When you create a home network, you can build a bridge between wired and wireless networks. Suppose you already have an established Ethernet wired network, and you have just purchased a single Wi-Fi-equipped laptop that you want to use with your network. You could buy a new router/wireless access point (WAP), but that's expensive and complicated to set up. Alternatively, you can just add a wireless adapter to one of your existing Ethernet wired computers, and then use this computer as a virtual bridge between your Wi-Fi laptop and your Ethernet network.
Installing a wireless adapter on the bridging computer
Use the following steps to install a wireless adapter on the bridging computer:
1. Shut down your computer and unplug its power cable.
2. Determine whether your computer can support an internal Wi-Fi card. You should have at least one open PCI slot.
If you aren't familiar with computer hardware or if your computer is still under warranty, have a computer professional check your computer and perform the installation. Computer hardware is fragile and easily damaged.
3. If you have an open PCI slot and are willing to install an internal card, purchase and install an internal Wi-Fi card. Don't remove your Ethernet card; when you're done, your computer should have both Ethernet and wireless network adapters, as shown in Figure 1.
4. If your computer doesn't have an empty PCI slot, or if you don't want to open the case and install an internal card, purchase an external Wi-Fi adapter that plugs into a USB port.
Configuring the wireless adapter
Follow these steps to configure the wireless adapter:
1. Install the Wi-Fi adapter's driver software.
2. Choose Start --> My Network Places.
3. On the left side of the My Network Places window, click View Network Connections.
4. Right-click the Wireless Network Connection and choose Properties from the menu that appears, as shown in Figure 2.
5. In the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialog box, click the Wireless Networks tab to bring it to the front.
If you don't see the Wireless Networks tab, you may need to close the Properties dialog box and activate the wireless network connection.
6. Click Advanced.
7. Select Computer-to-computer (ad hoc) networks only, and click Close.
8. Set up an ad hoc network connection between the bridge computer and your other wireless computer.
Bridging the connections
To bridge the connections, follow these steps:
1. Choose Start --> My Network Places.
2. On the left side of the My Network Places window, click View Network Connections.
3. Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click once on your Ethernet network connection and then click once on your wireless connection so that both are selected.
4. Right-click the computer's Ethernet network connection and choose Bridge Connections.
The bridging process takes a few seconds. When the process is complete, a new Network Bridge category appears in your list of network connections. The Network Bridge category contains the network bridge as well as the two bridged connections.
Adjusting bridge settings
Follow these steps to adjust the bridge settings:
1. Choose Start --> My Network Places.
2. On the left side of the My Network Places window, click View Network Connections.
3. Right-click the Network Bridge listing and choose Properties.
4. In the Properties dialog box, add or remove a network adapter from the bridge (select or deselect) in the Adapters list, as shown in Figure 3.
If a network adapter is installed on your computer but doesn't appear in the Adapters list, that adapter is not eligible for bridging.
5. In the lower portion of the General tab of the Network Bridge Properties dialog box, select which services you want to use with the bridge.
For example, if you don't want to allow file sharing over the bridge, uncheck File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks.
6. Click OK to save your changes and close the Network Bridge Properties dialog box.
Tearing down a network bridge
Use these steps to tear down a network bridge:
1. Choose Start --> My Network Places.
2. On the left side of the My Network Places window, click View Network Connections.
3. Do one of the following:
• To remove a single network adapter from a bridge, open the Properties dialog box for the network bridge and uncheck the desired connection.
• To temporarily disable a bridge, right-click the bridge and choose Disable.
• To permanently remove the bridge from your list of network connections, right-click the Network Bridge and choose Delete.
