Wireless Networking!! Arrrrgggggggggg!!

I hate to be such a pain, but could someone please give me some easy steps on how to network my new laptop to our home ISP (Roadrunner)? I honestly have no clue how to do it. The network I need to set up to is "secured network"... The guy that set up our two computers together called the network "Brigade", but when I try to set up my computer to it, a window pops up that says something about "the network is no longer in range"... I'M IN THE ROOM RIGHT NEXT DOOR!! Do I have to install any Linksys software to my laptop in order for it to be able to provide the internet for me?

Thank you

 

No, you shouldn't need any software. Are you able to see the network? It's probably wanting a WEP key, especially if RR set it up.

 

Yes, I could see the network. I kept trying and trying to refresh and connect to the network over and over again. It asked for the WEP key once, but I didn't know it at the time. Actually, I still don't know it! Is it a number? We asked the guy that networked our computers, and he gave us a number like 192.124.2.1
That isn't the actual number, but is that the WEP number? Where do I type it in?

 

That's an IP address. The WEP kep is a sting of numbers and letters and can be a couple different lengths. If you view wireless connections, is there a lock graphic on your connection?

 

Yes. There's a little lock on the network I need to connect to: "Brigade".

 

check out the tutorials i posted in this the "networking & wireless" section of this forum 4 more help...i had the same problem as u...and i redid my linksys settings on my desktop and jus didnt put the security settings...and it works perfectly now wit my laptop

 

That means you need to enter the WEP key, which you already knwo you did incorrectly before. So, you need to find that key or gain access to the wireless router to reset it.

 

I know I typed in the wrong thing, but I don't exactly know how I got to that step in the first place. Where do I find the WEP, anyway?

 

I have no internet on my laptop yet...

 

I'm lost =(

 

Your WEP key is supposed to be a secret. I suggest you go to your router, log on as admin, and turn off the security temporarily. Then connect all your computers. Then, if you want, you can set a new WEP key.

If the person set up your router securely, he probably changed the admin user name and password. If you don't know it, you will have to do a hard reset of your router, so it goes back to all default values. OPEN THE ROUTER BOOK AND READ IT. If you don't have the book, go to the router site and download it.

Actually, WEP key doesn't add very much security. There are hacker tools that can get the WEP key quite easily, if somebody wants to attack your network. After you have everything working and all computers linked up, your best bet is to:

1. Change the admin user name and password. NO MATTER WHAT ELSE YOU DO, DO THIS.

2. Control the MAC address of the computers that can get onto the network. I don't know which router you are using, but usually once everything is working, you can see all the computers logged on, with computer name and MAC address. Just limit computers to the MAC addresses that are logged on.

3. After you have done 1/ and 2/, you can add the WEP key if you want. It will prevent casual evesdropping on what you send over the internet.

 

you need to connect to the router via your desktop and in the router there will be some WEP Keys you can choose from to enter. with out the key entered from the router, it will not work

 

I have figured out a couple of my issues. I am now connected to the wireless network. However, the LAN connection isn't working because "LAN cable is unplugged". I THOUGHT THIS WAS WIRELESS!! I connected a cable from my laptop to the router just for the heck of it, but it still didn't give me internet access, even though I was connected to the LAN and "Brigade" wireless network.