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Understanding the Wireless Connection Dialog Box

Information below does not relate if your wireless card is
managing the wireless connection software

Wireless Network Connection window lists all the nearby wireless networks that have strong enough signals for a connection. For each network, it shows the network's Service Set Identifier (SSID), encryption, connection status, and signal strength. If the network uses WPS (discussed later in this article), the dialog box displays the name and logo of the hotspot service provider instead of the SSID.

Figure 1

When you're connecting to public wireless networks, it's important to understand some are secured and some are not. If the network is security-enabled, the Wireless Network Connection dialog box shows a gold lock. The gold lock means you need a key (secure password or number) to connect to it, but the network will protect the privacy of your communications. If it's not security-enabled, you don't need a key to connect to it, but other people might be able to view your communications. For example, if you connect to a wireless network that is not security-enabled and check your e-mail, another user connected to the same wireless network (who is skilled with network attack tools and willing to break the law) could read your user name and password. They could also read your e-mail messages and identify each Web site you visit.

Like any radio signal, the signal strength of Wi-Fi networks varies depending on how close you are to the wireless access point (WAP) and the obstacles that are between you and the WAP. Like the bars on your mobile phone, the Wireless Network Connection dialog box shows more bars when the signal is stronger. You can connect even if you only see one bar, but you might lose your network connection if you move a few feet or if you turn your computer in a different direction. If you do lose your connection, Windows XP will notify you and attempt to automatically reconnect.

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Connecting to a Wireless Network

To search for and connect to a wireless network:

1.	Right-click the wireless network connection icon in your taskbar, as shown in Figure 2, and then click View Available Wireless Networks. Figure 2
2.	The Wireless Network Connection dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 1. If no networks appear, click Refresh Network List in the upper-left corner.
3.	Choose a network by clicking on its name, and then click Connect.
4.	If the network is security-enabled and the hotspot does not support Windows Provisioning Service, Windows XP prompts you to enter a key. If it does support WPS, Windows XP might prompt you to download instructions for connecting to the network.
5.	Windows XP will briefly change the network's connection status to Acquiring Network Address, and then to Connected. You can now close the Wireless Network Connection dialog box.

If it continues to show Acquiring Network Address and the network is security-enabled, you probably made an error in entering the key. After you connect to a network, Windows XP automatically adds the network to your Preferred Networks list, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3

You may accidentally connect to a neighbor's network and want to make sure you connect to your own instead. (This is a common issue mentioned in the Wireless Networks newsgroup.) You can move your home network to the top of the Preferred Networks list. To edit this list, click Change the Order of Preferred Networks in the Wireless Network Connection window.

Manually connecting to a wireless network you know the ESSID and Security Key

before using this procedure you will need

a working wireless access point. read Setting up a wireless access point to find out how to set up your wireless access point.
the network name (SSID) of your wireless network
the wireless network key (or password) of your wireless network (if there is one)
your wireless network may require that the MAC address (the unique address of your computer on the network) may need to be entered into the wireless access point or router of your wireless network

procedure

Click on the [Start] button and select 'control panel' from the 'settings' menu
Double-click on 'Network Connections'
Right-click 'Wireless Network Connection'
Click 'properties'
Go to the 'Wireless Networks' page
In the 'Preferred Networks' section click [Add…]
Enter the 'Network name (SSID)' in the textbox at the top of the form
In 'Wireless network key' section:
- Untick 'The key is provided for me automatically'
- Enter the 'network key' and type the key again into the 'confirm network key' textbox
Click on the [OK] button
Click on the [OK] button

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Disabling Windows Firewall Exceptions

The most visible security improvement with Service Pack 2 is Windows Firewall and the Security Center. I feel much safer connecting to hotspots with Windows Firewall enabled, because my computer is more resistant to attacks from viruses running on the computers of other people at the hotspot. Although having Windows Firewall enabled makes my computer safer, you can improve security even more by temporarily disabling exceptions that you've set for applications like Windows Messenger. You should do this any time you're connecting to a network that you share with people you don't trust, such as a public hotspot.

To disable Windows Firewall exceptions, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, click Control Panel, click Security Center, and then click Windows Firewall.
2.	Select the Don't Allow Exceptions check box, as shown in Figure 4, and then click OK. Figure 4

To enable your programs to receive connections after you return to a trusted network, clear the Don't Allow Exceptions check box.

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