- Your wireless adapter card is simply a radio. You can buy a radio just to listen to one program or station if you want, but you can plug it in and test it anytime- no need to wait.
-If you ever want accurate advice about using that specific device and it's antenna please provide the name and model of adapter.
- When your router arrives, connect your pc by cable to it and go into the router's configuration using a web browser. It will come with instructions for doing this. From there, you can set up the router name and security password (for access to configuration) then the SSID (what name it broadcasts). For iinitial setup, leave wireless security off for the moment.
Disconnect the ethernet cable and try to find the SSID by scanning with your installed wireless card for your SSID. Connect and verify that you can get to the router's configuration and also go online.
Once you see that this works, turn on the router's wireless security and give it your own WPA key and make it 20 characters long (or more).
Finally, attmept to connect again with the card and enter the same WPA key in your card's utiltiy. Verify that it works.
- MAC address is useful for various things but you probably won't need it. MAC address filtering (done from the router) is not good for security. Ignore the address for now unless there is some specific reason you are asked for it.
Steve