Wi-fi help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[THECORBYLOON]

Ma new laptop is Wi-Fi and I have taken it out in the car to see if I can connect to a wireless network out and about. I'm a wee bit thick when it comes to computers but it tells me I'm connected to a network but I can't get on to AOL. I'm on broadband so could it be the network is Dial-up?

[agnabeya]

You REALLY need to read this -

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/wireless-network.htm

I am presuming you have a Wifi connection at home?
That you have set up your AOL connection details?
Have you set up encryption on this connection.

If you're using an unprotected wifi connection - how protected is your machine?

If you aren't sure about your protection - try this site -
I test my protection fairly regularly here.

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

It's the Shields Up site.

I think you should read a bit more about wifi before hooking onto whatever connection.

[THECORBYLOON]

agnabyea I've had a look at that site but it doesn't really help. II'm trying to establish if there's something I'm not doing correctly. The laptop came wi Wi-fi installed and from what I've read, it should be easy to connect to an unsecured network but for some reason I'm not able to. Thanks anyway.

[THECORBYLOON]

Soz for mis-spelling yir name by the way.

[THECORBYLOON]

I'm sorted now.

[Ethel]

How did you get sorted? I am very interested myself!

[agnabeya]

Glad it's sorted Corbyloon - what was it?

DO make sure you're protected - I've heard tell of 'free connections' where the connection donor is just waiting to get onto your machine!
Might be an urban myth - but better safe than sorry etc.

Don't worry about the spelling - :-)

[THECORBYLOON]

I think it was the poor signal strength. I tried it in Northampton and it worked fine. It's mainly for a pal to use and I tried it out in her road and got connected nae bother. I tried it a few streets down the road and could connect to the same one. When I tried in Corby, the signal was never brilliant and I reckon that was why it wasn't working.