wireless networks

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:08 pm

I've just moved into a house that has wireless internet on 3 Macs from a Netgear router. I've brought my PC in and want to connect to this but I have no idea where to start. My PC is running XP and I have been given a USB dongle which someone thinks may be useful (it's marked "bluetooth - DBT120 D Link"). It has green lights which flash in a way that make me think it may well be receiving some sort of signal.

Is it possible and, if so, where do I get all the info I need and where do I put it into my PC? Any help would be much appreciated because I'm getting tired legs running from room to room.

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:15 pm

Start.

Connect to.

Show all connections.

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:41 pm

Following that, I can see the broadband connection I used at my old address. This is no longer my ISP. I can also see something called LAN. This is disabled and can't be connected.
How do I find out what the connection settings are to tune into the Netgear signal? Which wizard do I choose?

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:47 pm

Have you right click on LAN and see if it can be enabled.

Otherwise hang on for Dave

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:55 pm

I may have detected the network on the Network setup wizard but I need to know the name of the network to continue. How do I find the name of the network on one of the Macs?

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 9:58 pm

Forget all that. I've now been told that the bluetooth dongle is not for connecting the computers. It's for a phone.

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 10:04 pm

Haven't you got a wireless connection in the computer.

chris p bacon · Post by **chris p bacon** » Sat Jun 20, 2009 10:56 pm

Try the Netgear site
http://www.netgear.com/

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 10:15 am

thescruff wrote:Haven't you got a wireless connection in the computer.

If I knew that then I would be half way there.

Just to clarify the situation, I have never connected my PC to anything other than a hardwired ADSL modem for internet. I have moved house and the family I have moved in with have a wireless network with 3 Macs on it.
As far as I can tell, I can't plug in my own modem to the telephone line without having to unplug their Netgear modem. So to make things work properly I need to find a way of getting my PC to log into the wireless network.

The problem is that I don't seem to be able to determine whether my PC has the hardware to use a wireless connection. I don't really want to spend money on a card and find that I already have something that allows me to connect.

mikew1972 · Post by **mikew1972** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 10:18 am

OK, so can you give us the exact make and model of your PC.

For your info you can connect to the broad band router with a cable, it does not HAVE to be a wirless connection just because the broad band router is capable of wireless. But lets persue the wireless route for now...

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 10:26 am

mikew1972 wrote:OK, so can you give us the exact make and model of your PC.

It started out as a Packard Bell 1.4GHz Athlon but I don't think there's much of the original stuff left. The motherboard, CPU, and memory have all been upgraded, as have the graphics and the audio. It's also in a different case from the original because the audio stuff wouldn't fit in the original case.

I'm not being very helpful, am I?

Sorry.

mikew1972 · Post by **mikew1972** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 10:38 am

OK, so its a custom built desktop. 99% it does not have wireless so you need to fit a wireless card or connect it with a cable.

You need to whip the case off and check if you have a free PCI slot on your motherboard then you just need one of these. (See the little stub aerial that sticks out the back of the card. If you already have one you would expect to see that at the back of your PC.)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/54-Mbps-Wireless- ... 7C294%3A50

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:28 am

I ran out of patience and pulled the router into the room where my PC is and hardwired it. No dongles or cards required ... although I think someone is going to be a bit miffed about their Xbox being offline. tee hee hee

johnnypanic · Post by **johnnypanic** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:26 pm

Easy solution, assuming you have usb ports (i.e. your computer isn't ancient!), is to buy a usb wirelss adapter.

About £5 for the ralink one on ////////.com.

Geewizz · Post by **Geewizz** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:57 pm

... and plug it into the Xbox?