Configure my Wireless Notebook for free Hotspots?

I have a Netgear WG511 wireless PC card on my Notebook that I use in my home
to connect to my wireless network. I am using all the security features
available.
I am going to be traveling some in the near future and would like to be
able to connect to the Hotspots in various RV parks that I will be staying
in. Is there something that I need to configure different that what I have
set up for connecting at home? In other words, will I "automatically"
connect when I get a signal from the provided Hotspot?
Thanks,
John

L'l John wrote:
> I have a Netgear WG511 wireless PC card on my Notebook that I use in my home
> to connect to my wireless network. I am using all the security features
> available.
> I am going to be traveling some in the near future and would like to be
> able to connect to the Hotspots in various RV parks that I will be staying
> in. Is there something that I need to configure different that what I have
> set up for connecting at home? In other words, will I "automatically"
> connect when I get a signal from the provided Hotspot?
> Thanks,
> John
>
>
Nope just start a new profile for that location if you dont want to
loose your existing one for home. Just do a search for wireless devices
and select the hotspot your at when you see it. Login if it lets you.

On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 18:30:42 -0700, Cox News <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>L'l John wrote:
>> I have a Netgear WG511 wireless PC card on my Notebook that I use in my home
>> to connect to my wireless network. I am using all the security features
>> available.
>> I am going to be traveling some in the near future and would like to be
>> able to connect to the Hotspots in various RV parks that I will be staying
>> in. Is there something that I need to configure different that what I have
>> set up for connecting at home? In other words, will I "automatically"
>> connect when I get a signal from the provided Hotspot?
>> Thanks,
>> John
>>
>>
>Nope just start a new profile for that location if you dont want to
>loose your existing one for home. Just do a search for wireless devices
>and select the hotspot your at when you see it. Login if it lets you.

Do a search for wireless devices with what?

tdubya wrote:
> On Sat, 15 Jan 2005 18:30:42 -0700, Cox News <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>
>>L'l John wrote:
>>
>>>I have a Netgear WG511 wireless PC card on my Notebook that I use in my home
>>>to connect to my wireless network. I am using all the security features
>>>available.
>>> I am going to be traveling some in the near future and would like to be
>>>able to connect to the Hotspots in various RV parks that I will be staying
>>>in. Is there something that I need to configure different that what I have
>>>set up for connecting at home? In other words, will I "automatically"
>>>connect when I get a signal from the provided Hotspot?
>>>Thanks,
>>> John
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Nope just start a new profile for that location if you dont want to
>>loose your existing one for home. Just do a search for wireless devices
>>and select the hotspot your at when you see it. Login if it lets you.
>
>
> Do a search for wireless devices with what?
Right click the Network Places icon and select properties
then right click your wireless connection and select properties again
Then open the Wireless Networks tab
Then select View Wireless Networks
Or even you might have gotten some software with your network card
There should be some where that you can view wireless conections.

"Cox News" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:7tjGd.2994$hu.436@fed1read01...
> L'l John wrote:
>> I have a Netgear WG511 wireless PC card on my Notebook that I use in my
>> home to connect to my wireless network. I am using all the security
>> features available.
>> I am going to be traveling some in the near future and would like to be
>> able to connect to the Hotspots in various RV parks that I will be
>> staying in. Is there something that I need to configure different that
>> what I have set up for connecting at home? In other words, will I
>> "automatically" connect when I get a signal from the provided Hotspot?
>> Thanks,
>> John
> Nope just start a new profile for that location if you dont want to loose
> your existing one for home. Just do a search for wireless devices and
> select the hotspot your at when you see it. Login if it lets you.

Would I find the devices that you mention in the "Wireless Network
Connection" dialogue box located in Windows Network Connections? If not,
where?
Also, how do I start a new profile? Sorry- Newby here!
Thanks,

> Would I find the devices that you mention in the "Wireless Network
> Connection" dialogue box located in Windows Network Connections? If not,
> where?
> Also, how do I start a new profile? Sorry- Newby here!
> Thanks,>

Yep follow me on lmy last post.

L'l John <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I have a Netgear WG511 wireless PC card on my Notebook that I use in my
> home to connect to my wireless network. I am using all the security
> features available.

I have the WG511 on WinXP-SP2. You don't say what OS or client utility you
are using. Windows XP - SP2 makes most cards work in very similar fashion.
There is a wireless icon in the systray. Clicking on that when you are in
range of a public hotspot will show it in a listing of available networks,
but it won't automatically connect to an unsecured network unless you've
configured a "preferred network" for it (some people refer to these as
profiles, a common term in older software, but I don't see that in the
WinXP screens).


--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:csgufb$3nn$(E-Mail Removed)...
> L'l John <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> I have a Netgear WG511 wireless PC card on my Notebook that I use in my
>> home to connect to my wireless network. I am using all the security
>> features available.
>
> I have the WG511 on WinXP-SP2. You don't say what OS or client utility
> you
> are using. Windows XP - SP2 makes most cards work in very similar
> fashion.
> There is a wireless icon in the systray. Clicking on that when you are in
> range of a public hotspot will show it in a listing of available networks,
> but it won't automatically connect to an unsecured network unless you've
> configured a "preferred network" for it (some people refer to these as
> profiles, a common term in older software, but I don't see that in the
> WinXP screens).
---
> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5

I use the Windows XPsp2 utility and have found that it needs to be refreshed
each time my location changes. Then I have to select whatever hotspot is
available and tell it to connect.
How would I go about setting up a "preferred network" other that the one I
use at home?
Would you recommend using the NetGear utility to manage the PC card?
Thanks,
John

L'l John <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> I use the Windows XPsp2 utility and have found that it needs to be refreshed
> each time my location changes. Then I have to select whatever hotspot is
> available and tell it to connect.

Windows XP-SP2 doesn't like to connect to unencrypted hotspots.
That seems like a good idea for home networks, maybe, to make up for the
lack of the security by default in home routers. But it ignores the fact
that public hotspots are all unencrypted to make them easier to find.
WindowsXP-SP2 seems to find and connect to preferred networks very quickly
as they come into range.

> How would I go about setting up a "preferred network" other that the one I
> use at home?

One at a time, which you have apparently discovered. If you are connecting
to something like T-Mobile at Starbucks, or various "linksys" defaults, you
need to create the preferred network for them the first time, but you can
autoconnect to others that have the same SSID. If you are connecting to a
WAP and you know you are in range, like sitting in a coffee shop, WinXP-SP2
seems to be a fine tool without any addons.


> Would you recommend using the NetGear utility to manage the PC card?

No. Nothing against the Netgear utility. I just don't use it.
The NetGear utility works on Windows XP. It may or may not be reluctant to
connect to unencrypted hotspots. It does have a "rescan" button, which
makes me think that it might be worse that WindowsXP-SP2 at finding new
hotspots.

I have also used a tool from www.boingo.com which, I think, connects to
public hotspots without the reticence against unencrypted hotspots.

This would be my preferred tool if you didn't have SP2. It might be a
little better at finding an unknown free hotspot, and it does contain a
directory of some hotspots.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5

What is the SP2?

Bill L

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 13:18:59 -0500, "L'l John"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:csgufb$3nn$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> L'l John <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> I have a Netgear WG511 wireless PC card on my Notebook that I use in my
>>> home to connect to my wireless network. I am using all the security
>>> features available.
>>
>> I have the WG511 on WinXP-SP2. You don't say what OS or client utility
>> you
>> are using. Windows XP - SP2 makes most cards work in very similar
>> fashion.
>> There is a wireless icon in the systray. Clicking on that when you are in
>> range of a public hotspot will show it in a listing of available networks,
>> but it won't automatically connect to an unsecured network unless you've
>> configured a "preferred network" for it (some people refer to these as
>> profiles, a common term in older software, but I don't see that in the
>> WinXP screens).
>---
>> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5
>
>I use the Windows XPsp2 utility and have found that it needs to be refreshed
>each time my location changes. Then I have to select whatever hotspot is
>available and tell it to connect.
>How would I go about setting up a "preferred network" other that the one I
>use at home?
>Would you recommend using the NetGear utility to manage the PC card?
>Thanks,
> John
>