As more Internet users switch from dial-up to broadband connections, more homes can benefit from setting up wireless home networks to share their Internet connections.

Unfortunately, there are a few hurdles to doing just that, largest of which is pure and simple tech know-how.

Price is not much of an object. The gear to set up a home network can run less than a hundred bucks, depending on how many units you have and how much new gear you'll need.

Beyond know-how and money the next real obstacle is fear. Many are simply afraid to go where they've never been before.

The fact is you can do it, and the rewards are many. It's not just shared Internet. It's file and printer sharing, too.

A lot of us are used to regular wired networks because we see them and use them in the workplace. And most of us know our computers need to be plugged into an Ethernet port on the wall or counter.

Ethernet is the most common network architecture in the world.

It's beneficial to realize that wireless networks use the same Ethernet technology that wired ones do. The only real difference is that wireless signals travel through the air instead of along a wire. The data is the same.

In fact, most home networks are hybrids, with some of the computers connected by wire and others by wireless. Let's use my own home as an example.

My son and I each have wired desktop computers and wireless laptops. We have DSL, which comes into our home via our telephone wires. We plug one telephone cable into our DSL modem, which is our Internet portal.

Since that DSL modem only offers one port to connect to a computer, we need to set up a network to spread the Internet connection around the house.

FYI, if you're getting your broadband Internet from a cable company, everything I say applies, except that you're connecting to a cable modem instead.

What you need next is a wireless router, a device that takes an Internet signal and routes it where it needs to go. The real mystery for most people is how to set up -- or configure -- this router.

Before we think about configuring your router, let's think about cost and availability. They cost between $50 and $75 and are available at most computer shops, as well as online. I recommend Office Depot, Office Max or Staples because those stores are everywhere.

Common brands are D-Link and Linksys, and I recommend you get one that broadcasts at 54 Mbps (megabits per second) or higher.

Most home routers are also 4-port Ethernet hubs, too. That means, in addition to any number of wireless connections, you can connect up to four computers with standard network cables.

Though some router setup guides are good, I recommend you visit Microsoft's excellent wireless how-to page at www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/wirelesssetup.mspx. It's a very clear, straightforward guide.

Besides a router, what other gear you need depends on what you already have.

My son and I have had our computers wired for years, so all we had to do was unplug our cables from our hub and plug them into the wireless router. Our laptops came with built-in wireless, so that was easy.

If you don't have them, you'll need Ethernet adapters for your PCs and PCMCIA wireless cards for your laptops. These cost between $15 and $40 and are available at the aforementioned stores or online.

By the way, having Windows XP Professional really streamlines wireless networking, with its automatic wireless network detection. With earlier operating systems, everything is a bit harder. Windows XP Home is also easy, but you must have Service Pack 2 installed, which is available from Windows Update.

Once you've got all the gear, you'll need to configure the router. Set it up next to your main computer and connect to its LAN port via Ethernet cable.

Next, connect your DSL or cable modem to the router's WAN port. Following the log-on instructions that came with the router, enter the user name and password that lets the router connect to your DSL or cable service. You may have to enter an IP address or two, supplied by your broadband provider.

You'll also have to create a SSID, or wireless network name. You'll absolutely want to set up a pass phrase to enable WEP, or wireless encryption protocol, so your home network can't by hijacked by local neighborhood hackers.

Your XP wireless computers and laptops should automatically detect your networks, prompting you to enter the passphrase to log on.

If you have any trouble, visit that excellent Microsoft help site.

Email Calvin at calross@napanet.net