Laptop queries

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jerryat

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Hi All,

Feel a bit of a Dumbo asking, but could anyone (Brendan perhaps?) help me on the following:

I keep getting two icons plonking themselves uninvited on the taskbar despite my designating them “always hide” in the start/taskbar menu. In that menu, they are called “no title’, so is that what’s causing the problem and if so, how do name them and remove them from the taskbar until I want them there? Should add that if I go to the taskbar menu, click ‘always hide’ each time I switch the computer on, they disappear …. until the next time!

Second problem concerns wireless networks. This summer, while ambling down to Avignon and back, we picked up several ‘free’ connections. My Dell laptop ‘located’ them and I clicked to connect. The computer did this and confirmed it was connected (had the two little overlapping screens icon active) but when I clicked on Internet Explorer, for example, nothing happened. Does one have to ‘set up’ the computer differently in some way or other in order to use wireless networks? It was very frustrating to have to shuffle off to a cyber-café instead of sitting comfortably aboard!!

Very grateful for any help.
 
I have the same with my Dell and wireless networks.....so you are not alone!

Biggest pain is when Outlook operates perfectly but IE still refuses to see/use the connection (that is obviously there). I gave up after a couple of months of investigation and messing around. NOw I can't even connect to the home wifi so I just plug in a lead and get on with life!
 
Often you need to change the settings for internet explorer. If you go into:

Tools > Internet Options > Connections

You will need to change the settings so that it isn't trying to connect via another source (ie your ususal internet service) - also check the LAN settings are NOT trying to use a proxy server. This should allow it to work.

Also, worth noting that once connected you need to wait for the two little computer screens in the task bar to finish connecting - try double clicking on them and this will tell you whether they are 'connecting' (not ready) or 'connected' - the difference is whether they have sourced an available IP address on the network (a little complex,but basically once you've seen the network your computer needs to find an available port to use before you can access the internet via it).

Hopefully that should work.

As you say, you can often access the internet via Outlook if Internet Explorer won't work (some Microsoft issue I suspect!)

Just open up Outlook and type the web address in the bar at the top - it works just like Internet Explorer then.

Jonny
 
The problem connecting is when the wi-fi signal is used for connecting PCs and not going online.

Yesterday i found a srong signal but i couldent get the IP address (thats what my laptop told me!)

With my Dell X30 i found it wouldent connect when i had to do a quick reset or when the wi-fi connection wasent "online" With the laptop i click on "wireless connection status" and then "find connection" then choose the open one it then either connects or tell me i cant!

With my Dell ppc i can only find the open conection with my hobbs wi-fi finder then try it and look at network stumbler if that say "fake" it meens its a connection but not to the internet

Im now going to connect to a connecion which i lost?? and hope i can send this while i still have batteries!!
 
Lots of connections have protection built into them (for security) - for example my wireless network at home is encrypted - this means that whilst others can 'see' the network as an available network when they click connect it will not allow them to connect as their settings are incorrect (in this instance they would need to type an encryption key into the network settings) - you will find this with many wireless networks, the reason is two fold:

a) To stop too many people using your network and slowing it down.
b) To stop people using your download allowance (if restricted).

In order to use a network, you must therefore go into:

Start > Connect To > Wireless Networks
Then click on the icon that appears in the taskbar.

This should show a list of all available networks, then you need to find one which will let you connect. Once this is done you'll be able to try to connect to the internet.

As trouville states, some networks will be 'peer-to-peer' ie you can only connect to other computers. When you find an open connection you should be able to connect to the net (although I.Explorer settings will prob need changing as noted earlier).

Hope this helps!

p.s. if it gets anymore technical than this I'm stumped! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Jonny
 
I've had the internet connection problem thru wifi and I think it is because although the network PC is on, it uses dial up and is not connected to the internet. Windows can stop networked PCs accessing the internet.
 
Johnny - my reference to Outlook was that it was able to send and recive messages whilst IE wouldn't see the active connection at all.

This suggests to me that the TCP/IP side of things has all merrily joined up but that something is preventing IE -
firewall
conection settings
whatever

having gone through all I know about them I have given up and concluded that AI does exist - and it's living in wireless networking!
 
Duncan,

With regards Outlook - if it sends and receives emails, then you can use it for internet access. From memory there is an address bar at the top of the screen - you simply type the URL into there just like explorer - hey presto!

With regards IE - I suspect the connection settings - try setting it to 'never dial a connection' and make sure the LAN use is turned off - this should work on most set-ups if you have a network connection (assuming you aren't using a VPN or anything fancy like that!!)

Jonny
 
To answer your first question regarding unwanted items in startup then one way is to load Ccleaner and go tools/startup and kill the ones you don't want.

On the second question then even if a network appears to be unsecured it only has to have MAC privacy set and you won't connect to the i/net.
 
Jonny,

Many thanks for your suggestions. I never use Outlook (just Outlook Express or IE) but have pulled it up on screen to try your idea re using the 'address bar' at the the top of the screen. But I can't find it, only the usual email-type set up.

Is there another page/screen I should be using? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Just to clarify, all the wireless connections I tried to connect to were 'free' (i.e. not encrypted) and all showed on the 'Connections' screen as 'Connected' when selected. Neither OE or IE worked.

I didn't try changing the connection preference from 'Always dial my default connection' to 'Never dial a connection', so this may enable things to work next time. Unfortunately there isn't a wireless connection anywhere near where I live so I can't immediately try out everyone's ideas.

Steve C, these two 'no title' icons (I should have said earlier) are for 'Wireless Network unavailable' and 'Network connection not available'. Do I really need a separate bit of s/w to switch 'em off? Doh!!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I didn't try changing the connection preference from 'Always dial my default connection' to 'Never dial a connection', so this may enable things to work next time. Unfortunately there isn't a wireless connection anywhere near where I live so I can't immediately try out everyone's ideas.


[/ QUOTE ]
Wireless will never work until you change that, you are presumably still on dial-up normally?
 
Hi jimg,

Yep, normally at home we use Tiscali Broadband so this is the dial-up preference.

As I newby to wireless on a computer, I didn't realise one had to alter any settings to use such a connection. What I (still) don't understand, is that as the 'Internet Connections' screen clearly showed the wireless connection was, well, connected, why don't these progs automatically use it?? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I assumed that some change to those programmes (IE/OE) was therefore required to allow them to 'see' it, rather than change the dial-up or not setting, though none of my efforts were rewarded. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I'm perfectly happy to use Outlook as a default method for using IE/OE as suggested by JonnyH, but can't find the 'Address' bar to which he refers.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Just to clarify, all the wireless connections I tried to connect to were 'free' (i.e. not encrypted) and all showed on the 'Connections' screen as 'Connected' when selected. Neither OE or IE worked.

[/ QUOTE ]
If the unsecured service you are connected to requires to know your MAC address then whilst you may show as connected, you are only talking to the router. You will still not connect to the internet .

If the unsecured service you are connected to requires a fixed IP and DHCP adresses and these are not set up on your PC/Laptop then you may show as connected (but you are only talking to the router). You will still not connect to the internet .
 
Ok Steve, but how do I sort out the problem? For example (please bear with my lack of expertise here!) what is my MAC address?

""If the unsecured service you are connected to requires a fixed IP and DHCP adresses and these are not set up on your PC/Laptop then you may show as connected (but you are only talking to the router). ""

Again, how do I correct this if it is a possible cause of failure? I really need a sort of 'Click on this... then that...' sort of thing if it's not too much of a pain for you.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm perfectly happy to use Outlook as a default method for using IE/OE as suggested by JonnyH, but can't find the 'Address' bar to which he refers.

[/ QUOTE ]
outlook.jpg
 
Bingo jimg!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Many thanks! Couldn't understand why I couldn't see the address box, then realised I had to add a new toolbar - the 'Web' toolbar - first. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

As I said earlier, today is the first time I'd even opened Outlook, so the screen had all the usual basic 'Welcome' rubbish, and only the email toolbar.

Anyway, I'm in business now, so thanks again to you, JonnyH and other posters. As soon as I can pick up another wireless freebie, I'll have another go. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Just because you can connect to someone else's network doesn't mean that the network in question is connected to the internet or that if it is you'll be allowed to piggy-back on the connection. Always worth a try though before you cough up for a hot-spot charge
 
the problem is that the network you are trying to connect to has a WEP key (a number rather like a password) if you dont have that then you can get limited connection but it doesnt allocate an IP address, without this you aint going to go any where. the prob with the software is that it doesnt tell you this so you think you are connected but in reality you aint!
Stu
 
[ QUOTE ]
the prob with the software is that it doesnt tell you this so you think you are connected

[/ QUOTE ]
Not so (in XP). On the network connect icon it places a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark indicating limited or no connection(assuming you are using Windows to mange network connection). With WEP security enabled via the router then you will know that you can't connect without the key (cos it asks you to enter it). With MAC or fixed IP you won't and there is still the issue of if the network you have found is purely a local network (as pointed out by others). Load up netstumbler to at least tell you some information re the networks it finds.
 
Steve, thanks for the 'Netstumbler' info. I've downloaded it and now have to thoroughly read the user info to see if I can understand it!

Doh!!! Wish I knew more about comuters!! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
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