How to Configure Wireless Settings

Users want to stay constantly connected to their networks, and wireless LANs and wireless WANs are beginning to make that possible. However, managing multiple network connections can be challenging, and users often have difficulty resolving connectivity problems. As a result, users place more calls to support centers, increasing support cost and user frustration. You can reduce this by configuring client computers to connect to preferred wireless networks.

Windows will connect automatically to most wired networks. Wireless networks, however, require configuration before Windows will connect to them. You can connect Windows computers to wireless networks in three different ways:

• Manually Windows 7 includes a new user interface that makes it simple to connect to wireless networks. You can use this interface to manually configure intranet-based computers running Windows 7; users can use this method to connect to public networks when they travel.
• Using Group Policy Group Policy settings are the most efficient way to configure any number of computers running Windows in your organization to connect to your internal wireless networks.
• From the command line or by using scripts Using the Netsh tool and commands in the netsh wlan context, you can export existing wireless network profiles, import them into other computers, connect to available wireless networks, or disconnect a wireless network.

After a wireless network is configured, the Wireless Single Sign-On feature executes 802.1X authentication at the appropriate time based on the network security configuration, while simply and seamlessly integrating with the user's Windows logon experience. The following sections describe each of these configuration techniques.