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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

You can change the name of your wireless network to make it more secure. If you do this, you'll have to change the settings on your computers, mobiles or anything else that's connected to your network.

To change the name of your wireless network, simply follow the steps below:

1. Open up your internet browser and type the following address into the address bar:http://o2wirelessbox.lan or http://192.168.1.254 
   
   
   
2. Once the page has loaded, click on "Home Network" on the left hand side of the page. 
   
   
   
3. Click on the name of your wireless network.  This will be located towards the top of the page.
   
   
   
4. Click on "Configure" in the top-right of the page. 
   
   
   
5. Change the network name you something you will remember. 
   
   
   
6. Once you've changed the network name (SSID), click 'Apply' at the bottom of the page. 
   
   
   

You've now changed the name of your wireless network.

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

Check out our O₂ Guru TV video below:

Help Videos

How to change the network name and password on O2 Home Broadband

To use Wi-Fi on a Mac, you just need to have AirPort. Most Macs have it already. But if yours doesn’t, you can buy an AirPort Card from Apple.

To connect to Wi-Fi:

1. Click on the AirPort icon on your Mac, at the top right of the screen.
2. Choose ‘Turn AirPort on’ (if it says ‘Turn AirPort off’, it’s already on).
3. Click on the AirPort icon again. 
4. Choose ‘Other’ (a new window will open).
5. Where it says ‘Network name’, type in the long SSID number that’s printed on the bottom of your wireless box (or the name of the network you want to connect to).
6. Where it says ‘Wireless Security’, choose ‘WEP 40/128-bit Hex’. 
7. Where it says ‘Encryption key’, type in the long WEP number on the bottom of the box (for some versions of Mac, you need  to type a $ in at the start of the WEP key – if it won’t let you, you don’t need to). 
8. Click ‘OK’.

That’s it. Your Mac should now be connected. Check the AirPort icon to see the strength of your connection (the more dark bars, the stronger the signal).

Staying connected

To make sure your Mac automatically connects to your network again next time:

1. Go to the Apple menu, on your Mac.
2. Choose 'System preferences'.
3. Choose 'Network'.
4. From the ‘Show’ menu, choose ‘AirPort’.
5. Where it says 'By default, join:’, choose 'Preferred networks'.
6. Find the long SSID number that’s printed on the bottom of your box, and drag it to the top of the list. 
7. Click 'Apply Now'.

Now your Mac will automatically connect when you’re in range of your wireless box, and AirPort is switched on.

Problems?

Call us on 0800 230 0202 free from a landline (drop the first '0' to call free from an O2 mobile). We’ll do our best to help, but you might have to contact Apple if the problem’s with your Mac.

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

You can tell your wireless network to hide itself. If you do this, only people who know what network name to look for can connect. 

For this to be effective you should also change the name of your network to something that's hard to guess. 

As well as taking these precautions, you should have security software on every computer you use to access the Internet. McAfee Security for O2 Home Broadband, which comes with O2 Home Broadband, gives you all you need.

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

Your O2 wireless box comes with WEP encryption. It means that you need a key or code to connect to your network. To make it even more secure, you can change it to WPA. This is the latest way of encrypting wireless networks. It's very secure, but it's worth noting that it won't work on some versions of Windows Vista. You also have to make sure all your devices that are on network are WPA compatible.

To change from WEP to WPA, simply follow the steps below:

1. Open up your internet browser and type the following address into the address bar:http://o2wirelessbox.lan or http://192.168.1.254 
   
   
   
2. Once the page has loaded, click on "Home Network" on the left hand side of the page. 
   
   
   
3. Click on the name of your wireless network.  This will be located towards the top of the page.
   
   
   
4. Click on "Configure" in the top-right of the page. 
   
   
   
5. Select the "Use WPA-PSK Encryption" option and click 'Apply'. 
   
   
   
6. You can check it has changed to WPA-PSK by looking at the 'Security Mode' under the 'Security' heading.
   
   

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

Check out our O₂ Guru TV video below:

Help Videos

How to change the security settings to WPA on O2 Home Broadband

You can change the name of your wireless network to make it more secure. If you do this, you'll have to change the settings on your computers, mobiles or anything else that's connected to your network.

To change the name of your wireless network, simply follow the steps below:

1. Open up your internet browser and type the following address into the address bar:http://o2wirelessbox.lan or http://192.168.1.254 
   
   
   
2. Once the page has loaded, click on "Home Network" on the left hand side of the page. 
   
   
   
3. Click on the name of your wireless network.  This will be located towards the top of the page.
   
   
   
4. Click on "Configure" in the top-right of the page. 
   
   
   
5. Change the network name you something you will remember. 
   
   
   
6. Once you've changed the network name (SSID), click 'Apply' at the bottom of the page. 
   
   
   

You've now changed the name of your wireless network.

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

Check out our O₂ Guru TV video below:

Help Videos

How to change the network name and password on O2 Home Broadband

If your wireless signal isn’t great, it could be interference from another wireless gadget in your home. Like a cordless phone, or even your neighbour’s Wi-Fi. Changing channel could improve your connection. 

Here’s how:

1. Plug one end of the yellow Ethernet cable into your computer, and the other end into your wireless box.
2. Open your internet browser (like Internet Explorer or Firefox).
3. Go to http://o2wirelessbox.lan or 192.168.1.254.
4. You might be asked for a username and password. Use ‘Administrator’ (with a capital A) as the username, and the serial number on the bottom of your wireless box as the password. (If it doesn’t work, try ‘SuperUser’ for the username, and ‘O2Broadb64nd’ as the password.)
5. Click on ‘Home Networking’, then ‘Interfaces’, then ‘wlan’. 
6. You should see three buttons – ‘Overview’, ‘Configure’, ‘Help’. Choose ‘Configure’. 
7. Where it says ‘Channel selection’, choose ‘Manual’. 
8. Choose any channel, from 1 to 13. 
9. Unplug your yellow Ethernet cable and test the connection. Try a few channels, to find the best one.

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

1. First, unplug your wireless box. Wait 30 seconds. Then plug it back in and wait for it to restart fully. (You’d be surprised how often this works).
   
2. If you still can’t connect, try to connect from another computer or wireless gadget (like a smart phone, games console or O2 Joggler). If it works, you’ll know the problem is with your equipment, not the connection or wireless box. 
   
3. Check to make sure the computer or wireless gadget you’re trying to use has Wi-Fi switched on.
   
4. If you’ve changed the username and password for your O2 wireless box, changing them back to the original settings might help.
   
5. Try changing the wireless channel (see the link below).

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

Note: if you use the new Virgin Media Hub or Super Hub – our combined modem and wireless routers for cable customers – you can find the appropriate guides here:

How do I set up the Virgin Media Hub? or How do I set up the Virgin Media Super Hub?

Connecting wirelessly to the Virgin Media Hub/Super Hub on Windows XP

Connecting wirelessly to the Virgin Media Hub/Super Hub on Windows Vista

Connecting wirelessly to the Virgin Media Hub/Super Hub on Windows 7

The setup CD that came with your wireless router pack should let you set up your wireless router to work with your modem. If you’ve had any trouble running through the setup, or if you’d like to set up your wireless connection manually, follow the steps in this guide.

Before you begin

Here’s a list of all the things you need before you get started:

• Wireless router
• Yellow Ethernet cable
• Power supply
• Router stand (optional)
• Wireless setup CD and setup guide
• USB wireless adapter for desktops (optional, only provided if ordered)
• Wireless card for laptops (optional, only provided if ordered)

Your cable modem should’ve been installed separately, so you won’t find it in your router pack.

Uninstalling Wireless Manager (for Netgear 'G' series wireless routers only)

To set up your wireless connection manually, you’ll need to uninstall the Wireless Manager software, if it’s installed. This is because Windows' built-in wireless networking software can’t control your connection while Wireless Manager is working. Remember, Wireless Manager is only installed with our Netgear 'G' series of wireless routers.

First, if Wireless Manager is running, exit it. To do this, right-click the Virgin Media icon in the system tray (usually in the bottom-right of the screen, near the clock) and click Exit.

Now go to Start > Control Panel and double-click Add-Remove Programs(for Windows XP) or Programs and Features (for Windows Vista). Click once to select Wireless Manager from the list of installed programs and then click Remove or Uninstall.

Once the Wireless Manager software has been removed, restart your PC before you move onto the next stage.

Setting up your wireless router

Ready? Great. Just make sure you follow each step in the right order and you’ll be up and running in no time.

Step 1: First, disconnect the power cable from the modem.

Step 2: If your modem is connected to your PC, disconnect it. You shouldn’t need this cable any more, so just stash it somewhere safe.

Step 3: Put your wireless router close to your cable modem and near a power socket. You might want to put it in the router stand, but that’s up to you.

Remember, where you put your wireless router can make a big difference to how well it works. To find the best place to put it, read our article, Where should I put my wireless router?

Step 4: Plug in your modem's power cable but don’t switch on the power yet!

Step 5: Connect one end of the yellow Ethernet cable to the internet port on your wireless router and connect the other end to your modem.

Now switch the power on and the modem will start up.

Wait for most of the lights on the cable modem to turn solid, which means there’s a connection to the internet. This should take around 60 seconds. One or two of the lights might flicker – this just means the modem’s doing its job.

Step 6: Now connect your wireless router's power cable and switch on the power.

Wait 60 seconds for the lights on the front of the router to settle down. The Power and Internet lights should both be solid. Again, there might be some flickering of the lights, but this is normal.

Step 7: Now that everything’s powered up and ready to go, you can try connecting your PC to the wireless router.

If you’ve installed a wireless USB adapter, you might need to use its own software to connect to your wireless router. Either way, the connection process is similar to the one below.

Windows XP users

The quickest way to connect to a wireless network is to use the icon in the system tray. If you can see the broadcast symbol, right-click it and selectView Available Wireless Networks.

You can also go to Start > Control Panel > Network Connections, right-click the Wireless Network Connection icon and click View Available Wireless Networks.

Whichever way you do it, Windows will now show you all the available wireless networks, along with information about their security and signal strength.

Your wireless router should appear in the list as Virgin Broadband. Click it and then click Connect.

Next, you’ll be asked for your wireless router's WPA passphrase. The default passphrase is preinstall. Type it into both boxes and click Connect.

Once your passphrase has been accepted, you’ll be connected to your wireless network. Skip the next bit and move straight onto Step 8.

Windows Vista users

The quickest way to connect to a wireless network is to use the icon in the system tray. If you can see the network symbol, right-click it and selectConnect to a network.

Alternatively, go to Start > Connect To.

Windows will now show you all the available wireless networks, along with information about their security and signal strength. If you don't see any wireless networks listed, make sure that the Show dropdown menu is set either to All or Wireless.

Your wireless router should appear in the list as Virgin Broadband. Click it and then click Connect.

You’ll then be asked for your wireless router's WPA passphrase. The default passphrase is preinstall. To see the passphrase on the screen as you type it, tick the Display characters box.

Once your passphrase has been accepted, you’ll be connected to your wireless network. When it prompts you, choose to save the network settings and choose Home as the type of connection.

Step 8: Next, start up your web browser.

If you haven’t configured your wireless router before, you should see a Wireless Setup page in your browser. This will take you through the final step of setting up your wireless connection.

To enhance the security of your connection, you can use the Wireless Setup page to change some key information that defines how you connect to the wireless router, as shown below:

Name (SSID): This is the name of the wireless network that you see when you do a scan for available wireless networks. You can set this to just about any name you'd like instead of the default name, Virgin Broadband. Try not to use a name that might give away your identity or address, though.

Security Passphrase (WPA-PSK): This is basically a password that people need to log onto your wireless network. Choose a strong password to stop unauthorised users from connecting to your wireless network, preferably with a few numbers in it. You'll need to remember this passphrase if you ever want to connect another computer to your wireless network.

Channel: This is the frequency that the wireless router operates at. You can choose any of the available channels, although some might give you a poor performance, depending on which ones are being used by other nearby networks. We recommend using channel 1, 6 (the default option) or 11.

After you’ve made your changes, click Apply. The page should refresh and you might then be asked to enter the username and password for the router.

Remember, if you're setting up your cable modem for the very first time, you'll need to activate your broadband account before you can using the internet. Once you've gone through the steps above, just start up a web browser and go to this address:

http://activation.virginmedia.com/

And you’re done! Your PC should now be connected to the internet through your wireless router.

Want to connect another computer wirelessly?

No problem. Once you've gone through the initial setup, connecting another computer to the wireless network is very easy.

Just repeat Step 7 above to connect another PC to your wireless network. You'll be asked for your WPA passphrase, which you should’ve changed during the initial setup. As soon as that’s accepted, you’ll be connected. Simple!

To work, your wireless router needs to be placed within reach of:

1. A power socket.
2. Your cable modem (for fibre optic broadband customers) or your main telephone socket (for National broadband customers).

Note: if you use the new Virgin Media Hub or Super Hub – our combined modem and wireless routers for cable customers – your positioning options are limited by the location of the coaxial cable that comes into your home. Try to move possible sources of interference away from the Hub/Super Hub rather than moving the Hub/Super Hub itself.

Got National broadband? It's important to connect to the main telephone socket (usually the one closest to your front door) instead of any other extension sockets in the house. This will give you the best broadband speed possible in your home.

What affects wireless broadband performance?

• The position of the wireless router and its antenna (if it has one – some modern wireless routers and the Virgin Media Hub do not have an external antenna)
• The thickness and composition of any walls between the router and your computer(s)
• Other electrical equipment, e.g. mobile phones, fax machines and microwaves, close to the router
• Other wireless networks nearby, particularly those that use the same or a similar channel to that of your wireless router.

The strength of the wireless signal is usually at its weakest on the edge of the range of the router. In a nutshell, the further away your computer is from the router, the weaker the wireless signal is likely to be.

Getting the best wireless performance

For the best wireless performance, make sure that there’s enough space around the wireless router and that it’s not too close to other electrical devices. And try to keep your computer and other wireless devices as close to the wireless router as you can.

You could even experiment with different positions, to find the best place to keep your wireless router. Remember to keep the wireless router in a dry, well ventilated place to stop it from overheating.

The strength and range of the wireless signal will be improved by using wireless 'N' technology instead of wireless 'G' version. To use wireless ‘N’ your computer, wireless card/adapter and wireless router need to compatible with the wireless 'N' standard. For more information, please see the Related Articles section.

If you’ve installed the Wireless Manager software, you might see this error message when you’re trying to set up your wireless router:

Please make sure your wireless router's power, wireless and internet lights are on. If they are, try moving your computer and wireless router closer together then click NEXT to try again.

To make sure you’ve got the best possible signal strength, move your computer and wireless router as close together as possible. If that doesn’t fix the problem, switch off the router, wait for 10 seconds and then switch the router on again. You shouldn’t need to switch off your modem, so leave that running.

Alternatively, uninstall the Wireless Manager software and then set up yourwireless connection manually.

These guides are aimed at customers using Plusnet supplied wireless routers. You should be able to use them with other routers as long as you know the Wireless Name (SSID) and password.

To get started, click on your operating system logo.

Windows 7	Mac OS X	Windows Vista	Windows XP

If you use a laptop or notebook with built-in wireless connectivity, ensure that the wireless switch and/or wireless button is switched on before you begin the steps to set up your Windows Vista computer. If your wireless is disabled you can usually re-enable it with a simple button combination (for example, by pressing Fn and F2 on your keyboard). For instructions on how to do this on your computer, please refer to the documentation that came with it.

If you do not have built-in wireless, and you don't have a wireless adapter or card, you can Buy one in our devices shop.

Before you can connect a computer to your wireless router you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you don't know what your wireless network name and wireless password is, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password? and follow the instructions for your router.

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password you can connect your Microsoft Windows 7 computer to your network by carrying out the following steps:

1. Click the Start globe and select Control Panel.
2. Select Small icons in the View by drop-down list in the top right corner.
3. Select Network and Sharing Center.
4. Click the Connect to a network link.
5. Select your wireless network name and click Connect.
6. If your network has wireless security set up you will be prompted to enter a security key. This is your wireless password. Enter it and click OK.

You should now be successfully connected to your wireless network. To test this connection, open a web browser, such as Internet Explorer, and try to access a website such aswww.talktalk.co.uk.

I've tried the steps listed above but I still cannot connect

If this didn't work, try again but make sure you are entering the wireless password exactly as it should be. It is case sensitive.

If it still doesn't work, try connecting to your router via an ethernet cable. This will tell you if the problem is with your wireless or with the connection in general:

• If you can connect with the cable connected, but not wirelessly, see I'm unable to connect wirelessly.
• If you cannot connect with an ethernet cable, see Unable to connect to the internet.

If you use a laptop or notebook with built-in wireless connectivity, ensure that the wireless switch and/or wireless button is switched on before you begin the steps to set up your Windows Vista computer. If your wireless is disabled you can usually re-enable it with a simple button combination (for example, by pressing Fn and F2 on your keyboard). For instructions on how to do this on your computer, please refer to the documentation that came with it.

If you do not have built-in wireless, and you don't have a wireless adapter or card, you can Buy one in our devices shop.

Before you can connect a computer to your wireless router you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you don't know what your wireless network name and wireless password is, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password? and follow the instructions for your router.

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password you can connect your Microsoft Windows Vista computer to your network by carrying out the following steps:

1. Click the Windows Vista Start globe and select Control Panel.
2. If available, click Classic View in the panel on the left.
3. Double-click Network and Sharing Centre.
4. Select Manage Wireless Networks.
5. Click Add, and then click Add a network that is in range of this computer.
6. When the list of available wireless networks is displayed, double-click the network to which you want to connect.
7. Enter the network key or passphrase and click Connect. This is your wireless password. Take care when entering this, as it must exactly match the wireless password and is case sensitive.
8. Ensure both boxes are ticked and click Close.

Your computer should now be connected to the internet wirelessly. To test your connection, open a web browser, such as Internet Explorer, and try to access a website, such aswww.talktalk.co.uk.

I've tried the steps listed above but I still cannot connect

If this didn't work, try again but make sure you are entering the wireless password exactly as it should be. It is case sensitive.

If it still doesn't work, try connecting to your router via an ethernet cable. This will tell you if the problem is with your wireless or with the connection in general:

• If you can connect with the cable connected, but not wirelessly, see I'm unable to connect wirelessly.
• If you cannot connect with an ethernet cable, see Unable to connect to the internet.

If you use a laptop or notebook with built-in wireless connectivity, ensure that the wireless switch and/or wireless button is switched on before you begin the steps to set up your Microsoft Windows XP computer. If your wireless is disabled you can usually re-enable it with a simple button combination (for example, by pressing Fn and F2 on your keyboard). For instructions on how to do this on your computer, please refer to the documentation that came with it.

If you do not have built-in wireless, and you don't have a wireless adapter or card, you can Buy one in our devices shop.

Before you can connect a computer to your wireless router you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you don't know what your wireless network name and wireless password is, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password? and follow the instructions for your router.

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password you can connect your Windows XP computer to your network by carrying out the following steps:

1. Click Start and select Control Panel.
2. If available, click Switch to Classic View in the panel on the left.
3. Double-click Network Connections.
4. Right-click the Wireless Network Connection icon and select View available wireless networks.
5. When the list of available wireless networks is displayed, double-click the network that you want to connect to.
6. Enter the network key or passphrase for your wireless network and click Connect. Take care when entering the network key, as it must exactly match the key that you entered into the modem router.
7. A message will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen to confirm that the connection was made successfully.

I've tried the steps listed above but I still cannot connect

If this didn't work, try again but make sure you are entering the wireless password exactly as it should be. It is case sensitive.

If it still doesn't work, try connecting to your router via an ethernet cable. This will tell you if the problem is with your wireless or with the connection in general:

• If you can connect with the cable connected, but not wirelessly, see I'm unable to connect wirelessly.
• If you cannot connect with an ethernet cable, see Unable to connect to the internet.

You can also get further help on this topic on the TalkTalk Absolute Beginners Forum.

Before you can connect a Mac to your wireless network, you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you do not know what these details are, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password?

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password, you can connect a Mac OS X computer to your wireless network by following the steps below:

1. In the top-right corner of your Mac's screen, click the AirPort icon and select Turn AirPort On, if available.
   The AirPort icon is a wireless symbol.
2. From the list of available networks that are within range, select your wireless network name.
3. Tick the box labelled Show password. Also, tick the box that says Remember Password.
4. Enter the wireless password and click OK.
   Note: This is case sensitive and must exactly match the wireless password set up on your wireless router.
5. Click the AirPort icon again to see if a successful connection has been made to the wireless network.

Your Mac should now be connected to the internet wirelessly. To test your connection open a web browser, such as Internet Explorer, and try to access a website, such aswww.talktalk.co.uk.

To connect an Apple iPad to your home network you need to have a working broadband connection, a wireless router and you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password.

If you have not set up a broadband connection before attempting these steps, or if you are having problems with your broadband connection apart from connecting your iPad, please resolve these issues first.

Before you can connect an iPad to your wireless router you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you don't know what your wireless network name and wireless password is, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password? and follow the instructions for your router.

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password you can connect your iPad by carrying out the following steps:

1. Turn on your iPad and wireless router.
2. From the iPad home page, select the Settings icon.
3. Select Wi-Fi.
4. Touch the on/off selector switch at the top of the screen until it reads On.
5. Select your wireless network name under Choose a Network. It may take a few seconds for any networks to appear if you have just switched on the wireless feature.
6. Enter the wireless password and select Join.

All you need from TalkTalk to connect your iPad to your wireless network is your wireless network name and wireless password. If you have completed the steps above, and you still cannot connect, we suggest you visit the Apple's iPad support site for further help.

Before you can connect an Apple iPod Touch to your wireless network, you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you do not know what these details are, seeWhat is my wireless network name and wireless password?

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password, you can connect an iPod Touch to your wireless network by carrying out the following steps:

1. From the home screen, select the Settings icon.
2. Select Wi-Fi and turn the slider ON if it is off.
3. Select your wireless network name.
4. Enter the wireless password and press Join

To connect an Apple iPhone to your home network you need to have a working broadband connection, a wireless router and you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password.

If you have not set up a broadband connection before attempting these steps, or if you are having problems with your broadband connection apart from connecting your iPhone, please resolve these issues first.

Before you can connect an iPhone to your wireless router you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you don't know what your wireless network name and wireless password is, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password? and follow the instructions for your router.

Note: The instructions below apply to the following iPhone models:

• iPhone 4
• iPhone 3GS
• iPhone 3G
• iPhone 2G

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password you can connect your iPhone by carrying out the steps below.

1. Ensure that your iPhone and wireless router are turned on.
2. On your iPhone home screen, select the Settings icon.
3. Select Wi-Fi.
4. If Wi-Fi is set to OFF, touch the on/off slider to turn it ON.
5. Select your network name under the Choose a Network... section.
6. Enter the wireless password and select Join.

All you need from TalkTalk to connect your iPhone to your wireless network is your wireless network name and wireless password. If you have completed the steps above, and you still cannot connect, we suggest that you contact Apple for further support.

Many smart phones, tablets and other wireless devices use the Android operating system. Before you can connect an Android device to your wireless network, you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you do not know what these details are, seeWhat is my wireless network name and wireless password?

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password, you can connect an Android 1.6 device to your wireless network by carrying out the following steps:

1. Click the Settings icon.
2. Select Wireless controls.
3. Select Wi-Fi settings.
4. Ensure Wi-Fi is ticked.
5. Select your wireless network name.
6. Enter the wireless password in the box provided and click Connect.

Many phones have the Windows Phone operating system on them. Before you can connect a Windows phone to your wireless network, you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you do not know what these details are, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password?

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password, you can connect a Windows phone to your wireless network by carrying out the following steps:

1. From Start, flick left to the Applications list and then press the Settings icon and select WiFi.
2. Make sure that WiFi networking is set to On.
3. Select your wireless network name and enter your wireless password.

Many phones have the Symbian operating system on them. Before you can connect a Symbian phone to your wireless network, you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you do not know what these details are, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password?

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password, you can connect a Symbian phone to your wireless network by carrying out the following steps:

1. Select Menu and then Tools.
2. Select Connectivity.
3. Select WLAN wizard.
4. Select your wireless network name.
5. Enter your wireless password and click OK.

To connect a BlackBerry to your home network you need to have a working broadband connection, a wireless router and you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password.

If you have not set up a broadband connection before attempting these steps, or if you are having problems with your broadband connection apart from connecting your BlackBerry, please resolve these issues first.

If you don't know what your wireless network name and wireless password is, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password? and follow the instructions for your router.

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password, you can connect your Blackberry to your network by carrying out the following steps:

1. Ensure both your BlackBerry and wireless router are switched on.
2. On the home screen, click the Manage Connections icon.
3. Click Set Up Wi-Fi Network.
4. Click Scan for Networks.
5. If prompted, click Turn Wi-Fi on.
6. Select your wireless network name.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions and enter your wireless password when prompted.
8. When you are prompted to save a profile for the wireless network, click Next so that your BlackBerry connects to the wireless network automatically next time.
9. To complete the setup, click Finish.

To change your wireless network options later, on the home screen, click the Manage Connections icon and select Wi-Fi Options.

To connect an Amazon Kindle to your home network you need to have a working broadband connection, a wireless router and you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password.

If you have not set up a broadband connection before attempting these steps, or if you are having problems with your broadband connection apart from connecting your Kindle, please resolve these issues first.

Before you can connect a Kindle to your wireless router you need to know your wireless network name and wireless password. If you don't know what your wireless network name and wireless password is, see What is my wireless network name and wireless password? and follow the instructions for your router.

If you know your wireless network name and wireless password you can connect your Kindle by carrying out the following steps:

1. Press the Home button and then press the Menu button.
2. Go to Settings by moving the 5-way controller down, then pressing the 5-way controller to select.
3. Select Wi-Fi Settings to show available Wi-Fi networks.
4. Select your wireless network name.
5. Enter your wireless password.

All you need from us to connect your Kindle to your wireless network is your wireless network name and wireless password. If you have completed the steps above, and you still cannot connect, you can refer to the Kindle quick start guide or Full user guide for further help.

If you're having problems connecting a mobile phone to your Netgear DGN1000 router, you'll need to update the firmware of your Netgear DGN1000 to the newest version.

Please note: If you're having problems with the signal boosting (UMA) service then updating to the latest firmware should resolve the issues.

 The new Pre-configured Netgear DGN 1000 router has the latest firmware version - V2.1.00.39_ww. You don't need to upgrade this firmware as it fully supports UMA and Wi-Fi connectivity. They can be identified by the presence of a wireless settings sticker at bottom of the router.

Check which version of firmware is installed on the router:

1. Log into the routers pages http://192.168.0.1 (192.168.0.1).
2. The Firmware Upgrade Assist will open:
   
   
   
   
    
3. If your firmware is out of date, you’ll be advised of your ‘current firmware version’, the ‘new version available’, and given the opportunity to upgrade to the new version by selecting Yes:
   
   
   
    If the firmware is up-to-date, you’ll be redirected to the ‘Basic Settings’ page. 
   
    
4. The router will download the new firmware:
   
   
5. The router will ‘Upgrade Firmware’:
   
    Do not unplug the router while the firmware is updating!
   
    The ‘Power’ light on the router will blink while the router firmware is updated. 
   
   
    
6. Once the router has been updated with the new firmware and rebooted, you’ll be prompted to check the LEDs to see if the Router is ready – click OK:
   
   
7. Enter the router’s username and password:
   
   - username: admin
   - password: password
   
   
8. The Firmware Upgrade Assist will open and check that the firmware has updated:
   
   

If you get the error ' The network security key provided does not match the network security key for this network' the 'security code' has been entered incorrectly.

Did you log into the Livebox admin pages, and copy your 'Security Code' to the Windows clipboard?

• yes
• no

If you continue to encounter problems, follow the steps below to check if your adaptor is installed correctly and then connect it to your Livebox or Siemens wireless router:

step 1 - check your adaptor is installed

The best way to check if your wireless adaptor is installed is to look in 'Device Manager' on your computer. You'll find step-by-step instructions on how to do this, as well as instructions to fix any problems you may have, in one of the articles below:

• Windows XP

• Windows Vista

step 3 - check that you've selected for Windows to manage the wireless connection

• Windows XP

•  Windows Vista

step 3 - manually connect to your router

Once you know your adaptor's installed correctly on your computer, you can use Windows software to connect to your router:

• Windows XP

• Windows Vista

step 4 - troubleshoot a Windows error

If you receive an error while trying to connect to your router, you'll find a list of potential problems with links to solutions in one of the articles below:

• Windows XP

• Windows Vista

To check if WLAN is started, follow the instructions below:

• click on Start
• right-click on Computer, and select Manage

• click Continue if Windows prompts that it needs your permission
• click on Services and Applications
• click on Services

• scroll to the bottom of the list of services
• double-click on WLAN AutoConfig

Check that the Service is started (as below)

If it's stopped:

• click on Start
• click OK to close 'WLAN properties'
• click the red cross, to close 'Computer Management'

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