Technical information

Chapter 6: Getting Connected and Having Fun . . .
117
at home, here’s where you type in the same pass-
word you entered into your router when you set
up your wireless network.
If you’re connecting to somebody else’s pass-
word-protected wireless network, ask the net-
work’s owner for the password. If you’re in a
hotel, pull out your credit card. You probably
need to buy some connection time from the
people behind the front desk.
6. Choose whether you want to share your files
with other people on the network.
If you’re connecting on your own home or office
network, choose “Yes, turn on sharing and con-
nect to devices.” That lets you share files with
others and use handy devices, like printers.
If you’re connecting in a public area, by contrast,
choose “No, don’t turn on sharing or connect to
devices.” That keeps out snoops.
If you’re still having problems connecting, try
the following tips:
✓ When Windows says that it can’t connect to your
wireless network, it offers to bring up the Network
Troubleshooter. The Network Troubleshooter
mulls over the problem and then says something
about the signal being weak. It’s really telling you
this: “Move closer to the wireless transmitter.”
✓ If you can’t connect to the secured network you
want, try connecting to one of the unsecured
networks. Unsecured networks work fine for
casual browsing on the Internet.
✓ Cordless phones and microwave ovens, oddly
enough, interfere with wireless networks. Try to
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