absolutely no different from setting up a similar connection on the same laptop. The main condition is the availability of appropriate equipment in the form of a wireless adapter.

Note! You can, of course, connect the router to a stationary computer directly. But what’s the point? Indeed, the main idea is so lost.

Choosing a Wi-Fi adapter

So, to perform further actions, you need to install a wireless adapter. But which one?

Today, you can find two types of modules: installed directly on the motherboard (with an external antenna) and USB devices. Which type to apply, there is not much difference. The USB adapter looks a bit more aesthetically pleasing, and the internal type module is not visible, since it is usually located on the back of the computer unit. In this case, the main condition will be the correct installation of drivers and the ability to update them in a timely manner.

How to connect a desktop computer to a WiFi router: enter the router’s web interface

So, suppose the drivers are installed, the adapter is connected and ready to go. At this point, you need to create and configure a wireless connection. How to connect the router to a stationary computer to make the necessary settings? Thanks to the adapter, this is not a problem.

To enter the router’s web interface, you need to use any browser installed in the system, enter the combination 192.168.1.1 (or 0.1 at the end) in the address bar and enter the login with a password. Usually they are the same. admin. The address of the router, as well as the login with the password, can be found on the special nameplate or in the device passport.

Setting basic settings on the router

Now, in order to connect a stationary computer to Wi-Fi, you need to set some important parameters on the router. To do this, you need to enter the WAN section.

Most providers today provide dynamic addresses to user machines. If this is the case, you just need to select the appropriate type from the drop-down list. In this case, the remaining parameters will be set automatically.

Do not forget you just need to turn on the distribution of the signal. In the case of static IP, the necessary parameter values ​​and addresses will have to be manually entered. Their provider provides at the conclusion of the contract. After the router is configured, the changes are saved, after which you will need to configure the connection already on the computer.

Setting up Wi-Fi for a desktop computer: creating a connection

In principle, establishing a connection on a stationary type PC is no different from similar actions on the same laptops. The first step is to enter the “Control Panel” and use the network and sharing control section, in which you choose to create a new connection. After that, a selection of settings will be offered. We assume that at the moment you need to establish Internet access on a stationary computer.

We select the appropriate item and follow the instructions of the “Wizard”. Upon completion, in principle, you can use the connection immediately. How to connect a desktop computer to wi-fi? Elementary! To do this, click on the wireless icon to bring up a list of available networks, select the desired one and make a connection (remember that the access password has not yet been set).

IPv4 Basic Settings

However, despite the simplicity of the actions performed, it is sometimes advisable to check some additional connection parameters that relate to IPv4. A stationary computer is used or a laptop, in this case does not play any role. This is the system settings.

Using the properties of the created connection, you need to enter the IPv4 settings and check how the addresses are obtained (automatic assignment or manual).

For a wireless connection, only automatic mode should be set, otherwise the connection will simply not work. The maximum that can be changed is only the addresses of the main and alternative DNS server, using, for example, free combinations from Google based on combinations of eights and fours (and only for those cases when the connection for some reason does not work ) Also, if such settings are not provided by the provider, be sure to ensure that the use of proxies is disabled for local addresses.

Setting Network Security

Now you need to take care of the security of your connection.

You can set the necessary options in the properties of the created network connection on the security tab, where the preferred type of security and encryption (usually WPA2-Personal and AES) is selected from the list, and the desired connection access password is entered.

VPN features

Finally, a few words are worth saying about the use of virtual private network technologies. They are interested in us in relation to a stationary computer, laptop or mobile gadget solely in terms of providing reliable protection through tunneling technologies and the ability to change their real external IP address to gain access to blocked Internet resources or to hide traces of their own activities on the World Wide Web.

In browsers, for this you can use all sorts of extensions (add-ons and add-ons) in the form of corresponding VPN clients and services. Things are much better with the Opera browser, in which such a client is preinstalled. You can also use the Tor browser, which is initially a VPN application in itself. For the whole system as a whole, you can install programs for changing the external address like SafeIP.

How to create a distributing VPN server on a stationary PC?

However, a desktop computer can be turned into a distributing VPN server, for example, to amplify the signal of the router or to increase the number of simultaneously connected devices.

To do this, when creating a new connection, a connection to the workstation is selected, your own VPN connection is indicated, and then the address of the corresponding resource on the Internet is entered (it can be obtained from the provider or mobile operator if the connection is made through its modem), and then logins and access passwords.

What if the connection does not work?

With the connections based on wireless technology sorted out. Now let’s see what can be done if the created connection does not work. First of all, immediately check the driver of the wireless module on the computer, as well as its status, which should be active in the “Device Manager”. If the module is not active, use its inclusion through the RMB menu. Once again, make sure that receiving addresses in the IPv4 properties is set to automatic mode. If necessary, change the DNS addresses and make sure that the router settings correspond to the type of address used (dynamic or static). If all else fails, delete the connection and recreate it.

Of course, it would be nice to check the computer for viruses as well (just in case, otherwise some threats can block Internet access). For these purposes, it is better to use scanning with portable rather than full-time antiviruses. The best option is to boot from a disk or flash drive with the Kaspersky Rescue Disk utility and scan it with the subsequent neutralization of viruses before starting Windows.

Instead of an afterword

In general, if we draw a line under all the above, we can only note that using a wireless connection on a stationary computer makes sense only if it acts as a distributing VPN server. In all other situations, it makes no sense to create such a connection (well, you won’t walk around the apartment with the system unit and the armpit monitor).

As for the settings of the router and network connections directly on the computer, there should not be any special difficulties, since all basic procedures are standard and do not depend on the type of devices used. Another thing is the installation of a wireless module and its drivers. It is better to purchase models of well-known manufacturers for which timely updating of management software will not be a problem.

If there are problems with the connection created due to its inoperability or the inability to provide Internet access, then give priority to setting the correct parameters in the system and on the router, since in most cases the failures are associated with them.