For years I stubbornly avoided a wireless network at home. It seemed like just one more thing to go wrong.

I've noticed that many smart people who work with technology are conservative in their high-tech choices at home.

Despite stereotypes, professionals are biased toward the least complex solution to any problem. That's because they're the ones who will have to fix things when they go wrong.

The early wireless technologies were noticeably slow and about as dependable as my Uncle Red. So I ran wire for my own network at home. I still think a wired network is less likely to have problems. And it is still faster than wireless (although even slow wireless networks these days are faster than your broadband connection).

Wireless has come a long way, though. It's now easy to set up and generally trouble-free. Those are good reasons for me to take a second look at wireless networks.

Then there is another factor in determining whether a technology is right for my home. No degree in electrical engineering is required. No cost/benefit study is necessary. Instead, I follow the MDTIDI factor. That stands for times when my wife Mary Demands That I Do It.

Usually the MDTIDI factor comes into play when garbage needs taking out, or when my ham radio station's transmissions leak into the phone lines. This time it came in the form of a demand for a wireless connection for her laptop.

I added a WAP, a wireless access point, to our wired network. The WAP is a device that connects to an existing network and adds a wireless way to connect. While you may be starting from scratch in your own home with a wireless router instead of a WAP, the hints I give apply to a wireless router as well.

The first thing to realize is that a wireless signal may not reach into every area of your home. Generally you can expect a range of about 300 feet, but large amounts of metal, or even thick concrete or brick, can reduce that range. Cordless phones or microwaves can sometimes cause interference, and a another nearby wireless system could also cause problems.

Luckily, if you do get interference from a neighboring wireless system, you'll be able to change the broadcast channel for your wireless router or wireless access point.

I won't give you a step-by-step installation manual here. Almost any wireless router or access point you buy will come with clear instructions. That's another thing that has changed for the good since the days when wireless for the home was first introduced.

Instead, I'll try to anticipate a few of your questions and flag potential trouble areas.

When you hook your wireless router or access point up, you'll then be asked to configure it. You'll do that using your Web browser, or with software that comes with the unit. During the configuration process, you'll be asked to supply a name for your wireless network. If you don't supply a name, the software will use the name of the manufacturer as the name for your network --- perhaps Linksys or DLink.

Do yourself a favor and pick your own name. If someone within the range of your signal tries to break into your system, knowing the manufacturer makes things easier.

Your wireless device also will need its own password. It comes with a password set by the manufacturer. Not changing the default password is a lot like hanging a sign around your neck that says: Hack me.

Even more passwords are coming.

As you set up the system, you'll be asked if you want to use WEP (wired equivalent privacy) encryption. Heck, yes. Select 128-bit WEP. Type in a password. The software will convert that password into a long string of letters and numbers.

Unlike the password you typed in, this combination would be really difficult for a hacker to guess. It's called a WEP passkey. You'll need to set that passkey into the wireless devices that receive the signal. Without the passkey, no machines --- including the ones you own --- will be able to use the wireless connection.

All that is pretty easy. It's even easier to lose the passkey. Write it down on a piece of paper. (That way if your computer goes out, you'll still have access to the passkey.)

If you lose the passkey, you'll be forced to reset the router or WAP, then reset the passkey on all your wireless devices --- a big hassle.

Odds are you'll have no trouble getting your wireless network or access point up and running by following the directions. However, here are some things to try if things don't work out on the first try.

If you can't connect, firewalls on your computer are logical suspects. Temporarily turn off all firewall software. If that's the problem, check the firewall program's manual to learn how to include the Internet addresses for our networked computers.

Most wireless computers have a tiny program that tells you when you have a wireless signal and also show how strong it is. Check to make sure the signal is reaching the computer. If not, try moving either the wireless router or the computer.

Slow connections are usually caused by a weak signal. If your connnection seems slow, try moving the wireless computer closer to the wireless router.

Now I can get spam e-mail while sitting by the fire in the den.

tecbud@ajc.com