Configuring Laptop Card for Two Networks

I've recently install a Linksys wireless access point (G) and a laptop
adapter to my DSL router. The access point and laptop installed
automatically (windows xp pro) and worked perfectly right out of the box.

My daughter came home from college with her laptop (also win xp pro) which
has a Dell mini wireless card that she uses on campus. So I want her to
connect to the home network and be able to switch effortlessly when she gets
back to school. Am I supposed to do that with the "alternate configuration"
tab under TC/ICP properties? Or am I supposed to somehow make a new network
connection for the same card?

In any case I can't get her laptop to work with my DSL even though it "sees"
the Linksys access point and has a strong signal. Does this have something
to do with IP addresses etc (which on all the other machines is under 'find
automatically'

Thanks for patience with what is I guess a novice question. If someone can
direct me to a good primer on the topic, I would appreciate it too.

Michael




MNP

On Fri, 28 May 2004 13:59:34 GMT, "MNP" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>In any case I can't get her laptop to work with my DSL even though it "sees"
>the Linksys access point and has a strong signal.

check the IP addresses. If the college system and yours give out IP
addresses by DHCP then there's usually no need for configuration as it
sets itself up.

Phil

MNP <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> My daughter came home from college with her laptop (also win xp pro) which
> has a Dell mini wireless card that she uses on campus. So I want her to
> connect to the home network and be able to switch effortlessly when she gets
> back to school. Am I supposed to do that with the "alternate configuration"
> tab under TC/ICP properties? Or am I supposed to somehow make a new network
> connection for the same card?

> In any case I can't get her laptop to work with my DSL even though it "sees"
> the Linksys access point and has a strong signal. Does this have something
> to do with IP addresses etc (which on all the other machines is under 'find
> automatically'

She may have been set up to only connect to one SSID. This would actually
be handy in a college campus, so that she would connect to the official
campus network, and not to the plethora of WAPs that exist on campus in
various people's rooms.

Look in Windows XP network properties for "preferred networks".
Also look in the system tray at the bottom of the screen to see if there is
some icon for a vendor-specific tool that is being used instead of the
built-in WinXP manager. My Orinoco-Dell looks like a staircase, roughly
indicating signal bars.

I easily roam to different networks.

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

thanks for your help...all it turned out to be was that little check box
that says ok to connect even though the connection isn't secure! It's
always the little things

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:c97m0h$cfc$(E-Mail Removed)...
> MNP <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > My daughter came home from college with her laptop (also win xp pro)
which
> > has a Dell mini wireless card that she uses on campus. So I want her to
> > connect to the home network and be able to switch effortlessly when she
gets
> > back to school. Am I supposed to do that with the "alternate
configuration"
> > tab under TC/ICP properties? Or am I supposed to somehow make a new
network
> > connection for the same card?
>
> > In any case I can't get her laptop to work with my DSL even though it
"sees"
> > the Linksys access point and has a strong signal. Does this have
something
> > to do with IP addresses etc (which on all the other machines is under
'find
> > automatically'
>
> She may have been set up to only connect to one SSID. This would actually
> be handy in a college campus, so that she would connect to the official
> campus network, and not to the plethora of WAPs that exist on campus in
> various people's rooms.
>
> Look in Windows XP network properties for "preferred networks".
> Also look in the system tray at the bottom of the screen to see if there
is
> some icon for a vendor-specific tool that is being used instead of the
> built-in WinXP manager. My Orinoco-Dell looks like a staircase, roughly
> indicating signal bars.
>
> I easily roam to different networks.
>
> ---
> Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5
>

On Fri, 28 May 2004 22:48:32 GMT, "MNP" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>thanks for your help...all it turned out to be was that little check box
>that says ok to connect even though the connection isn't secure! It's
>always the little things

how I wish I could disable that feature, I roam to about 20 different
networks and it always catches me out.

Phil

If she was able to connect to your network by allowing her to connect to
unsecure networks, means that your network is unsecure.
You should really enable WEP, stop broadcasting your SSID and set up your
WEP key on her computer. Otherwise any passer by could connect as well.
This won't prevent serious hackers, but the network won't show up to the
casual user.



"Phil Thompson" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Fri, 28 May 2004 22:48:32 GMT, "MNP" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
> >thanks for your help...all it turned out to be was that little check box
> >that says ok to connect even though the connection isn't secure! It's
> >always the little things
>
> how I wish I could disable that feature, I roam to about 20 different
> networks and it always catches me out.
>
> Phil