How to get my laptop to recognise a wireless router?

I have got a wireless router and am able to connect to the internet if the Ethernet cable is connected from the router to the laptop. Once I unplug this I lose internet connection. My laptop apparently has inbuilt wireless features I just don't know how to make it all work!!! Do I have to get another part or set up something on the laptop to make it receive the wireless connection?

Totally ConfusedHow to get my laptop to recognise a wireless router?
Some laptops have a switch for your built-in wireless card. For example my Dell Latitude has the switch on the left side that turns on/off the radio. Some laptops use 3rd party wireless configurators, but windows has its own contained in Network Connections in Control Panel.

To connect to an available wireless network

Open Network Connections.

Click the wireless network connection icon, and then, under Network Tasks, click View available wireless networks.

Choose the wireless network from the list that appears, and then click Connect.

If the network is one that supports Wireless Provisioning Services, such as a public wireless network or a corporate network, you might be asked to download additional files that will allow your computer to connect to the network.

If the Web site listed in the dialog box is one that you trust to provide you with this information, click Download. Otherwise, click Cancel and choose a different network to connect to.

Once the files are downloaded (or if they were previously downloaded), follow the instructions in the Wireless Network Registration Wizard.

If the network you choose is security-enabled, one of the following will occur:

If the network key is automatically provided by your network or system administrator (that is, the network supports IEEE 802.1x), the connection will be made automatically.

If the network key is not automatically provided, in Network key, type the key.

To configure other wireless network connection settings, or if you are having difficulty making a connection to the wireless network that you selected, under Related Tasks, click Change advanced settings, select the wireless network that you want to configure, and then click Properties. If the wireless network is not in the list, click Add.

Notes



To open Network Connections, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections.

Some wireless networks might not appear on the list. For example, a public Internet service provider (ISP) can be configured to use another provider's wireless network name. In that case, you might see only the public ISP in the list of wireless networks. To show all wireless networks, click Show wireless access point names.



How to get my laptop to recognise a wireless router?
If you have a built-in wireless card you should be able to set up a wireless connection. With the ethernet cable plugged in, log onto the internet. Find the website for your routers' manufacturer (Belkin, Linksys, Netgear etc). Once there, you should find instructions on how to set up wireless connectivity. It's really easy and a lot of it is already done for you. If you are asked for a password, it's password (yes, password) and if you're asked for admin it's admin. How easy is that! Once you have done this you should be able to remove the ethernet cable between the router and your computer. Good luck.
I suspect it doesn't have wireless.



If you go into network settings, it'll tell you how many network cards it has.



If it does have a wireless card, you'll need to give it an IP address similar to the router's internal address (which is likely to be something like 192.168.0.1) so give it something like 192.168.0.3 or 192.168.0.4.




Look in your toolbar at the bottom right side of your screen (in windows) and look for the network button by hovering the mouse over the icons until you find it. Then double click and you can figure out the rest.



Btw, next time go with a Mac. You wouldn't be having this problem if you had one. Hope that helps. Peace.
you have to pair up the laptop with the router so it knows whats what and also don't forget the security code on the router otherwise all and sundry will be downloading from you
about wireless router can be read in http://wikipediawiki.org/computers-internet/?q=wireless%20router