How do you connect to a wireless network?

[zeus]

My sister has a laptop and one of the girls she lives with has wireless internet.

Basically they want to copy the numbers/settings from her flatmates laptop to my sisters laptop so they both have internet. As far as I know they both have windows xp.

They have asked me to help them but I dont have a clue what needs to be done. Do you connect to the wireless router using windows xp screen or the wireless adapter screens? What settings will need to be transfered? wep/wap/ssid a username/password? As far as im concerned you plug your pc into the wall to get the internet!

I cant even go round and have a play... they live well away from where I live.

Hope someone can help!

 

[Addis]

You can normally choose whether to use the windows tool or the manufacturers software tool to connect to networks. I generally use the Windows tool, right click the wireless network icon in the systray, click "Scan for networks", scan, then choose which network to connect to.

At this point, you'll probably be asked for the network key, which only the network owner should know. It could be WEP or WPA.

 

[zeus]

Thanks Addis. Im glad you can do it with windows! It makes it easier to explain to her. I'll get on the blower to her tomorrow and post back with how we got on.

 

[zeus]

Its turns out she is already connected to the network that her laptop can see. At least I think it is because when she looks at this box.....

it says "disconnect" at the bottom.

So what have you got to do to get the net to work? She has a username and password but where does it et entered?

 

[Ferg]

It is more likely that the wirless router holds the username and password to access the internet so it is 'always on'.

If your friend is already connected to the network then she should already have net access. If not then check that it is the same network.