In crowded urban areas, it is common to find multiple available wireless networks that are in the same location. To make a selection, right-click the Wireless Network Connection icon in the System Tray and select View Available Wireless Networks from the pop-up menu. Each network is listed according to its SSID (Service Set Identifier). The listing also includes pertinent information such as signal strength and security status.

Unsecured networks require no password or encryption key, but security-enabled networks require additional information before you can connect. If a security-enabled network is in your preferred list, WinXP may automatically supply any necessary information. Now, you can select a network and click Connect.

Drivers are small pieces of software code that allow an operating system to access wireless adapters and other hardware. Unlike many other types of drivers, those used for wireless technology constantly undergo changes and improvements. A driver that worked flawlessly last month may not be able to connect to a new or improved wireless access point today. Before hitting the road, check the Web site of the manufacturer of your wireless adapter or your laptop for driver updates.

Keep a copy of the old drivers on your laptop or on a CD. You never know when an older version of a wireless driver may prove more stable and usable than a newer one.

If you see a big, fat, red X on the Wireless Network Connection icon in your System Tray, then your wireless adapter has been disabled. This can happen for a number of reasons; some of the more common are laptop power management features, which disable network adapters for longer battery runtimes; manually turned off adapters; and loose or disconnected adapters. Re-enable or reset the adapter as applicable and click the Wireless Network Connection icon in the System Tray. In the Network Connection window, right-click the icon for the target connection and select Enable from the pop-up menu. After a short time, usually less than a minute, the wireless connection should be restored.

Whenever you connect to a new wireless network, Windows XP adds it to a list of preferred connections. Over time, this list can get cluttered with entries, at least some of which are in the same geographic location. You can easily end up connecting to the Wireless Network A when you thought you were connecting to the Hotspot B.

WinXP creates the list, but you can control the order of preference. You can also determine whether your computer should make an automatic connection. Click the Wireless Network Connection icon in the System Tray. In the Wireless Connection Status window, click Properties. Next, you want to select
the Wireless Networks tab. The order of the entries in the Preferred Networks list controls the order of preference when multiple networks are available. Click a network to select it and then use the Move Up or Move Down buttons to change its position.

Occasionally, the circumstances may dictate that you don’t use a preferred connection. To prevent WinXP from automatically connecting to a preferred network, click the network to select it and then click Properties. Select the Connection tab. Remove the check mark next to Connect When This Network Is In Range and click OK.

Wi-Fi access, it seems, is just about everywhere. If you recently purchased a Wi-Fi-enabled handset or plan to do so, you’ll be glad to know that hopping on the Internet via Wi-Fi doesn’t have to be difficult.

How It Works
Phone manufacturers enable Wi-Fi access in their devices the same way they enable cellular connectivity: They install a chip embedded with a radio that can send and receive a transmission over a particular type of network. In most consumer-grade Wi-Fi phones available in the market, the mobile phone and Wi-Fi radios in a device do not interact with each other, although some phones can transfer your Internet connection from Wi-Fi to cellular if the Wi-Fi connection’s signal drops. T-Mobile’s @Home service, which lets voice calls roam from Wi-Fi to cellular range and back again, is an exception to this rule.

This does not mean you cannot make calls using your Wi-Fi connection; you just need specialized VoWiFi (Voice over Wi-Fi) software, such as Skype for Windows Mobile, to do it. Some Wi-Fi phones support simultaneous usage of voice and data connection; you can surf the Internet at a Wi-Fi hotspot while engaging in a phone call or downloading emails over your cellular connection, for example. If simultaneous voice and data is important to you and you haven’t purchased a Wi-Fi smartphone yet, make sure the device has this feature.

Where You’ll Find It
Most Wi-Fi phones can connect to any publicly accessible hotspot or, for that matter, to any private Wi-Fi network for which you have access privileges, within a range of approximately 300 feet. Users do not need to seek out hotspots supported by their particular carrier. However, if your carrier has a Wi-Fi network and offers an unlimited hotspot plan, you may find this is the least expensive means to connect securely on a regular basis. At one time, T-Mobile had the largest Wi-Fi network (close to 9,000 hotspots in the U.S.), but AT&T recently inked a deal with Starbucks that, by year-end, will give it some 17,000 U.S. hotspots.

Many restaurants, hotels, municipalities, airports, and other locations offer secure, fee-based Wi-Fi connections managed by service providers such as Wayport. Others offer free Wi-Fi using similar arrangements or over in-house Wi-Fi networks. Beware, though, unless you sign up and create a secure login to use a Wi-Fi service, free probably means unsecured. You can surf without a security net, but we don’t recommend it.

No matter what your plans for Wi-Fi, you need to learn how to enable the radio, find a hotspot, and then connect to that hotspot. We used a Windows Mobile 6 smartphone (a T-Mobile Dash) for the steps that follow, but steps should be similar for WM5 devices. (On the Dash, the WM5 interface was identical.) No matter the model of your phone, the general principles we outline should apply. Some phones, such as Apple’s iPhone have greatly simplified Wi-Fi features.

Turn on the Wi-Fi antenna
Your smartphone’s Wi-Fi antenna will likely be turned off by default. If the antenna is on all the time, you waste power and expose your device to prying eyes. When you are ready to turn on the antenna, press Start and scroll to Comm Manager, Wireless Manager, or a similar option. Scroll to Wi-Fi to highlight it. You will see a red X adjacent to the antenna icon. Press the Select button. The X disappears, indicating that the antenna is on.

Connect to networks.
Depending on your phone and settings, you may see a pop-up menu listing available networks. If so, choose a network, indicate whether it is a public (choose Internet) or private (choose Work) network, provide a key if needed, and connect. The next time this network is within range, your smartphone will connect automatically.

If you do not see a pop-up window, you can connect manually. With the Wi-Fi icon still highlighted, select Settings and Wi-Fi and then choose Wi-Fi Networks (or Start, Settings, Connections, Wi-Fi, and Wireless) to view available networks. Scroll to the desired network and select Connect.

To connect to a secure network, which is indicated by a padlock icon, you will likely need to edit the settings. Scroll to the network and select Menu and Edit. Depending on the network, you may need to change the network type, adjust the authentication and encryption settings, and provide a network key.

To connect to a network that does not appear but for which you have the connection information, select New. Provide the Network Name and other required network settings.

Establish settings
Many phones, especially Pocket PC models, are set by default to automatically scan for new networks. Smartphones may not be. If a smartphone device does not display networks, you can have it scan for available connections. From the Wi-Fi Networks display, select Menu and Wi-Fi Settings. Under Networks To Access, select All Available or Only Access Points. Under Available Network Notification, select On. To have the device continually scan for Wi-Fi networks, change the Turn Off Wi-Fi If Not Connected In setting to Never. Select Done and connect to an available network as described in the previous “Connect to networks” section. You should now be set to go.

Wi-Fi Walkabout
Using your phone for Wi-Fi access will open up a new world for you. When you become comfortable, explore your phone to see what other options it may have. For example, some phones can connect to LEAP networks; many let you create digital certificates.

Using your laptop to access a Wi-Fi network while on the road is usually as simple as finding an open network. The majority of notebooks now have wireless cards built in, and if yours doesn’t have one, you can easily add an inexpensive external wireless card. At home, creating and securing your own network is also simple.

Because wireless connectivity is so userfriendly these days, many people don’t actually understand how the connections are made or how they work. Knowing how everything works together is valuable, because you’ll have some insight as to how you can troubleshoot any wireless problems you may encounter.

The Wireless Radio
A wireless radio is a transmitter that resides on a wireless card. Many laptops have a wireless radio located somewhere inside the unit; however, some are built into cards that a user can plug into a PCI or ExpressCard slot on his laptop. The wireless radio’s job is simple: to transmit and receive radio signals. When these radio signals are transmitted from a network router to the chip in your computer, a Wi-Fi connection results, granting you access to the Internet via that connection.

There are two places on a laptop where you can find and manipulate your wireless radio. Your computer will have a switch for the wireless radio somewhere on the outside of the case, or it will be inside the computer, accessible only from the user interface when the computer is running. In either case, an indicator light on your laptop will show whether the wireless radio is on or off. Generally, this indicator will appear in a bank with other lighted gauges that give information about your system, such as battery power.

If your laptop has an external switch, turning the radio on and off is simple; just slide the switch to the desired position. If your laptop lacks an external switch, you’ll need to turn on your computer and locate the icon that represents the quality of your Wi-Fi reception on the System Tray at the bottom right of your display. Right-click the icon and select Disable Radio. A red X will appear over the icon, indicating that the radio is disabled. To enable the wireless radio, right-click the same
icon and select Enable Radio.

The Connection
A router transmits a network’s signal via radio waves. The wireless card in the computer receives the signal, which enables you to use the network’s bandwidth to access the Internet.

With an unsecured connection, any wireless radio within signal range can connect to the network; it’s a simple matter of sending and receiving radio waves. A secure connection uses encryption such as WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) or WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) to ensure that only users with an encryption key can access the network.

Connect With Windows XP/Vista
If your wireless radio is turned on, it will automatically search for available Wi-Fi networks when you boot your computer. Each time you connect to a network, WinXP adds it to your preferred list. You can adjust the order of preferred networks by clicking Start, Control Panel, and Network And Internet Connections. Click Network Connections, right-click Wireless Network Connection, and select Properties.

When the Properties dialog box appears, click the Wireless Networks tab and adjust the order of your preferred networks accordingly. For example, move your home network to the top of the list so your computer always looks to connect to that network first.

Vista computers operate in the same manner, with the exception that Vista’s Network And Sharing Center has more automated features to streamline connecting and troubleshooting.

Choose From Multiple Available Hotspots
When presented with a number of networks from which to choose, you should always choose the network that is most secure while offering the best reception. (If you’re at home, this would be your own secure network connection.)

When out and about, be on the lookout for evil twins, which are networks with official sounding names that have been set up by ne’er-do-wells in an attempt to pilfer information from you. For example, if you’re sitting in a coffee shop, look for the network with that establishment’s SSID, or name. It would be a good idea to ask for that information from an employee, a task you may need to take care of anyway to get a WEP or WPA password.

Troubleshoot A Connection
Because Wi-Fi operates on radio frequencies, interference can occur easily. Both 802.11b and 802.11g, the most commonly used Wi-Fi protocols, operate at 2.4GHz. Any appliance or device that operates at that frequency, such as a cordless phone or a microwave, can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal. To avoid this type of problem, position your computer as far away from such devices as possible.

If you’re getting a weak signal and you have a wireless adapter with an adjustable antenna, you can toy with the position of the computer and/or the antenna to get a better signal. Such devices also tend to get better reception than typical internal cards and external cards with no antenna.

There are a number of things that can cause a failed connection. If you’re attempting to connect to a network away from home, the list of possible culprits decreases significantly. Check whether your wireless radio is enabled or if there is an available network that is either open or for which you have an encryption key.

On your home network, any of the above solutions may work, but you also need to double-check your network to ensure the router is on. For all of your wireless networking devices, you’ll also want to make sure the drivers are up-to-date. Manufacturers routinely upgrade, update, or patch their products. If you don’t have the latest drivers installed, your gear may not work properly. Many companies will provide updates automatically, but if you’re having connection problems that you can’t solve, check the manufacturer’s Web site for any new drivers.

When all else fails, it never hurts to restart your computer and router. If you have an external card, remove it and firmly reinsert it before rebooting. A simple system reset solves many problems that otherwise might seem insurmountable.

This is continue of yesterday post.

Upgrade your base station

Routers that are based on the Draft N specification incorporate MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antenna arrays. MIMO can improve range as well as speed. The Belkin Wireless G Plus MIMO Router released in 2007 use Draft N, and Belkin claims that the standard has twice the range of its predecessor. In the tests, range has improved a lots as other brand, such as Linksys and several other companies sell Draft N routers. Because those routers improve both transmission power and reception sensitivity, you can update just the gateway and continue using the older adapters on all your computers; the range of your network should still improve.

Add an antenna

You could also install a large, strong antenna on your base station so that it could blast out more-powerful signals. Many WiFi gateways have antennas that you can unscrew and replace with another antenna that produces a stronger signal. HyperLink Technologies has been selling antennas, and providing compatibility information about which gateways and wireless cards they work with, for years. The information is a bit technical, but it’s an exhaustive resource.

Apple has always kept its antennas inside the housing of its AirPort Base Stations; just a few of the 802.11g AirPort Extreme Base Stations came with an antenna jack for adding an external one. MacWireless has antennas, tools, and instructions for adding antennas to all AirPort models. MacWireless also offers a High Power 11g Access Point at $180. This unit has a regular-size antenna but a much more powerful radio, which provides more than 10 times the raw output power of most consumer gateways.

There is one downside to upgrading your antenna: while it can help your network, it can also mess up others. That’s because nearby networks may pick up your signals, and their performance will degrade as they try to cope with the barrage.

Upgrade your radio

If you have an older wireless network adapter without 802.11n built in, you can improve its range by attaching an 802.11n adaptor. QuickerTek nNano USB adaptor, for example, works with any Mac running Mac OS X 10.3 or later. The company also has a CardBus card and PCI Card that work with PowerPC models running Mac OS 10.3.9 or higher, and upgrade kits for Intel Macs starting at $100.

All of these adapters have one important limitation: they operate only in the crowded 2.4GHz band. But they can still improve range by transmitting farther and listening more carefully.

Add more base stations
Another way to extend network range is to build a network with many base stations, all with the same network name. WiFi adapters look for a network name, not a specific gateway. If one base station doesn’t cover your home or office, perhaps two or five or 10 might.

You could deploy a bunch of network base stations or AP, but that’d get expensive. Other 802.11g and 802.11n WiFi gateways start from around £20. In a standard network of multiple base stations, you configure one base station as the gateway, plugged into a broadband router. You connect additional base stations through Ethernet, or wirelessly through WDS (Wireless Distribution System), which is built into the base station and other gateways.

To make the multiple-base stations setup work, you need to configure the main base station as a gateway to your broadband connection.

You then configure the other base stations to pass traffic in bridge mode; that way, they leave the responsibility for assigning IP addresses to the primary base station. To set this up with the AirPort Extreme, go to AirPort Utility’s Internet pane, select the Internet Connection tab, and select Off (Bridge) from the Connection Sharing menu.

Plug the WAN (Wide Area Network) port from these subsidiary base stations into a LAN (Local Area Network) port on the primary base station, or into an Ethernet switch that’s plugged into the LAN port. For other base stations, you’ll have to check the manual.

As an alternative, you could use home power-line networking to connect base stations. Many power-line vendors offer combos consisting of a wireless access point with a built-in power-line adaptor; that way, you can extend your network without using WDS or Ethernet.

WiFi networks can reach only so far.

The range of wireless equipment such as the radios and antennas that are built into consumer equipment such as the AirPort Extreme Base Station can vary from network to network, even minute to minute. But when one node of a WiFi network is too far from another, communications between the two break down, and your network doesn’t work.

While WiFi signals are supposed to reach 150 feet in any direction from a gateway, that optimistic figure is rarely reached indoors. One common cause is absorption. Building materials between two points can soak up so much of the signal that one device can’t detect another. Brick is particularly bad for WiFi because brick retains water, which readily absorbs WiFi signals.

As a result, a gateway that delivers a perfect high-speed connection to a laptop from 500 feet away when it has a direct line of sight might be invisible to a laptop that’s 50 feet away when there’s a brick wall between them.

There are two main indicators that your wireless network is having range problems. First, WiFi networks you know are there don’t show up in the wireless menu. Second, when you do connect to a network, the wireless icon in the system menu bar shows just one or two signal-strength bars and frequently slips to no bars.

You can also check signal strength with iStumbler, a utility that shows you a list of all in-range WiFi networks and Bluetooth devices. Among other details, iStumbler shows you percentage values for the signal and noise of those nearby networks. If iStumbler shows a high noise value, then interference could be the reason you’re having network problems. But if the noise value and the signal value are both low, then range is the problem.

If iStumbler indicates that you’re having interference problems, you can solve them by following the advice here. If the problem really is range, there are several easy ways to solve it.

Tomorrow, I’ll share with you more solutions to resolve the weak wireless signal.

Wireless networking in Windows Vista has its own event log. All the events, whether informational, warnings, or errors, are written to an event log. From within Event Viewer, expand Application and Service Logs, expand Microsoft, expand Windows, expand WLAN-AutoConfig, and select the operational log.

This log is a great place to go when troubleshooting a wireless network problem if you need more information on what is happening.

Wireless networking is like a radio signal and as such is susceptible to the same problems. If you have a weak signal, you could have problems connecting to or staying connected to a wireless network. The following is a list of things to look for that could be causing a weak or no signal:


• The computer is too far away from an access point.
• There are a lot of walls between the system and the access point.
• There is electronic interference from another device such as a microwave or cordless phone.

To prevent these types of issues, always place WAPs in a central location away from devices that could interfere with the signal. Avoid placing your system near devices that could interfere. This may seem elementary, but these sorts of things are often overlooked when troubleshooting wireless problems.