🙁

Ok, bought the mrs a laptop for her b’day, now it asked during set up to connect to a network, i have a wireless set up at home which i use.

I need help…..

1. I want her to be able to use our home set up ( secured and i can’t remember the password now ffs)

2. If/when we get her connected will she just be “piggy backing” the connection or will she be part of the home network.

3. Will she be surfing securely as she banks online that kind of thing.

I am not very I.T. minded so simple terms please.

Any help as i am looking a bit of an idiot in front of her .

1. Depending on your router, you’ll probably need an admin password. Is it a BT Homehub? Think they have the logon details printed on them.
2. Part of the network so you’ll be able to transfer files between machines, create a shared area on one PC to access files from the laptop etc.
3. Yes. Make sure its got some decent AV software on it. People tend to get into a big argument about it but personally, I use Norton 360 and have never had a problem with it.

Ok thanks. I can get into my D-link router admin page but i can’t find where to change the internet connection password.

I can’t beleive i didn’t write it down as i found it a nightmare to do initially.

1) If you’ve set the WiFi key and forgotten it, you’ll have to set it again. If you’ve not set it, it might be on a sticker underneath the router (depending on type). This is different from any admin passwords you might have to log on to the router itself.

2) She’ll be part of the network unless you enable Wireless Isolation on the router.

3) “Secure” is at best a relative term. From a WiFi perspective (as opposed to wired), WPA is as secure as you’re likely to need at home for all practical purposes. WEP is old tech and not particularly secure, you should try and avoid it where possible.

Secure from a PC point of view is a whole other worm-can. I keep meaning to write Cougar’s Guide To PC Security cos it’s a very common question.

i can’t find where to change the internet connection password.

That’s not what you’re changing – if you do that, you’ll break the Internet connection. You’re changing the WPA key. It’ll probably be under something like “Security” or “Wireless” settings, or “Advanced” even.

Google the router model number together with ‘WPA’ and you might find a how-to.

Thanks again for the info.

It is the connection password i can’t remember, how does one go about changing that then. Is it done in Router admin or on Windows.

If it helps i am using Vista Premium hers is on Windows 7 Home Premium.

I’m getting confused now (doesn’t take much )

The new laptop out the box during set up detected various Wifi connections asking if i wanted to add network (or similar). I assume it means connect to network and thats where i fell down as i can’t remember my connection password.

So Mrs is looking at me sceptically and wondering why i am an a*&se 🙂

Hang on.

The “connection password” is the password that the router uses to authenticate with your ISP. This is set by your ISP, you can’t change it (and if you try, you’ll lose your broadband connection completely).

The password required to connect a laptop to your network wirelessly will be either a WEP key or WPA key. This is what you’re looking for.

Right. So if your router was supplied by your ISP then it might well have the key on a sticker. If it’s one you’ve bought separately then this won’t be the case. You’ll have to get / change the encryption key from within the router’s web interface, as per my previous post, if that’s the case.

Also,

If it’s detected various WiFi connections, make sure you’re using your own. (Easiest way would be to compare names with the one you’re connected to)

Thanks again.

Ok, i have been into the router admin , and re set up the connection using its set up wizard. It then created its own random password that i wrote down. It disconnected me from the internet and asked for said password/key (network security key) which i then put in and all seems well again. Still showing as a secure connection/network so is that it??

Is the password/key not of my choosing?

Should i set a new password to actually access the Admin page or is that a default setting?

If it works, I guess so?

You should normally be able to specify a key – perhaps you can’t if you use the wizard, only if you change it manually? ‘s why I suggested googling the model, the interfaces and features vary between units.

Typically, the admin password is something dull like “admin” or “password”. It’s always good practice to change this (just don’t forget it!!)

As an aside, it’s also worth taking a backup of the router’s settings if it gives you that option. Then it’s less of a calamity if you ever have to do a factory reset on it.

Ok, it worked wifes laptop is now connected to the Wifi connection. Her PC is asking what location to put ****** network on…Home…Work….Public. So which is it?

Thanks for the responses to previous issue.

Are you at home? If so, select ‘Home’ 🙂

(Home means that more of your stuff is visible to other computers on the network. This isn’t so bad at home because the computers on it should only be ones you trust, and yuo can share files or printers and stuff, and you could for example connect to each other to play a game or something. If you are say at a Starbucks using their wifi, select Public and it’ll turn off all the sharing and put the firewall up.)

Ok. Great help from everyone. Cheers. 🙂