How do I make my PC Wi
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Although Wi-Fi is just about everywhere these days, desktop computers were not always designed with connecting wirelessly to the internet in mind. Because of this, there are situations where you may want to convert a desktop to wireless. Fortunately, there are simple solutions to this problem that don't involve buying a new computer or relying on an Ethernet cable. The simplest approach is to use a USB wireless adapter, but you might want to consider another option that works better: a PCIe Wi-Fi adapter. Show Advertisement Wi-Fi for Desktop: USB AdaptersBuying a USB Wi-Fi adapter is the simplest solution to convert a computer to wireless. The adapters are readily available, and the process doesn't require any particular tech know-how. Choose a USB wireless adapter from your favorite electronics store, ensuring that the adapter you buy is appropriate for the transfer speeds (measured in Mbps) of your router. There's no point in getting an adapter that's faster than your router. Ideally, you should get one that supports dual-band and offers USB 3.0 so that there isn't a speed bottleneck when transferring data to your PC. Advertisement Video of the Day Once you've chosen a USB Wi-Fi adapter, you insert it into an open USB port on your computer and install it. Most of the time, USB components install automatically, but there is a slight possibility that you may have to search on the manufacturer's website for the appropriate driver or install software on a disc that came with the adapter. From this point, you connect to the internet using the SSID and password for your router as you ordinarily would. Advertisement USB adapters are a great solution because of this simplicity, but it's important to note that the performance can be spotty sometimes. If you want a better solution, it's worth considering a PCIe adapter. PCIe Wi-Fi AdaptersUSB adapters are more of an off-hand fix than "converting" your desktop to wireless, If you want better performance while saving your USB ports for other connections, get a PCIe Wi-Fi adapter instead. These are small chips that plug into the motherboard of your computer and make it work just like a computer with Wi-Fi built-in from the start. Although installing one of these poses a greater challenge than installing a USB Wi-Fi adapter, it's worth it if you're looking for a more reliable solution. Advertisement Advertisement Buy an appropriate PCIe Wi-Fi adapter, make sure your computer is turned off and unplugged, and open up the casing. You need to identify the motherboard of your computer – which is easy because it's big and the other components attach to it – and find the PCIe slots. There is usually a long PCIe slot for your computer's graphics card, with two (or more) smaller ones beside it, and these are aligned with the removable metal plates on the back of the computer. Remove the metal plate in line with the PCIe slot you want to use, which usually requires removing a couple of screws and then taking the plate away. Advertisement When you're done, push the PCIe adapter into the space and then remove the caps on the back of the card and install the antennae, which usually requires screwing them in place. When you switch your PC back on, the drivers should automatically install, but again you might need to download them manually from the manufacturer's website in limited cases. Advertisement Are There Other Solutions?Unfortunately, short of getting a new computer, there are no other ways to convert your desktop computer to wireless. You can continue to connect with an Ethernet cable or use a laptop or other device for Wi-Fi, but the best solution is getting an adapter you feel comfortable installing. Wi-Fi capabilities are a feature on pretty much every computer on the market these days, and turning Wi-Fi on is the quickest and easiest way to get online on your Windows computer. If you're running Windows 10, your Wi-Fi adapter is likely already enabled. If it's not, or if you've accidentally disabled it in the past, and can't figure out how to get it back, don't worry. Here's how to get up and running on Wi-Fi in no time. How to turn on Wi-Fi on Windows 10First of all, see if there's a Wi-Fi button on your keyboard — it'll have a picture of waves coming off of a circle or line. This is common on laptops, and will likely require you to press the Fn key and one of the numbered F keys at the top of the keyboard. Turning on Wi-Fi via the Wi-Fi icon in Windows 101. Look to the lower-left corner of your computer screen. On the toolbar, there may be a Wi-Fi icon, which resembles a radio signal transmitting upwards. If it isn't there, click the upwards facing arrow to see if it's grouped with the other icons not on your toolbar. 2. Click on the Wi-Fi icon on your toolbar, then click again on the larger Wi-Fi box that appears in the pop-up menu to turn Wi-Fi on. 3. Once turned on, connect to any Wi-Fi network you prefer, so long as you have the password. Turning on Wi-Fi via the Start menu in Windows 101. Click the Windows button and type "Settings," clicking on the Settings app when it appears in the search results. 2. Click on Network & Internet. 3. Click on the Wi-Fi option in the menu bar on the left side of the Settings screen. 4. Toggle the Wi-Fi option to On to enable your Wi-Fi adapter. 5. Now you can connect to any Wi-Fi network you prefer, provided that you know the network's password. Quick tip: You can also search for "Wifi" and select Wi-Fi settings and skip directly to step 4 above. Jennifer Still Jennifer is a writer and editor from Brooklyn, New York, who spends her time traveling, drinking iced coffee, and watching way too much TV. She has bylines in Vanity Fair, Glamour, Decider, Mic, and many more. You can find her on Twitter at
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