Switching WiFi Connections

Hi,

I have a friend with a HP running Windows XP. Where he lived before he had a cable modem with a WiFi, and he connected to the internet using WiFi.

Well he moved where there is no broadband cable or DSL, but there is an AT&T cell tower down the road, I get 6 bars on my Nokia E71x. I told him he should consider an AT&T MiFi. I even stopped over to his house so we could try it (I can use my E71x as a WiFi hot spot using the JoikuSpot software).

But for the life of me I can't figure out how to switch his WiFi connection from his old cable modem to my Nokia E71x! I tried the set up "Wizard ", I tried the "Advanced" tab, I tried Adding a connection.....eeeee....this should take about 5 seconds, but I get nowhere!

Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks!
Jeff

 

Thanks for the info Tony, I'll have to stop back over to his house and play around with it some more. I am not sure what software on his machine manages the WiFi connections...

>>Wireless Zero Config<<

Is this software part of Windows? Does it have to be downloaded (which we can't do without an internet connection)? Is it found in "Control Panels "?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

In the system tray area at the lower right (near the clock) there should be an icon for the software being used for the wireless configuration. Right-click or double-click the icon to see available wireless networks in range then select the network you want and click Connect.

 

1 thing to add.

To check if using windows wireless config utility and to switch to it if isn’t.

Control Panel – Network connections – Rt click the wireless connection – properties (same place Tony got you to) -- but then open the Wireless Networks tab at top. - 1st box: Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings should be checked.

In same window (if using windows to connect) available wireless networks will be shown.

 

Hi Guys,

Got back over to my friends house last week, his computer appears to be using the Linksys software he got with his card. But there is a padlock on it and I can't get in to change anything, I can't even get it to ask me for a password! Here are some screen shots...

http://home.earthlink.net/~fireworks911/wifi/wifi.htm

I also tried using the "Wireless Network Setup Wizard" ...but I can't get that to do anything, and is that to make the computer a WiFi hot spot or to connect the computer to a WiFi network?

I also cant see how to get it to "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings "

grrrrr......I am trying to help my friend Phil, but it is a bit of a drive to his house. And his son who set this up no longer lives on out state...

Thanks,
Jeff

PS Anyone know why on the Linksys screen it says "Adapter is Inactive "? This setup used to work at Phils old apartment...

 

It is a HP desktop, with a PCI wifi card installed...so I am unsure why Windows does not seem to recognize it. As I say, it did work at his old address. But he was using the computer at his current address (without the internet) for a while with the antenna unplugged (off) the PCI wifi card. Would/could that cause problems? Or cause the card to burn out....I would not think so...but something happened here...

 

Yes, the device manager may reveal if the wireless card is currently disabled.

Perhaps a phone call to the son would be helpful.