Cat tunnels for catio wanted

[Leicester_H]

Hi

For reasons too complicated to explain here, I'm trying to help someone over the telephone to connect their brand new laptop to their new BT wireless network. She had NEVER touched a PC until a few weeks ago and doesn't know what items are called which makes it very difficult. I have an XP and a Vista PC but not Windows 7 and so can't be 100% sure of what she should see - hence my questions to my fellow omleteers.

 

Issue 1. This screen shot http://forevergeeks.com/how-to-connect-to-a-wireless-access-point-in-windows-7/ show a menu item 'Connect To' - she says this item isn't on her menu. Do you see it ? Is it somewhere else ?

 

Issue 2. On Windows Vista there is a "Welcome Centre" that has a 'Connect to the Internet' option, that then displays a list of available networks. Does this exist in Windows 7.

 

What is the EASIEST way to connect to a local wireless network (to talk through over the phone)?

 

Issue 3. Finally, when she did get a list of local networks on the screen, she said it kept dissapearing and reapperaing without her doing anything ? Is this possible ? I have read the stuff about making windows transparent but I don't understand any way it could do it by itself - any ideas ??

 

Many thanks in advance, H

[chickencam]

We have recently bought a Windows 7 laptop and if you move the mouse to the bottom of the screen it does pop up with various boxes and they disappear when you move it away. On ours there is a wireless icon on the bottom right of the screen like a bar graph and when you click on that it brings up the local networks. Not very techie but hope this helps

[Leicester_H]

Thanks - that does help a bit as she will be phone me again ths afternoon

[Redwing]

I recently connected my laptop to my wireless BT hub

 

I spent ages clicking on various options which didnt work but then my husband (who is not computer literate!) looked over the laptop and calmly pressed a little button near the top, its got a pic of something on it to indicate the wireless mode which looks like a beacon, its around the F8 key or thereabouts on my computer

 

Anyway... it went straight in to wireless mode, I entered my password once (on the bottom of the BT hub) and never had to enter the password again after that... less than 30 seconds to set up in the end!

[The Dogmother]

One thing worth mentioning,; make sure that your friend has passworded their wireless router or hub. Otherwise, not only is it possible for others to piggyback onto her broadband, but (if they had the nouse) they'd be able to see her hard drive too.

 

My neighbours router is unsecured (yes I have told them ) and I can see their computers and (any connected) mobile phones if I want.

[Geoid]

Issue 1. This screen shot http://forevergeeks.com/how-to-connect-to-a-wireless-access-point-in-windows-7/ show a menu item 'Connect To' - she says this item isn't on her menu. Do you see it ? Is it somewhere else ?

it wouldn't be, the connect to button is only on Windows Vista

[Leicester_H]

Thanks The Dogmother - they seem to come p/w protected these days (our new one did and so did hers).

 

Thanks Fred.

 

On my Vista PC, I can click a box to automatically connect when in range (or not).

Is there a similar option with windows 7 ? (I want to ensure she's not always connected at present)

 

H

[Geoid]

There is, under the control panel, under network and internet.

[The Dogmother]

Just check what the default password is - the default setting is usually 'admin' and 'password'... hardly difficult to guess at.

[Leicester_H]

Actually it was about 10 random characters, upper & lower case letters and numbers.

But thanks for teh warning anyway - its easy to overlook things.

H