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Wi-Fi, or wireless, is simply broadband without the wires. If you're new to BT Broadband, we suggest you follow the instructions in your Getting Started Guide and Installation CD.

If you've already set up your broadband connection and now want to connect wirelessly, the links below will help.

Ever wanted to go wireless but not sure how to do it? Why not use our wireless wizard to help you set it up? (Windows Operating System only)

Choose from the links below for your BT Home Hub (or other device)

Further Help & Information

Desktop Help is our free tool that helps you fix broadband and email problems, keeping you connected when you most need to be. Desktop Help will:

• Help you get back online if you're disconnected;
• Set up your email account and fix issues if it stops working;
• Work in the background, fixing the problems it finds;
• Help you set up your home network so you can share folders and printers; and
• Update automatically, giving you the latest solutions.

You might wonder what's to stop other people tuning into your wireless network. After all, your personal data is being sent on radio waves in the same way as a radio station sends a signal.

The answer is that your Hub has an in-built security system that scrambles the signal it sends. It does this with an encryption code, so the signal doesn't make any sense to other computers. We then give you a unique code - called a wireless key - to enter into your computer. This means you're the only one who can pick up your Hub's signal. This keeps your data safe at all times.

What do WEP and WPA mean?

Your BT Home Hub can use one of two security levels:

• WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) – Strong. Used by most computers and wireless routers.
• WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) – Extra Strong. Used by new computers and the BT Home Hub 2.0.

We recommend using WPA as it's the most secure way of protecting your network. All BT Home Hubs can use WPA, but remember that your computer (and everything else you're connecting to your Hub wirelessly) has to be able to use it too.

Use the link below for information on how to change the WEP key for a wireless connection to your BT Home Hub when using the following:

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista
• Windows XP Zero Configuration Service
• BT Wireless Connection manager
• Apple Mac OS-X
• BT HTC S620

To set up a wireless connection with Sky Broadband you will need the Sky wireless router and a wireless-enabled computer. If you want to set up a connection using wires, please read our instructions on 
how to set up a wired connection with Sky Broadband. 

Your SSID (a unique identifier for your wireless network) and Network Key (a password which keeps your wireless connection secure) are printed on a label on your router.

First you will need to unpack and start up your Sky Broadband Wireless router. You can find help and advice on doing this in our Setting up your Sky Broadband router guide.

Don't forget to check your Sky Broadband activation date - you will not be able to set up your wireless connection if your Sky Broadband has not been activated yet. You should have received this in a letter from Sky or you can check online.

Once you have set up your router, watch the relevant instructional video or follow the step-by-step guide below. Please note that the router in the videos may be different from your router at home, but the principle of connecting to the internet is exactly the same.

STEP 1

Firstly, ensure you can see a wireless symbol on your computer similar to one of the examples in the picture.

If you can't see a symbol like this, or you know that your computer is not wireless-enabled, you can buy an adaptor from Sky Customer Services. See our Contact Us page to find out how to get in touch.

STEP 2

Insert the install CD supplied with your Netgear Wireless Network Adaptor and follow the instructions on screen. Don't plug the adapter into your computer until you're prompted to do so by the instructions.

During installation you will be asked to select your wireless network (SSID) from a list of options and enter your Network Key (the password that keeps your wireless connection secure). These are both printed on a label on the Sky wireless router.

Your SSID and Network Key will be unique to your Sky Broadband router and use the format:

SSID – SKY12345. 
Network Key – ABCDEFGH

Using the same wireless channel as your neighbours can slow your connection or cause it to drop. Try changing the channel your router uses to fix this problem.

How to change the channel of your router

1. First connect your computer to your Sky wireless router using the yellow Ethernet cable.
2. Open your web browser, type 192.168.0.1 in the address bar and press Enter.
3. In the login box, enter the username admin and the password sky.
4. Select Wireless Settings from the menu.
5. You'll see a list of numbers in the Channel drop-down menu. Change it to a different channel number. The recommended channels are 1, 6 or 11.
6. Click Apply when you've chosen one.
7. Try each of the three numbers to see which gives you the best signal. The best option for you will depend on which channels your neighbours are using.

When two or more computers are connected, they become a network. If you connect them at home, they're known as a home network. And you can add games consoles, media centres and storage equipment.

When you connect your computers, you can do more with them:

• Share a single internet connection.

• Share printers.

• Work on one computer and save the files to another. This is a simple way to back up your files – if one computer goes wrong, you have a copy of all your work on another.

• Share photos, music and video.

• Share games for multiplayer challenges.

How do I set up a home network?

With O2 Home Broadband, it's easy to set up a home network. You don't need any special computer skills.

Make sure that all your computers or other equipment can connect to a network. They need to have an Ethernet socket or a wireless connection. You'll find your Ethernet socket at the back of your computer. (It looks like a phone socket, but a bit bigger.) Most newer PCs and consoles have wireless as standard. Just look at the specification. If you're not sure, there's probably a section on 'networking' in the manual.

Connect your equipment. You should be able to do this using your O2 Home Broadband setup CD. Pop the CD into each computer in turn and follow the on-screen instructions. If your O2 Home Broadband is already working, you'll have to choose the option  Add an extra computer to my O2 Home Broadband connection.

Your O2 Home Broadband setup CD won't work on consoles or other devices. If you can't find the instructions in your manual, call the O2 Techies. They'll help you add them to your network.

In a word, wires. With wireless, you don’t need them. So you can get online anywhere in your house – from your loft to your back garden.

A wired connection is faster, though. So if you’re downloading or sharing really large files, it might be worth plugging your computer straight into your wireless box, using the yellow Ethernet cable.

Also, wireless signals are open to interference – from cordless phones, or even your neighbour’s Wi-Fi. So if you’re not getting a strong signal by wireless, try plugging in.

View our interactive guide to get more support setting up and going wireless

It depends. In an open space, it should reach about 100 metres (or if you have the O2 Wireless box Pro, about 200 metres).

Things like the thickness of your walls, floors and cordless phones can all affect your signal. But it should be strong enough to reach most parts of an average family house and garden.

View our interactive guide to get more support setting up and going wireless

Your O2 wireless box has the power to hit speeds of 54Mb or higher. But your broadband line can only ever get to 20Mb at most. If your on our more recent packages (The Basics, The All Rounder and The Works) we’ll always give you the fastest speed we can on your line. But depending on your package, we also slow down video streaming or Peer to Peer at certain times.

Also, your speed depends on things like the strength of your signal, and how far away you are from the box.

View our interactive guide to get more support setting up and going wireless