Windows Vista Setup
This following sections describe in detail how to connect to a wireless network using the Connect to a network dialog box in Windows Vista.
The Connect to a network dialog box
You can access the Connect to a network dialog box from many locations in Windows
Vista, including the following:
• By clicking Start, and then Connect to from the Windows Vista desktop
• From the Manage wireless connections dialog box
• From the Connect/Disconnect context menu option of a wireless network
adapter in the Network Connections folder
The following figure shows the Connect to a network dialog box.
In Show, you can select the following:
• All Wireless, dial-up, and VPN connections.
• Wireless Only wireless connections.
• Dial-up and VPN Only dial-up and VPN connections.
If the wireless network you want to connect to is not listed, click Set up a connection or network. Windows Vista displays the following page.
On the Choose a connection option page, select Set up a wireless router
or access point
To manually configure the wireless settings for a wireless network, click Manually connect to a wireless network, and then click Next. Windows Vista displays the following page.
On the Enter information for the wireless network you want to add page, configure the following:
• Network name Type the name of the wireless network.
• No authentication (Open) Open system authentication with no encryption.
OR
• WEP Open system authentication with Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). (if
key was provided)
• Save this network for all users of this computer/Save this network for
me only Specifies that this wireless network profile will be in the list of
networks for other users of the computer or only the current user. If specified
only for the current user, the wireless network will be disconnected when the
user logs off or switches to another user.
• Start this connection automatically Specifies whether Windows Vista will
automatically connect to this wireless network. If you clear this checkbox,
you must manually connect to the wireless network from the Connect to a network
dialog box.
When you click Next, Windows Vista displays the following page.
To connect to the wireless network that you just created, click Connect to, and then double-click the newly created wireless network in the Connect to a network dialog box.
To configure the properties of the wireless network you have just created, click Change connection settings. Windows Vista displays the following dialog box.
From the Connection tab, you can view the wireless network's name, SSID, network type (either Access point for infrastructure mode networks or Computer-to-computer for ad hoc mode networks), and availability. You can also configure the following:
• Connect automatically when this network is in range
• Connect to a more preferred network if available
(Specifies whether Windows Vista will automatically disconnect from this wireless
network if a more preferred wireless network comes within range.)
• Connect even if the network is not broadcasting
The following figure shows the Security tab.
On the Security tab, specify the following security type:
• No authentication (Open)
After you have configured your wireless networks, you can manage them from the Manage Wireless Networks dialog box. The following figure shows an example.
To display the Manage Wireless Networks dialog box, do the following:
1. Click Start, right-click Network, and then click Properties.
2. In the task list of the Network and Sharing Center dialog box, click Manage
wireless networks.
From the Manage Wireless Networks dialog box, you can add a new wireless network, remove a selected wireless network, obtain the properties of the wireless network adapter, and choose the type of profile to assign to new wireless networks (applies to all users or the current user). To view or modify the properties of an existing wireless network, double-click the wireless network name.
