Connect one cable to the broadband modem and to the port marked "WAN" or "Internet" on the router. Connect the second cable to one of the router's numbered ports and to your computer's Ethernet port.

Computers that connect to the same wireless router can communicate with one another through a "homegroup," a Windows 7 feature that allows PCs to share files and printers.

If this checks out, you should also know how to change your router's settings, update its firmware, and reset it if need be. Below, we've detailed how to do that for some popular router manufacturers.

1. Click the Start button and then go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center (Windows 11) or ...

Even though you can likely connect hundreds of devices wirelessly to your router, you won't want to. Not only will there be a ton of signal interference, the router hardware (like the processor ...