Laptops access the internet by using wireless adapters. Wireless adapters can be built-in to the laptop or attached to the laptop through a laptop expansion port. Three major types of wireless adapters are used in laptops, as shown in the figure.
- Mini-PCI - Commonly used by older laptops. Mini-PCI cards have 124 pins and are capable of 802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g wireless LAN connection standards.
- Mini-PCIe - Most common type of wireless card in laptops. Mini-PCIe cards have 54 pins and support all wireless LAN standards.
- PCI Express Micro - Commonly found in newer and smaller laptops, such as Ultrabooks, because they are half the size of Mini-PCIe cards. PCI Express Micro cards have 54 pins and support all wireless LAN standards.
Wireless expansion cards are not commonly used in newer laptops, because most of them have built-in wireless adapter cards. It is more common to use a USB adapter to add or upgrade wireless capabilities for a laptop.
To configure wireless Ethernet settings on a laptop running Windows 7 and Windows Vista, follow these steps:
Step 1. Make sure that the modem and router software is installed and that both devices are turned on.
Step 2. Select Start > Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Set up a new connection or network.
Step 3. If a connection or network has already been established, click Connect and select the network.
Step 4. Use the Set up a new connection or network wizard to establish the new connection or configure the new network.
To configure wireless Ethernet settings on a laptop running Windows XP, follow these steps:
Step 1. Make sure that the modem and router software is installed and that both devices are turned on.
Step 2. Select Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet Connections > Network Connections.
Step 3. If a connection or network has already been established, click Connect and select the network.
Step 4. If a connection or network has not been established, click the Create a new connection link.
Step 5. Use the Set up a new connection or network wizard to establish the new connection or configure the new network.