02 - Networks and The Internet | 02. Tutorial: Setting Up A Wireless Network

Question 1

What do you need to set up a network?

Answer 1

4 things

1. Modem (and power cord)
2. Wireless router (and power cord)
3. Coaxial cable
4. Ethernet cable

Question 2

Before you will be able to set up the network, you first need to contact who?

Answer 2

Before you will be able to set up the network, you first need to contact an Internet Service Provider (or ISP). Just like electricity, gas, and every other utility, you must pay for the internet in order to access it. Once you have chosen a provider (Comcast, Verizon, etc.) and a plan (basic, high speed, etc.) you are now ready to set up your network.

Question 3

First step in the set up?

Answer 3

The first step for setting up the network is to choose a spot in your home where you want the wireless connection to emanate from. Typically, this will be a central location to provide the most consistent coverage throughout the house.

Question 4

What allows you to connect to the internet you pay your ISP for?

Answer 4

Coaxial (or coax) outlet. Just like electrical outlets connect us to the electricity, these coax outlets are your connection to the internet you pay your ISP for.

Question 5

After the coax outlet is selected what comes next?

Answer 5

Once you have chosen a coax outlet to use, you will now set up the modem.

Question 6

Using the coax cord, what connects to the outlet?

Answer 6

Using the coax cord, connect the modem to the outlet. Then, power on the modem.

Question 7

What does a modem do?

Answer 7

A modem acts as an interface between the signal coming from the coaxial outlet and your devices. The modem translates the signal being piped into your home into something your computer can understand and vice versa.

Question 8

Once the modem is set up, what is the final step?

Answer 8

Now that the modem has been set up, the final step to launch our network is to set up the router.

Question 9

What does a router do?

Answer 9

The router’s primary function is to take the signal the modem provides and transmit it throughout your home so that we may access the network wirelessly.

Question 10

T/F | Many modems nowadays have a built-in router.

Answer 10

TRUE

Question 11

How do you connect the router to the modem?

Answer 11

Ethernet cable.

Question 11

What does the ethernet cable do?

Answer 11

The ethernet cable will pass the internet signal from the modem into your router.

Question 12

When is the personal network deployed?

Answer 12

When your router is turned on.

Question 13

What is the role of the modem?

Answer 13

The modem translates the internet signal provided by our ISP into something computers on our network can understand.

Question 14

T/F | Computers understand the signal coming out of the coaxial outlets.

Answer 14

FALSE.

Our computers cannot understand the signal coming out of coaxial outlets – which is why we can’t connect to them directly. Instead the modem translates the signals from these outlets into ones which our devices can understand.

Question 15

To customize your network configuration what do you enter into the web browser?

Answer 15

In a web browser, enter the router’s IP address.

Question 16

What does an IP address do?

Answer 16

An IP address is simply an address that identifies a device – in this case the router – which is connected to the network.

Question 17

What does an IP address look like and where can you find it?

Answer 17

Your router’s IP address should look something like 192.168.xx.xx and can be found either on the router itself or in the packaging it came in.

Question 18

T/F | An IP address identifies a device on a network.

Answer 18

TRUE

An IP address can be used to identify devices on a network. Your desktop might have IP address 123.456.789 while your tablet has IP address 987.654.321.