Windows 8 guide: Connect to a wireless network

Windows 8 makes it easy to connect to a wireless network. The best way to do this is with the Charms so press Windows and C to make them appear. Click on Settings.

Read more: Windows 8 video guides

Look to the six icons at the bottom of the Settings Pane. The top-left icon shows your network status whether you are connected to a wired or wireless network. As this computer hasn't been connected to any wireless networks Windows is telling us that there are some networks in range. Click on this icon.

A list of available wireless networks will appear. Tap on a network to connect to it. If your network is hidden as ours is, click on the Hidden network option at the bottom. Leave the Connect automatically option selected and click Connect.

Enter the name of the network in the text box and click on Next. Windows will attempt to connect to the network and prompt you for the security key. Enter the key and click on Next. Remember you can click on the eye icon on the right of the text box to reveal the password if you want to check that it has been entered correctly.

You can now see that the computer has connected to the network and the icon shows the signal strength.

If we return to the Desktop you can see the Wireless Network icon in the Notification Area.

If you want to disconnect from a network, open the Charms with Windows and C and click on Settings. Click on the network icon and then on the network that you are connected to. Click on the Disconnect button

If you want to remove the settings from your computer altogether, right click on the network and then select Forget this network.

One tool that is new to Windows 8 is the Estimated usage counter. This is useful if you are worried about going over a bandwidth limit. Right-click on the connection and then click on Show estimated data usage. It won't account for any other devices on your home network. Click on Reset to take the counter back to 0.