new to wireless and confused

I have a wireless connection on my Thinkpad portable and am using
Windows XP Pro, SP2, to manage my wireless connections. I am using
WPA security.

When I go out to a cafe, I use Windows to search for an unsecured
connection and it usually finds at least one. I try to connect and
most of the time I succeed and at other times, it is trying to
acquire a network connection forever.

In either case, I notice that windows then adds this connection to
the list of preferred connections.

When I come home, I cannot connect to my own network. First I have
to go into the preferred list and take out the network(s) that have
been added at the cafe.

But the biggest problem is that after I do connect to my network, I
have to enter my WPA password all over again - which is a little
tedious to say the least.

Essentially, it seems that every time I connect to another wireless
network, I have to re-enter my WPA password to connect to my own
network.

Is there a way to resolve this more efficiently? Any way to keep my
WPA password so that it automatically registers when I connect to my
network?

TIA

Louise

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 23:32:19 GMT, in alt.internet.wireless , louise
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>When I come home, I cannot connect to my own network. First I have
>to go into the preferred list and take out the network(s) that have
>been added at the cafe.

Instead of deleting the others, make sure that your own network is the
first choice.
>
>But the biggest problem is that after I do connect to my network, I
>have to enter my WPA password all over again - which is a little
>tedious to say the least.

This shouldn't happen - again, make sure that your home network is top
choice on the preferred networks list.
Mark McIntyre
--

Mark McIntyre wrote:
> On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 23:32:19 GMT, in alt.internet.wireless , louise
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> When I come home, I cannot connect to my own network. First I have
>> to go into the preferred list and take out the network(s) that have
>> been added at the cafe.
>
> Instead of deleting the others, make sure that your own network is the
> first choice.
>> But the biggest problem is that after I do connect to my network, I
>> have to enter my WPA password all over again - which is a little
>> tedious to say the least.
>
> This shouldn't happen - again, make sure that your home network is top
> choice on the preferred networks list.
> Mark McIntyre

I don't see a way to control which becomes "first choice".
When windows connects to a network I pick up in a cafe, it
makes it "automatic" just like my own network is. I seem to
end up with 2 or 3 "automatic" and then, of course, it
doesn't work right.

Am I doing something wrong when I try to connect to another
network - is there a way to do it without its becoming
"automatic"?

Would Netstumbler help? I used to use it with my old
laptop, pre - SP2, to find networks.

TIA

Louise