I ordered a wireless keyboard and mouse set from you awhile back, but I'm having a little trouble getting it ready for my computer.

I would be more than happy to help you! Now, like the person who asked this question stated, we here at WorldStart have sold various brands of wireless keyboard and mice sets in the past, but you can purchase them from regular computer stores as well. Whatever your case may be, the directions for getting them ready for your computer are all basically the same. So, if you've bought a wireless set recently and you're having some trouble getting it to work, just follow these instructions and you'll be well on your way to wireless bliss!

First of all, wireless keyboards and mice aren't able to receive power from your computer like the wired ones do. Therefore, they need batteries to operate. And that's the first thing you need to do. Turn your keyboard over and you'll see a battery compartment. Take the cover off and insert the batteries according to the + - (plus, minus) compatibility. When you're done with the keyboard, you can go ahead and do the same thing for the mouse.

Once you've got the batteries in place, find a spot on your desk where you'd like to place both the keyboard and mouse. You won't have to move them around anymore, so make sure you find a place you'll be comfortable with. Now, while you're doing this, you'll also want to keep in mind where the wireless receiver will go. If you recall, a tip on that was in yesterday's newsletter. If you need to refresh your memory on that, you can read the article here. It will help you to find the perfect spot for all your new hardware, so it's definitely a must read!

The next thing you'll want to do is install the software that came along with your keyboard and mouse. Now, keep in mind that if you have Windows XP on your computer, you more than likely won't need to deal with the software at all. You can just plug the receiver into your computer and XP will automatically recognize the new hardware for you. (This is how it works if you purchased a set from us here at WorldStart). On the other hand, if you're using an older version of Windows, you will need to install the software. To do so, just insert the disk into your CD ROM drive and follow along with the on-screen instructions. That's all you have to do!

The next step is connecting the wireless receiver to your computer, but again, if you have Windows XP, you've probably already done this. If not, it's likely that the wireless keyboard and mouse set you have works via a USB cable. So, all you have to do is find an open USB port on your computer and plug the receiver in. Once you plug it in, your computer will configure the keyboard and mouse so you can start to use them. You'll see a message that says something like "Your new hardware is now ready to use." (In XP, you'll get a pop up message that says "New Hardware Found"). Either way, that means you can now start using your new hardware!

Now that you've got everything set up, the next thing you'll want to do is test the keyboard and mouse, just to make sure everything's working properly. Go ahead and open some programs with your mouse and type some text in with your keyboard. Run through all the keys on your keyboard to make sure there are no problems with any of them and make sure all the buttons on your mouse work right. If there are any problems with them, you can always get a replacement or your money back.