What is a wireless network? 

A wireless network (otherwise known as a wireless local area network, or WLAN) is the linking together of two or more devices (like laptops, storage devices, PURE internet radios etc) without needing to use wires. Wireless networks connect to each other using radio waves and give you the ability to move around freely within the range of your WLAN and still be connected to the network. Wireless networking has become especially popular due to the success of devices like laptop computers. It’s become so popular that local businesses such as coffee shops and fast food restaurants have begun to offer wireless access to their customers - sometimes as a free service. 

What do I need to get wireless?

It’s pretty easy. You need a wireless access point (the box that you will wirelessly connect your devices to) and for the home user these are most commonly found as part of the ‘router’ that you use to give you internet access. If you’re not sure whether you have a wireless access point as part of your internet package you may want to consult your internet provider (ISP) and they will be able to tell you.Once you have a wireless access point you’ll need wireless devices to connect to it, and for a device to connect to a wireless network they will need to be equipped with a wireless network adapter. Many modern computers and laptops come equipped with wireless network adapters already built in, and of course wireless devices like PURE internet radios will automatically have this ability. It’s this adapter that transmits the radio waves to the wireless access point that gives you your ‘wire free’ ability. 

Ok I have my wireless network setup but can anyone see it? Is it secure?

Generally yes - but that greatly depends on how it’s been set up. Yes it’s true that now you’re not using wires to connect one device to another - gives other people the ability to connect to those same devices too, so to stop this happening you need to secure your network, and to secure a network you apply a password to it.To make a wireless network secure you can apply ‘encryption’ to your network that requires a password for you to gain access to it. The two most common forms of wireless network encryption are called Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access, (WPA, WPA2), and you should secure your network with a password using one of these methods. Once you have secured your network you will notice that every time you add a new wireless device (like a PURE internet radio) to your network, or you want access to your network you will need to enter your password to enable you to connect securely. You will not be able to connect any device to your network unless you know what that password is, and as no one else should know that password you'll now have a secured wireless network.If you are unsure if your network has been set up with a password, or it has and you don’t know what the password is, you will need to contact your network administrator or your internet provider to give you this information.

 Remember if your wireless network is password protected you will not be able to connect your PURE internet radio to it without knowing that password.  

Are you ready to connect your radio to the internet? Here's a checklist of everything you'll need.

• You need a working broadband internet connection (minimum speed 0.5 MB)
  
• A wireless internet router (sometimes called a Wireless Access Point).
  
• You will need to know the name of your wireless network. Wireless network names are called SSID’s so if you are unsure of the name of your network check your router settings for its SSID. You may need to consult your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or your router user guide to help you get access to this information.
  
• You’ll need a valid personal email account to enable you to register with the Lounge website. We’ll need to send you a couple of emails during the registration and connection process to enable you to activate your Lounge account and complete the process of connecting your radio. Make sure the email account you use for this purpose is configured correctly and will not send emails from support@thelounge.com to the spam filter. You won’t be able to complete the process without these emails.
  
• You will need to enter the radio serial number when you register the radio on the Lounge. You’ll find the radio serial number written on the back of the radio under the bar code. Make sure you have this to hand. 
  
• You will need to know your personal wireless network security key – otherwise known as a WEP or WPA key. If you haven’t set one yourself then you may find the key written on your wireless router. If you are unsure what your key is then you should contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and they may be able to advise you of where you can find it. It’s important to understand you will not be able to get your radio connected to your network and the internet without knowing this key.

Ok that’s the check list done. If you have all of the above then you’ll have no problems getting connected.