Connecting to a Wireless Network

With your wireless network adapters installed and your wireless gateway or access point configured, you're ready to connect to your wireless network. This gives you access to the network's resources, as well as to the Internet, if you have a wireless gateway. Again, Windows 7 doesn't establish the initial connection to a wireless network automatically. This is mostly a security concern because a password or security key protects most wireless networks. However, it's also usually the case (particularly in dense urban neighborhoods) that Windows 7 might detect multiple wireless networks within range, so it's up to you to specify which network you want to connect to. Fortunately, you can configure Windows 7 to remember a wireless network's settings and automatically connect you the next time the network is in range. So, in most cases, you need to run through the connection procedure only once.

Here are the steps to follow to connect to a wireless network:

1. Click the Network icon in the taskbar's notification area. Windows 7 displays a list of the available wireless networks. Each network displays three pieces of information:
   • The left column displays the network name (also called the service set identifier or SSID).
   • The signal strength, as indicated by the five bars to the right (the more green bars you see, the stronger the signal). Note that the networks are in descending order of signal strength.
   • Whether the network doesn't require a password or security key. An unsecure network is marked with a Caution icon above the signal strength.
     NOTE Some of the networks might be wireless hot spots, which are locations that allow wireless computers to use the location's Internet connection. You can find hot spots in many airports, hotels, and even businesses such as coffee shops, restaurants, and dental offices.
2. Select the network that you want to use.
3. If you want Windows 7 to connect to the network automatically the next time it comes within range, activate the Connect Automatically check box.
4. Click Connect. If the network that you want to use is unsecured-as are many public hot spots-Windows 7 connects to the network immediately (so skip to step 5).
   However, most private wireless networks are (or should be) secured against unauthorized access. In this case, Windows 7 prompts you to enter the required security key or password.
   NOTE Older wireless networks use a security protocol called Wired Equivalent Privacy, or WEP, that protects wireless communications with (usually) a 26-character security key. That sounds impregnable, but unfortunately there were serious weaknesses in the WEP encryption scheme, and now software exists that can crack any WEP key in minutes, if not seconds. In newer wireless networks, WEP has been superseded by Wi-Fi Protected Access, or WPA, which is vastly more secure than WEP. WPA uses most of the IEEE 802.11i wireless security standard, and WPA2 implements the full standard. WPA2 Personal requires a simple pass phrase for access (so it's suitable for homes and small offices), whereas WPA2 Enterprise requires a dedicated authentication server.
5. Type the key or password, and then click OK. Windows 7 connects to the network.