How Does Wifi Work on a PC? – How to Configure and Add

Thanks to its great expansion, most people are aware of what a Wi-Fi network is, but not everyone knows about its handling. Today we guide you on the Wifi operation, everything you need to know about this essential technology.

How to set up Wifi on a computer

Normally, the latest versions of Windows automatically recognize network antennas, so no drivers should be installed, at least in most cases. In any case, this is not always the case, especially if you have a Wi-Fi network card.

If the network card is not detected, it will be necessary to install the drivers. They commonly come in the card box, if not, it is a matter of downloading them from the manufacturer’s website. Of course, you must confirm download the appropriate programs for your operating system.

How to add Wifi to a PC in a simple way

Installing a good Wifi adapter is an excellent way to increase and improve your internet connection, but first it is necessary to know the types that exist. In addition, we recommend that you read the rest of the information carefully to choose the appropriate network card for you.

With a USB Wifi adapter

USB Wifi adapters are a good option to give wireless connectivity to your desktop computer. They may not be the fastest proposal on the market, but it is the easiest to use. In most cases just insert the USB Wifi adapter and the PC will detect it, although sometimes it is necessary to install the drivers.

Use a Wi-Fi network card and install it

Another option is to install a wireless card, which usually have the PCI connection. It is a good alternative, especially if a high speed connection is required. The only detail is that you will need to open the cabinet and install the drivers.

What are the types of Wifi adapters and cards?

Technically, there are two types of Wifi adapters, USB adapters and PCI / PCI Express adapters, the latter being the fastest. In any case, the type of technology must be taken into account, which is what will define the speed and bandwidth of the antenna.

• 802.11b Wifi-2: the oldest and most inefficient connection type. It allows a data transfer of 11mbps and a frequency of 2.4 GHz. It is recommended only for basic uses due to its limited bandwidth.
• 802.11g Wifi-3: a somewhat more modern connection that raises the speed to 54 mbps. It is recommended if a little more speed is required, but it will not be able to handle speeds greater than 60 mbps.
• 802.11n Wifi-4: somewhat more efficient connection that raises connection speeds up to 300 mbps (depending on the card). It is a recommended option due to its superior bandwidth and is more than enough for most of today’s basic connections.
• 802.11ac Wifi-5: the first connection to be able to use the 5ghz frequency, greatly increasing the speed, up to 850 mbps. It is an excellent connection to transfer files via Wifi from computer to cell phone quickly and other demanding actions.
• 802.11ax Wifi-6: Up to now the most modern technology works at 5 GHz and enables speeds of up to 3.5 Gbps. Excellent connection for very high speed internet plans or for those who work with networks. Of course, it represents a higher cost than other technologies.

How to connect to Wi-Fi with a desktop PC

To use Wi-Fi on a desktop PC, you must have a Wi-Fi adapter (USB or PCI) configured. The connection process it will depend on the operating system you haveTo connect to Wifi in Windows 10 you can follow the steps below.

• Go to the bottom right, in the taskbar you should see the Wi-Fi or connection icon.
• If you click on this icon, the available wireless networks will be displayed, click on one of them and enter the network password. The computer should immediately connect to the network.
• If for some reason the Wi-Fi icon does not appear, you may need to enable network adapter To do this, go to the Windows Control Panel, look for the ‘Networks and Internet’ section, open ‘Network and Sharing Center’ and finally click on change the ‘Adapter settings’.
• Will be shown wireless network connection, right click on it and press activate.