Thread: Wireless woes

If your wireless network stops working, the first thing to do is to check whether the computer is properly connected to it. If your notebook computer has a switch that disables the wireless networking - many do - then check that first, then click on the network notification icon at the bottom right of the screen to see whether you are connected to the network. If you are connected but can't see the internet or any other computers, check and, if necessary, repair the IP address using the same me(hod as for a wired connection.



If you can't connect to the wireless network at all, there are a couple of things to check. First, double check the . password. This may be one that you have chosen earlier, or it may be written on the bottom of the router or access point. Make sure also that you select the right kind of encryption being used: either WEP or WPA.

Still no joy? In Windows XP there's often a choice between two methods for managing a wireless network: letting Windows do it, or using a tool provided by the manufacturer. If you find that you have two wireless icons in the Windows Notification Area then it can be worth switching from one to the other. Right click on the Wireless adaptor in your list of network connections, choose Properties and on the Wireless tab, look for the box labelled 'Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings'. If this is ticked, try unticking it and using the manufacturer's utility to connect. Ifit doesn't work, tick the box again to hand control back to Windows.