In most cases, when using a wireless Internet connection for computer devices, routers (routers or ADSL modems operating in Wi-Fi mode) are used. Mobile devices, as a rule, are initially equipped with wireless modules, which allows you to connect to a home network through a router "over the air" directly. But owners of stationary computer terminals quite often have to rack their brains in finding ways to connect to wireless networks, since Wi-Fi adapters are not standard in them. How to get out of this situation, then we’ll try to figure it out. There are not so many ways to connect a stationary PC to wireless networks, but they are, and setting up a connection will not take too much time and effort.
Connecting a PC to WiFi: Basic
It goes without saying that one could, of course, use a special network cable and connect the stationary terminal directly to the corresponding port of the router. But this is terribly inconvenient, because, for example, in a private house, the router can be on the first floor, and the computer on the second. How to connect a PC to WiFi without a cable, and even with minimal cost? In this case, in any case, you will need some device that, when connected to the terminal, will act as the receiver of the wireless signal. There are also not as many options as we would like.
Firstly, you can additionally purchase an inexpensive WiFi adapter, either external or internal type, or use another router or mobile device as a receiver. It is unlikely, of course, that you will find a router lying idle at home, therefore, considering the main issues related to how to connect a PC to WiFi without a cable, we will start from the use of additional receivers and mobile devices, which, of course, everyone has and everyone.
Choosing a Wireless Adapter
So, the best connection option is to establish communication using an additional adapter.
You can buy either external (connected via USB-port) or internal (installed directly on the motherboard in PCI or PCI Express slots). Which type should I prefer? Most experts recommend buying external adapters, since only a USB connector is required to connect them, and you won’t have to disassemble the system unit case. In addition, such devices are much cheaper. To work separately, you will need to install the driver from the disk, but usually the system installs all the necessary control software on its own at the first connection.
Establishing a connection to an existing network
We made a choice and assume that you have already connected one of the types of adapters to your stationary computer, the drivers have been installed, and the device itself is recognized by the system as a wireless module. You can check its status in the “Device Manager” (devmgmt.msc).
In theory, if you already have a configured WiFi network, resolving all the issues regarding how to connect a PC to Wi-Fi without a cable comes down to the simplest action.
When connected, a wireless network icon appears on the system tray, which you need to click on, and then a list of available connections is displayed. Select the desired network, enter the WiFi password and wait until the network request verification is complete.
What to look for in PC settings?
If for some reason there is no connection, but access from other devices (for example, from a laptop, phone or tablet) is possible, you will need to check the wireless settings. To do this, call the connections section using the ncpa.cpl command in the Run console, call up the RMB menu, and first look at the network status.
If it is found that the connection is not active, turn it on.
If this does not help, go to the connection properties, select the IPv4 protocol in the list, go to its settings and make sure that all addresses are set to automatic mode (this is a prerequisite for wireless connection).
If necessary, you can try changing the DNS addresses by entering in the fields free combinations from Google, usually consisting of a set of eights and fours, then save the changes when you exit and try to open some page on the Internet through any available browser.
Setting up a new connection
Creating a new connection is usually not necessary. This may be required only if your wireless network was not configured initially. But how to connect the Internet? To do this, you will first need to configure the router using the parameters provided by the provider (they are usually indicated in the appendix to the main contract). After the router starts operating in the wireless signal distribution mode, the connection will not be any different from what was described above.
What to do if the PC does not see WiFi?
The situation is worse when all the devices seem to be connected and working, but no connection is detected from the computer. In such a situation, you will have to check the correct installation of the adapter drivers (if necessary, you may need to update them, for which it is better to use applications like Driver Booster, Slim Drivers or the DriverPack Solution package Online version), check the connection status in the corresponding section described above, set the parameters to full automation, and in the most extreme case, you can try to delete the created connection and perform a network search again.
How to use a mobile device as an access point?
Now let's figure out how to connect a PC to WiFi without a cable, if you do not have an additional adapter, or you do not want to spend money on its purchase, but you have a mobile device at hand (for example, a phone or tablet). For convenience, consider Android devices. On "apple" phones and tablets or on devices with Windows Phone on board, the actions performed will not differ much (the main difference can only be in the name of the menu items needed for setting and their location in the corresponding sections).
Using a smartphone as a modem is impractical, since the connection will be made exclusively through the services of a mobile operator, and traffic may be paid or limited.
But if you go to the settings of the mobile modem, the device can be transferred to the access point mode. Connecting a PC to WiFi without a cable to the router in this case will be carried out by connecting a smartphone to it (for example, using a USB cable).
In the connections section on the smartphone, when the WiFi connection is turned on, go to the modem and access point, in the point settings section, set an arbitrary name for the new network and set a password, and then simply enable the point using the option in the settings (the settings should indicate that the device is visible, and it is better to deactivate automatic shutdown after a set time interval completely).
After that, as in the case with the external receiver, click on the icon of available networks in the tray, select the connection created, enter the password and enjoy surfing the vastness of the World Wide Web.
Connection with a mobile device via Bluetooth
Finally, let's decide how to connect a PC to WiFi without a cable, without even using a USB cable.
If you have a built-in Bluetooth radio module on your computer, you can put the smartphone into Bluetooth modem mode (of course, if it supports such a function), and then pair the devices with each other. This option looks even better. But you still have to configure the access point.
Which one is better?
If to summarize all of the above in terms of preferences, it is better, I think, to buy an external wireless adapter, although you can equally use a smartphone. True, it may need to be constantly kept plugged in, because if used for a long time as an access point, it will discharge much faster than usual. But this can affect the battery in the most negative way. So do not spare money on some simple WiFi adapter with a minimum range, especially since such a device is worth a penny.