Computing question .... using wireless router

[VicS]

I have a 4 port wireless router for my internet connection (apparently the result of running Vista) although i am not using it wirelessly.

If someone comes to my home with a laptop fitted with a wireless adaptor what do they have to do to connect to the internet via my router.

 

[BrendanS]

If they already have the laptop set up to connect wirelessly, just have them do a 'discover' to look for wireless networks (exactly how depends on their wireless software), select yours, and then you give them the password that comes with the router (unless you've changed it). Often the password is on a label on base of router. They will also need to have their wifi software setup to use at least the same level of encryption that your router uses, but if you've never played with settings, it's probably non encrypted, or WEP, which most software will cope with fine. If you have it set to WPA or similar, then some laptops might not have that capability, though recent adaptors/laptops will.

 

[VicS]

Thanks we'll have another try. She (daughter) found my network. we think, at least she found two, one with a good signal that disappeared when I switched the power off to my router. She did not get to a point where she could enter the password though. I have not played with it (I don't understand it) and I have not changed the password, although the setup instructions said I should do.

 

[BrendanS]

If you give me exact make and model of your router, and exact make and model of your daughters laptop, wifi adaptor, and software being used, I'll look up the manuals, and give you more explicit instructions.

 

[simonfraser]

from my experience the routers are not set up with a password as default.

in other words you should be able to log on without a password & of course any one else can too.

if you have any files as shared on your main pc, these can be accessed via the unpasworded router too . . . . . .

 

[BrendanS]

some of the early ones possibly, but you'd be hard pushed to find a consumer adsl modem/router that comes without a built in key as default now.

 

[VicS]

Thanks for your advice and Brendan's. She said that she had in fact been able to connect to my network without needing a password but could not connect to the internet. Her laptop is set up to use the network at home which uses a proxy server, what ever that is. We did not get round to trying it again before she went but she would not have wanted to change any settings anyway.

I'll find out a bit more one day perhaps.

 

[BrendanS]

when she is back again, let me know, and I'll talk you through setting up a seperate log on without changing any existing settings. Computers can be set up to log on automatically to any 'known' wifi network. I do this all the time between various wifi networks I use, all I have to do is be in range of a 'known' wifi network, and laptop will automatically connect to it, with internet access.