to get my laptop to go wireless?

Question

i have a 2wire 2700 router, toshiba satelite comp. i am having trouble making it wireless... it has the switch on the side, turned on, orange light.... ive done about every step you can think of... ive called the help line a few times.. what am i missing.. if you do answer, thanks, and pleas check back so i can respond to what you have answered.. id like to tell you if i had tried that or not... okay thanks!

im so printing this out and taking it home.... im putting peices together... but to add... i dont know if the card is buit in,, i thought it was, i have DSL.... the help line just kept telling me do go into my comp, click enable under wireless blach blah.... they were a huge circle... okaayssooo... if i just buy a wirelss card and stick it in the little hole next to the switch... that should do it right? annndd what do i look for on my modem to make sure its compatible with the card i buy?

Answer 1

check what your IP addy is by going to the little computer icon on the Right hand bottom of your screen. Double click it and choose support.
Then look at the IP address, it should say 192.168.x.x. If it does not, you need to assign a dynamic IP address though you PC's Network settings. Go to the Start button, then control panel. Click on Network settings or My network places.

Here are some directions:
Microsoft Windows XP
This is a generic description of the procedure typically used with hardware on Windows when using it for the first time. Read your vendor's instructions for idiosyncratic details. In particular, some vendors want you to install the driver and utilities first using their installer, before inserting the network card, so the New Hardware Wizard does not get to the driver first.

Hardware installation: On a laptop, boot Windows, then insert the network card in either PCMCIA slot. On a desktop system, physically install the PCI card; or install the PCI to PCMCIA adapter and, with power off, insert the PCMCIA card. (The adapter does not have power sequencing like a laptop's PCMCIA slots do.) Then turn on the machine and make it boot Windows.
Driver installation: If the driver was not factory-installed, Windows will start the New Hardware Wizard. Insert your driver disc and tell it that you Have Disc. A competent vendor will organize the disc so Windows can find the driver without your assistance. Windows may tell you that it has a driver for your card in its own collection. Generally the driver on your disc is more recent than the one that came with Windows.
Utility installation: Generally a wireless card comes with utility programs such as a site monitor and card diagnostics. You will want to install this software by executing the Setup program on the driver disc.
Network configuration:
There should be an icon for your network connection(s) in the System Tray, near the clock. Identify the correct icon (a picture of two computers) and right-click. In the menu that appears, choose View Available Wireless Networks.
In the wireless network list, click on the one you want to connect to (UCLA-MATHNET). Fill in the WEP key, the same value in both boxes. The UCLA-Mathnet key is given as a string of 13 characters (upper and lower case, digits and punctuation). Other networks may give out their keys as 26 hex digits (no hyphens), or for 40-bit WEP, 10 hex digits or 5 characters. For UCLA-Mathnet, don't check the 802.1x authentication box, though other networks may require it.
Click Connect at the bottom, and you will be connected in a few seconds.
Subsequently, if there is a familiar wireless network within range you will be connected to it automatically. Use the procedure in the next section to get to the dialog where you can influence preferences in case multiple networks are within range at the same time.
If you don't have the System Tray icon for your wireless network (e.g. you turned it off), or you want to indicate which networks you generally prefer, follow this procedure.

In the Start Menu (middle of right column), click on Network Connections. You may or may not have a submenu specifically for wireless networks. When you get the Network Connections dialog open, click on the icon for your wireless net. In the left panel, click on Change Settings for This Connection. In the dialog box that appears, click on the Wireless Network tab.
In the upper list of available networks, click on the desired one, and then click Configure. If your network does not broadcast its ESSID, you will instead need to click on Add in the lower listbox. If you are adjusting preferences, click on a network in the lower listbox and use the Move Up and Move Down buttons.
In the page that appears, fill in the ESSID if it is blank. Un-check Key is provided automatically (you have to provide it). Check the WEP checkbox, and fill in the WEP key in the manner described above.
Click OK at the bottom, and at the bottom of the Wireless Networks page. Watch in the bottom of the left panel of Network Connections (you may need to scroll it) for the network to be configured and the IP address to be assigned. This should happen in a few seconds.

John
A+ Certified

Answer 2

Need more details--what did the help line tell you?
Orange or yellow light is bad isnt it?
Do you have a wireless router installed?
Do you have a Wireless card in the Laptop?
Do you have Internet connected to the primary PC hooked up to the INternet by Cable or DSL or Dial Up Modem?

Answer 3

First question: I'm assuming the router is a wireless router?

Also, if the router is wireless, does your Toshiba have a wireless card? Is it built in?

One last thing you want to check is the type of router you bought and the card. If your wireless card is a wireless G card, then you're router needs to be the same as well, or it the two will not be compatible.

Answer 4

Look to see if your network is disabled. I recently purchased a wireless router and couldn't get both laptops of the house to become wireless unless the network security was disabled.

The bad thing about this is that someone else close enough to your house could access wireless internet through your connection.

Answer 5

is it a wireless computer? if not, you need a wireless card.
you need all the lights to be green and not blinking on both router and cable modem and you need to make sure the wireless switch in the computer is turned on.