Hi guys

I am about to have another go at setting up my wireless. I got confused last time- and then other things happened.

I may need help connecting it – in which case ill take some pictures (I lost the instructions).

I think ill be ok connecting wires. My main 2 concerns are around:

1) antivirus- my laptop no longer has any antivirus. My pc does. What do I do?

2) security code- am I right in saying I need this WEP is it?

thanks guys

Hi,

I would definitely recommend having up-to-date antivirus security on any PC or laptop that is connected to the Internet. If you don't want to spend money on a product such as Norton Internet Security, you can get a free download of AVG Anti-Virus (subject to availability in your country) from www.avgfree.com.

2. The wireless encryption key, also referred to as the security code or passphrase, is basically the password that keeps your wireless network secure from unwanted visitors. WEP is the lowest level of encryption and is the easiest for hackers to crack. WPA is better and WPA2 is the most secure. Without the wireless encryption key, you will not be able to access the wireless network. If you have lost the wireless encryption key, you may want to consider resetting your router back to the factory default settings and then setting it up with a new key (but that's not always a straightforward task!).

Hope that helps

thanks

1. so how do i get the software on to my laptop when i cant yet get it connected to the net? (via my PC)

2. Unfortunatley- for me- anything wireless is not an easy task for me.

1. If you can download the software on your PC, you might have a CD-writer or DVD-writer drive that would allow you to record it onto a disc or, alternatively, you could obtain a USB flash drive to copy it onto. Personally, though, I would say that you should connect the laptop to the wireless router using the ethernet cable that you currently have connected to the PC. Go straight to the AVG web site and download the software, then disconnect from the Internet and install the antivirus software. As long as you have a firewall running, then it's very unlikely that you could get a virus if that's all that you were doing.

2. If you know the wireless encryption key, then that should be all that you need. If you are running Windows XP and you have the wireless network card in the laptop enabled, then Windows will prompt you when you log on that it has found available wireless networks. Then you simply click the message to see the list, double-click the name of the wireless network that you have set up and then enter the wireless encryption key when it asks you to.

thanks again djnafey.

i might give it another go at the weekend- and may mail you again!

No problem - I'll leave this message thread open for you

nafey... help!

i disconnected my sagem modem to have another attempt at it.
plugged in the bt ADSL router- and trued to connect to the net- but it wouldnt... any ideas?
do i have to change setting or something ?

thanks

So you've got your PC connected to the BT ADSL router via an ethernet cable?

Is there an LED on the router to show whether it has a connection to the Internet or not? Is the LED on? It may be that your router has a connection to the Internet but that the PC can't connect through it at the moment.

Have you gone into the router configuration screen? You normally do this by going to a web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer) and going to the address for the router, e.g. http://192.168.1.1. In the configuration screen, you may need to set up your Internet connection or, if it is detected automatically, there may be a Diagnostics screen that shows you where the problem lies (or whether the router has connected to the Internet OK).

hi

thanks for responding.

thats what i didnt do... i didnt go into the router configuration screen - and change the details. im kind of dubious about doing that- it not working- then going back to the other modem and me messing things up!

is there an easier way for me to do this? the equipment i have bought enables me to use the net whilst someone is logged on to the PC - correct?
but NOT when the PC is turned off? what equipment do i need to be able to get on when the PC is off?

thanks