Guest PT Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 I have a laptop which came with WinXP Home plus a Wireless card. I never used the wireless, since the computer has been exclusively at home. At some point in the past, I dimly recall doing something to remove the Wireless so its icon no longer appeared in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Now I plan to travel with the laptop and want to be able to access wireless networks on the road. I tried to reactivate and configure the wireless card. I need advice. Here's what I've done: I clicked start | settings | network connections | wireless connection I see a dialog box with a message that "Windows cannot configure this wireless connection". It goes on to suggest that I click on "change advanced settings", and then click on the resulting checkbox for "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings". I do so, and the wireless icon now appears with an X through it. I also get a message to the effect that there are no wireless networks in range (quite possibly true where I live), and that I should make sure my wireless switch is turned on. Question - How/where is the wireless switch accessed? Follow-up question- If I get the system working, what are the bare minimum security settings I'll need for use in public areas. What/where is this switch? -- PT
Guest Shenan Stanley Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 Re: Newbie Wireless Question PT wrote: > I have a laptop which came with WinXP Home plus a Wireless card. I > never used the wireless, since the computer has been exclusively at > home. At some point in the past, I dimly recall doing something to > remove the Wireless so its icon no longer appeared in the lower > right hand corner of the screen. > Now I plan to travel with the laptop and want to be able to access > wireless networks on the road. > > I tried to reactivate and configure the wireless card. I need > advice. > Here's what I've done: > > I clicked start | settings | network connections | wireless > connection > I see a dialog box with a message that "Windows cannot configure > this wireless connection". It goes on to suggest that I click on > "change advanced settings", and then click on the resulting > checkbox for "Use Windows to configure my wireless network > settings". > I do so, and the wireless icon now appears with an X through it. I > also get a message to the effect that there are no wireless > networks in range (quite possibly true where I live), and that I > should make sure my wireless switch is turned on. > > Question - How/where is the wireless switch accessed? You access it in whatever way the manual for whatever wireless switch you have tells you to (manual) - or you don't at all if it is not *your* wireless switch unless the owner of the wireless switch give s you the right to do so (and you would still access it per the manual's instructions.) It is not necessary - for most - to access the wireless switch in the manner you seem to be asking about in order to connect to a wireless network. > Follow-up question- If I get the system working, what are the bare > minimum security settings I'll need for use in public areas. You have the system working in-as-far-as you can without a wireless system to connect to. > What/where is this switch? Where ever the owner of said switch (whatever brand it may be) decided to put it is "where". As for what - whater the owner of said switch decided to purchase, install and configure. (Go to a place that sells computer networking equipment (Wal-Mart, SAMs, Target, Circuit City, Best Buy, Office Depot, Office Max, Sears, etc...) and look at the Wireless Access Points they sell by LinkSys, D-Link, NetGear, etc. That is what we are talking about here in most cases. -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Guest Ron Badour Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 Re: Newbie Wireless Question It is probably a key combination. I recently worked on a Gateway laptop and the key combination was Fn + F2 -- Regards Ron Badour MS MVP Shell User "PT" <xyz@xyz.com> wrote in message news:Okjspvj3IHA.776@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > I have a laptop which came with WinXP Home plus a Wireless card. I never > used the wireless, since the computer has been exclusively at home. At > some point in the past, I dimly recall doing something to remove the > Wireless so its icon no longer appeared in the lower right hand corner of > the screen. > > > > Now I plan to travel with the laptop and want to be able to access > wireless networks on the road. > > > > I tried to reactivate and configure the wireless card. I need advice. > > > > Here's what I've done: > > > > I clicked start | settings | network connections | wireless connection > > > > I see a dialog box with a message that "Windows cannot configure this > wireless connection". It goes on to suggest that I click on "change > advanced settings", and then click on the resulting checkbox for "Use > Windows to configure my wireless network settings". > > > > I do so, and the wireless icon now appears with an X through it. I also > get a message to the effect that there are no wireless networks in range > (quite possibly true where I live), and that I should make sure my > wireless switch is turned on. > > > > Question - How/where is the wireless switch accessed? > > > > Follow-up question- If I get the system working, what are the bare minimum > security settings I'll need for use in public areas. > > > > > > What/where is this switch? > > > > > -- > > PT >
Guest Nepatsfan Posted July 5, 2008 Posted July 5, 2008 Re: Newbie Wireless Question "PT" <xyz@xyz.com> wrote in message news:Okjspvj3IHA.776@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl... > I have a laptop which came with WinXP Home plus a Wireless card. I never used > the wireless, since the computer has been exclusively at home. At some point > in the past, I dimly recall doing something to remove the Wireless so its icon > no longer appeared in the lower right hand corner of the screen. > Now I plan to travel with the laptop and want to be able to access wireless > networks on the road. I tried to reactivate and configure the wireless card. > I need advice. > > Here's what I've done: > > I clicked start | settings | network connections | wireless connection > > I see a dialog box with a message that "Windows cannot configure this wireless > connection". It goes on to suggest that I click on "change advanced > settings", and then click on the resulting checkbox for "Use Windows to > configure my wireless network settings". > > I do so, and the wireless icon now appears with an X through it. I also get a > message to the effect that there are no wireless networks in range (quite > possibly true where I live), and that I should make sure my wireless switch is > turned on. > > Question - How/where is the wireless switch accessed? > > Follow-up question- If I get the system working, what are the bare minimum > security settings I'll need for use in public areas. > What/where is this switch? > > -- > > PT Since you neglected to tell us what make and model laptop you have, the best you can expect in any response is a guess. I've seen some laptops with a button above and to the right of the keyboard that will turn the wireless adapter on and off. I've also seen one with the button on the front edge to the right of the latch. You might want to examine the buttons and switches on your laptop and look for one with an icon similar to this imprinted on it. Wireless icon http://dellresell.com/Ebay%20Content/Online%20Content/Laptop%20Parts%20Images/wireless-icon.gif You might want to check the manual for your laptop for more info. You can usually download the manual from the manufacturer's web site. Good luck Nepatsfan
Guest nicnat Posted July 6, 2008 Posted July 6, 2008 Re: Newbie Wireless Question Shenan Stanley wrote: > PT wrote: >> I have a laptop which came with WinXP Home plus a Wireless card. I >> never used the wireless, since the computer has been exclusively at >> home. At some point in the past, I dimly recall doing something to >> remove the Wireless so its icon no longer appeared in the lower >> right hand corner of the screen. >> Now I plan to travel with the laptop and want to be able to access >> wireless networks on the road. >> >> I tried to reactivate and configure the wireless card. I need >> advice. >> Here's what I've done: >> >> I clicked start | settings | network connections | wireless >> connection >> I see a dialog box with a message that "Windows cannot configure >> this wireless connection". It goes on to suggest that I click on >> "change advanced settings", and then click on the resulting >> checkbox for "Use Windows to configure my wireless network >> settings". >> I do so, and the wireless icon now appears with an X through it. I >> also get a message to the effect that there are no wireless >> networks in range (quite possibly true where I live), and that I >> should make sure my wireless switch is turned on. >> >> Question - How/where is the wireless switch accessed? > > You access it in whatever way the manual for whatever wireless switch > you have tells you to (manual) - or you don't at all if it is not > *your* wireless switch unless the owner of the wireless switch give s > you the right to do so (and you would still access it per the > manual's instructions.) > It is not necessary - for most - to access the wireless switch in the > manner you seem to be asking about in order to connect to a wireless > network. >> Follow-up question- If I get the system working, what are the bare >> minimum security settings I'll need for use in public areas. > > You have the system working in-as-far-as you can without a wireless > system to connect to. > >> What/where is this switch? > > Where ever the owner of said switch (whatever brand it may be) > decided to put it is "where". As for what - whater the owner of said > switch decided to purchase, install and configure. (Go to a place > that sells computer networking equipment (Wal-Mart, SAMs, Target, > Circuit City, Best Buy, Office Depot, Office Max, Sears, etc...) and > look at the Wireless Access Points they sell by LinkSys, D-Link, > NetGear, etc. That is what we are talking about here in most cases. > > -- > Shenan Stanley > MS-MVP Really! I think this response was way off base. The switch the OP is referring to is very likely a physical switch on his/her laptop and decidedly not a wireless accees point (ie switch). The OP should just examine the laptop and look for a switch on the front/back/side or keyboard area that will turn off/on the laptop wireless card. On my Sony Vaio, the switch is along the front edge. Turning it off when not accessing a wireless network conserves battery power.
Guest Shenan Stanley Posted July 6, 2008 Posted July 6, 2008 Re: Newbie Wireless Question PT wrote: <snipped> > I do so, and the wireless icon now appears with an X through it. I also > get a message to the effect that there are no wireless > networks in range (quite possibly true where I live), and that I > should make sure my wireless switch is turned on. > > Question - How/where is the wireless switch accessed? <snipped> Shenan Stanley wrote: <snipped> > Where ever the owner of said switch (whatever brand it may be) > decided to put it is "where". As for what - whater the owner of > said switch decided to purchase, install and configure. (Go to a > place that sells computer networking equipment (Wal-Mart, SAMs, > Target, Circuit City, Best Buy, Office Depot, Office Max, Sears, > etc...) and look at the Wireless Access Points they sell by > LinkSys, D-Link, NetGear, etc. That is what we are talking about > here in most cases. <snipped> nicnat wrote: > Really! I think this response was way off base. The switch the OP > is referring to is very likely a physical switch on his/her laptop > and decidedly not a wireless accees point (ie switch). The OP > should just examine the laptop and look for a switch on the > front/back/side or keyboard area that will turn off/on the laptop > wireless card. On my Sony Vaio, the switch is along the front > edge. Turning it off when not accessing a wireless network > conserves battery power. Possibly - but the OP left out make/model and did say they received a message about "no wireless networks in range" (which would seem strange if the wireless network card was turned off by the physical switch. If the OP has a Dell - look on the left side of the laptop... -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
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