Where do I enter wireless settings?

Hi! I'm new to wireless and need some help figuring out where to enter the
settings so I can use my "new" (hand-me-down) laptop in the neighborhood
library.

The library web page says:

Wi-Fi users must configure their own equipment and connect to the network
using these settings:

* SSID (Service Set Identifier) or network name = spl-public:
* Encryption or WEP = disable WEP encryption
* Mode or Network Type = Infrastructure Mode or Access Point (not ad-hoc)
* Set TCP/IP properties to "Obtain an IP address automatically" (DHCP)
* End of list

I don't have a clue where to enter these settings.

Can someone help me?

--
Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"

Clueless in Seattle wrote:
> Hi! I'm new to wireless and need some help figuring out where to enter the
> settings so I can use my "new" (hand-me-down) laptop in the neighborhood
> library.
>
> The library web page says:
>
> Wi-Fi users must configure their own equipment and connect to the network
> using these settings:
>
> * SSID (Service Set Identifier) or network name = spl-public:
> * Encryption or WEP = disable WEP encryption
> * Mode or Network Type = Infrastructure Mode or Access Point (not ad-hoc)
> * Set TCP/IP properties to "Obtain an IP address automatically" (DHCP)
> * End of list
>
> I don't have a clue where to enter these settings.
>
> Can someone help me?
>

I assume that you have some version of Windows XP. The first thing to
do is to ensure that you the wireless adapter in your laptop is turned on.

Click Start > Connect to and click "Show all connections." There should
be an icon for "Wireless network connection" or something similar.
Right-click on this icon. The top entry in the pop-up menu should be
"Disable." If it says "Enable," click on Enable.

Right-click on the wireless network connection icon and select
Properties. You should see something like this:
http://screenshots.modemhelp.net/scr...Index--2.shtml

Under the heading "This connection uses the following items" you should
see the following 4 entries:
Client for Microsoft Networks
QoS Packet Scheduler
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

Select "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click Properties. You'll get
this:
http://screenshots.modemhelp.net/scr...Auto_DNS.shtml
Make sure that the radio buttons to obtain an IP address and a DNS
server automatically are both selected. Click OK.

Back on the Properties sheet, click the "Wireless Networks" tab. Make
sure that the box on the top "Use Windows to configure my wireless
network settings" is checked. Click the "View wireless networks" button.
You should see this:
http://screenshots.modemhelp.net/scr...ks/Index.shtml

Find "spl-public" in the list. Select it and click the Connect button.


--
Lem

Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

"Clueless in Seattle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:6C474470-B783-487D-9DEE-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi! I'm new to wireless and need some help figuring out where to enter
the
> settings so I can use my "new" (hand-me-down) laptop in the neighborhood
> library.
>
> The library web page says:
>
> Wi-Fi users must configure their own equipment and connect to the network
> using these settings:
>
> * SSID (Service Set Identifier) or network name = spl-public:
> * Encryption or WEP = disable WEP encryption
> * Mode or Network Type = Infrastructure Mode or Access Point (not
ad-hoc)
> * Set TCP/IP properties to "Obtain an IP address automatically" (DHCP)
> * End of list
>
> I don't have a clue where to enter these settings.
>
> Can someone help me?

Search on the Internet for the manual for your
particular laptop. You will probably find it. Basic
manuals tell you how to configure the wireless connection.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Thanks, Lem, for those detailed instructions. I certainly appreciate all the
effort you put into your message to help me out.

Yes, I'm running Windows XP Home Edition, Version 5.1, Service Pack 3

My start menu doesn't have any item named "Connect to..." I received this
secon hand laptop with the operating system and all the software already
installed, so the previous owner may have monkeyed with the Start menu.

So I tried Start>Settings>Network Connections>Wireless Connection 3 and then
right clicked. And that got got me to the menu with "Disable" at the top.

So I clicked "Properties" and that seemed to get me to the right place.

Everything is set the way you described. (Previous to posting my query here
I did go in and try to set what I could on my own)

But I cant seem to find the settings for:

* Encryption or WEP = disable WEP encryption
* Mode or Network Type = Infrastructure Mode or Access Point (not ad-hoc)

Do I need to worry about find where to set them? Or will Windows take care
of them for me automatically?

I'm disabled, don't have a car, and this is a rather large and heavy
laptop, So I'd like to try to make sure that I've got it set up correctly
before I make the trek over to the library to test out the Wi-Fi card.

The reason I want to be able to use the library's Wi-Fi is that I'm planning
to reformat the HD and reinstall the XP operating system. And I figure I'm
going to have to download a lot of updates. At home I use a free dial-up
ISP, and it would probably tie up my phone line for days trying to download
them all.

So I want to make sure I know how to properly set up the network card,
because after the reformatting and re-installation of XP, I'm going to have
to do this all over again.

Thanks again for putting together that detailed set of instructions!
--
Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"


"Lem" wrote:

> Clueless in Seattle wrote:
> > Hi! I'm new to wireless and need some help figuring out where to enter the
> > settings so I can use my "new" (hand-me-down) laptop in the neighborhood
> > library.
> >
> > The library web page says:
> >
> > Wi-Fi users must configure their own equipment and connect to the network
> > using these settings:
> >
> > * SSID (Service Set Identifier) or network name = spl-public:
> > * Encryption or WEP = disable WEP encryption
> > * Mode or Network Type = Infrastructure Mode or Access Point (not ad-hoc)
> > * Set TCP/IP properties to "Obtain an IP address automatically" (DHCP)
> > * End of list
> >
> > I don't have a clue where to enter these settings.
> >
> > Can someone help me?
> >
>
> I assume that you have some version of Windows XP. The first thing to
> do is to ensure that you the wireless adapter in your laptop is turned on.
>
> Click Start > Connect to and click "Show all connections." There should
> be an icon for "Wireless network connection" or something similar.
> Right-click on this icon. The top entry in the pop-up menu should be
> "Disable." If it says "Enable," click on Enable.
>
> Right-click on the wireless network connection icon and select
> Properties. You should see something like this:
> http://screenshots.modemhelp.net/scr...Index--2.shtml
>
> Under the heading "This connection uses the following items" you should
> see the following 4 entries:
> Client for Microsoft Networks
> QoS Packet Scheduler
> File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks
> Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
>
> Select "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click Properties. You'll get
> this:
> http://screenshots.modemhelp.net/scr...Auto_DNS.shtml
> Make sure that the radio buttons to obtain an IP address and a DNS
> server automatically are both selected. Click OK.
>
> Back on the Properties sheet, click the "Wireless Networks" tab. Make
> sure that the box on the top "Use Windows to configure my wireless
> network settings" is checked. Click the "View wireless networks" button.
> You should see this:
> http://screenshots.modemhelp.net/scr...ks/Index.shtml
>
> Find "spl-public" in the list. Select it and click the Connect button.
>
>
> --
> Lem
>
> Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
> http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html
> .
>

Thanks for that suggestion. I appreciate your taking the time to reply to my
query.

I do have a PDF file of the laptop manual, and I did hunt through it for
help, but it just says:

"Setting up a wireless connection

"For information on how to set up a wireless connection, refer
to your wireless networking device documentation."

--
Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"


"Don Phillipson" wrote:

> "Clueless in Seattle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> message news:6C474470-B783-487D-9DEE-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hi! I'm new to wireless and need some help figuring out where to enter
> the
> > settings so I can use my "new" (hand-me-down) laptop in the neighborhood
> > library.
> >
> > The library web page says:
> >
> > Wi-Fi users must configure their own equipment and connect to the network
> > using these settings:
> >
> > * SSID (Service Set Identifier) or network name = spl-public:
> > * Encryption or WEP = disable WEP encryption
> > * Mode or Network Type = Infrastructure Mode or Access Point (not
> ad-hoc)
> > * Set TCP/IP properties to "Obtain an IP address automatically" (DHCP)
> > * End of list
> >
> > I don't have a clue where to enter these settings.
> >
> > Can someone help me?
>
> Search on the Internet for the manual for your
> particular laptop. You will probably find it. Basic
> manuals tell you how to configure the wireless connection.
>
> --
> Don Phillipson
> Carlsbad Springs
> (Ottawa, Canada)
>
>
> .
>

You got me.

At this point I just want to be able to make sure I can establish a
connection at the library. Then I plan to reformat the HD and do a clean
installation of XP Home.

So I don't think it would matter much to me if someone were to be looking at
my system. Actually it's not really my system, it's the system of the
previous owner who gave me this laptop recently. And she had installed a
gazillion programs, most of which I haven't a clue about what they are for.

--
Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"


"Lez Pawl" wrote:

> disable WEP encryption ???
>
> would you really want to go online if that's the case. Someone close by
> could be looking at your system.
>

Clueless in Seattle wrote:
> Thanks, Lem, for those detailed instructions. I certainly appreciate all the
> effort you put into your message to help me out.
>
> Yes, I'm running Windows XP Home Edition, Version 5.1, Service Pack 3
>
> My start menu doesn't have any item named "Connect to..." I received this
> secon hand laptop with the operating system and all the software already
> installed, so the previous owner may have monkeyed with the Start menu.
>
> So I tried Start>Settings>Network Connections>Wireless Connection 3 and then
> right clicked. And that got got me to the menu with "Disable" at the top.
>
> So I clicked "Properties" and that seemed to get me to the right place.
>
> Everything is set the way you described. (Previous to posting my query here
> I did go in and try to set what I could on my own)
>
> But I cant seem to find the settings for:
>
> * Encryption or WEP = disable WEP encryption
> * Mode or Network Type = Infrastructure Mode or Access Point (not ad-hoc)
>
> Do I need to worry about find where to set them? Or will Windows take care
> of them for me automatically?
>
> I'm disabled, don't have a car, and this is a rather large and heavy
> laptop, So I'd like to try to make sure that I've got it set up correctly
> before I make the trek over to the library to test out the Wi-Fi card.
>
> The reason I want to be able to use the library's Wi-Fi is that I'm planning
> to reformat the HD and reinstall the XP operating system. And I figure I'm
> going to have to download a lot of updates. At home I use a free dial-up
> ISP, and it would probably tie up my phone line for days trying to download
> them all.
>
> So I want to make sure I know how to properly set up the network card,
> because after the reformatting and re-installation of XP, I'm going to have
> to do this all over again.
>
> Thanks again for putting together that detailed set of instructions!

Yes, Windows should take care of the encryption setting and the network
type (infrastructure) by default.

If you're curious, go back to "Wireless Networks" tab (the place where
you saw the box to "Use Windows to configure my wireless network
settings." On the lower part of that screen is a list of "Preferred
networks." Once you connect to any wireless network, its name will
appear in this list. Names are added to the top of the list as you
connect to new networks. Select a network name in the list and click the
"Properties" button. This will take you to this screen:
http://screenshots.modemhelp.net/scr...abled%29.shtml

The settings on this "Association" tab are where the encryption is set.
The settings shown in the screenshot (Network Authentication = Open and
Data encryption = disabled) are what the library wants. Because Windows
normally will detect that the library's router uses these settings, they
normally will be set this way automatically when you first connect using
the "View available wireless networks" screen. You *could* have come to
the Wireless Network tab first and clicked the "Add" button under the
list of Preferred network. This would have taken you to the
"Association" tab where you would have filled in spl-public in the box
labelled "Network name (SSID)" and would have set the Network
Authentication and Data encryption values manually using the drop down
boxes.

As for the "Mode or Network Type," that too is set by default. Again,
if you go back to the "Wireless Networks" tab and click the "Advanced"
button (not the "Advanced" tab at the top), you'll get to this little
screen:
http://screenshots.modemhelp.net/scr...Advanced.shtml
The default is the top line. Either the top of middle line will work for
the library. The only setting here that won't work for the library is
the bottom line ("Computer-to-computer (ad hoc) networks only").

You should be able to connect to the library's wifi network with no
problems. If you have problems, I would be very surprised if there isn't
someone at the library capable of helping you out.

--
Lem

Apollo 11 - 40 years ago:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/ap...0th/index.html

"Clueless in Seattle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:3F76FD97-FE81-4A97-8BF9-(E-Mail Removed)...

> I do have a PDF file of the laptop manual, and I did hunt through it for
> help, but it just says:
>
> "Setting up a wireless connection
>
> "For information on how to set up a wireless connection, refer
> to your wireless networking device documentation."

1. Windows XP has a "Wizard" routine to set up a wireless
"device" (an electronic circuit, probably inside the laptop)
documented via / Start / Help / input NETWORK.

2. Many hardware manufacturers of wireless cards provide
their own software and the user can select whether to set up
via the Windows Wizard or the maker's own brand SETUP
routine. The Windows Wizard is usually simpler.

If not and if you need to identify your "wireless networking device"
in order to locate its software or documentation, run the diagnostic
from www.belarc.com which is likely to identify the wireless device.
Look in the Belarc output for the key words "ethernet" and "adapter,"
with a few Internet Protocol numerical addresses like 192.168.1.101.

Shortly before these numbers, we may expect the make and model of
your wireless device to be named. Then you can Google for (say)
"brandname wireless setup"
and browse among results.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Hi
First you have to set the Wireless Router using a wired connection (
http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#onewire ).
If you do not have the Wireless Router Manual you probably can find it on
the Support site of the manufacturer.
Once you configured the Wireless part of the Router you can switch to
Wireless.
If you have trouble on the computer with the wireless, this might help,
http://www.ezlan.net/wireless.html
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

"Clueless in Seattle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:3F76FD97-FE81-4A97-8BF9-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks for that suggestion. I appreciate your taking the time to reply to
> my
> query.
>
> I do have a PDF file of the laptop manual, and I did hunt through it for
> help, but it just says:
>
> "Setting up a wireless connection
>
> "For information on how to set up a wireless connection, refer
> to your wireless networking device documentation."
>
> --
> Will in Seattle
> a.k.a. "Clueless"
>
>
> "Don Phillipson" wrote:
>
>> "Clueless in Seattle" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
>> in
>> message news:6C474470-B783-487D-9DEE-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Hi! I'm new to wireless and need some help figuring out where to enter
>> the
>> > settings so I can use my "new" (hand-me-down) laptop in the
>> > neighborhood
>> > library.
>> >
>> > The library web page says:
>> >
>> > Wi-Fi users must configure their own equipment and connect to the
>> > network
>> > using these settings:
>> >
>> > * SSID (Service Set Identifier) or network name = spl-public:
>> > * Encryption or WEP = disable WEP encryption
>> > * Mode or Network Type = Infrastructure Mode or Access Point (not
>> ad-hoc)
>> > * Set TCP/IP properties to "Obtain an IP address automatically"
>> > (DHCP)
>> > * End of list
>> >
>> > I don't have a clue where to enter these settings.
>> >
>> > Can someone help me?
>>
>> Search on the Internet for the manual for your
>> particular laptop. You will probably find it. Basic
>> manuals tell you how to configure the wireless connection.
>>
>> --
>> Don Phillipson
>> Carlsbad Springs
>> (Ottawa, Canada)
>>
>>
>> .
>>

Hi again, Lem,

I lugged this oversized laptop over to the library yesterday and tried to
connect to their Wi-Fi.

My computer detected the librariy's Wi-Fi signal and showed 5 green bars.

But when I cllicked on "Connect" I got this:

Limited or no connectivity

This problem occurred because the network did not assign a network address
to the computer

Network Connection Details
Physical Address 00-0C41-A4-7B
IP Address 169.254.84.107
Subnet Mask 255.255.0.0

I clicked "Repair" and then got this:

Windows is taking the following actions:

Windows could not finish repairing the problem because the follow action
cannot be completed:

Renewing your IP address

Do you have any ideas on how to troubleshoot this problem?

--
Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"