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Where do I find my SSID?
You can find the SSID for the wireless network by viewing the settings on the access point or wireless router. Most
access points have a built-in Web server that can be accessed using a Web browser.
Many network adapters provide a software application that allows you to view the wireless settings of your computer,
including your SSID. Check your computer to see if a program was installed with your network adapter.
If you are unable to locate your SSID using either of these methods, contact your system support person.
What is a network?
A network is a collection of devices such as computers, printers, Ethernet hubs, wireless access points, and routers
connected together for communication through cables or through a wireless connection. A network can be wired,
wireless, or designed to have both wired and wireless devices.
Devices on a wired network use cables to communicate with each other.
Devices on a wireless network use radio waves instead of cables to communicate with each other. For a device to be
able to communicate wirelessly, it must have a wireless network adapter attached or installed that lets it receive and
transmit radio waves.
How do I find out what type of security my network is using?
You must know the WEP key or WPA passphrase and the type of security (WEP, WPA, or WPA2) used on the wireless
network. To obtain this information, see the documentation that came with your wireless access point (wireless
router), see the Web page associated with the wireless access point, or consult your system support person.
Note: The WEP key or WPA passphrase is not the same as the password for the wireless access point. The password
allows you to access the wireless access point settings. The WEP key or WPA passphrase allows printers and computers
to join your wireless network.
How are home networks configured?
For desktop computers, laptops, and printers to communicate with each other over a network, they must be
connected by cables and/or have wireless network adapters built in or installed in them.
There are many different ways a network can be set up. Four common examples appear below.
Note: The printers in the following diagrams represent printers with internal print servers built into them so that
they can communicate over a network.
Wireless network examples
Scenario 1: Mixed wired and wireless connections on a network with Internet access
•
All computers and printers connect to the network through a router with Ethernet and wireless capabilities.
• Some computers and printers connect wirelessly to the router; others connect over a wired connection.
Networking
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