Wireless Access Query

Hi - wireless connections still puzzle me, I confess.<BR><BR>I am travelling to Darwin for a few weeks, and the place I will stay has &quot;Wireless Internet Access $15.00 per week&quot;. I use a wireless connection at home permanently (my laptop in the lounge, the Netgear router in the study attached to a desktop - works fine for both computers). If I take my laptop with me to Darwin, what else do I need to do to take advantage of the wireless access at the accomm? Do I just power up and it will find it (and presumably if I pay the fee, the accomm will provide an access key of some sort)? Or do I need to take or install any other software on the lappie prior to departure? In other words, is it specific to the Netgear configuration we use at home, or will it travel well?<BR><BR>Thanks for any asistance.

Should not need any additional software as when turn on the laptop it should search for networks. Just be sure you have good protection and make sure the laptop has as well to avoid getting hacked.

Thanks for that.<BR><BR>&gt;&gt;Just be sure you have good protection and make sure the laptop has as well to avoid getting hacked.<BR><BR>What does the &quot;you&quot; mean here, that's different from the laptop - do you mean the Netgear Netwok at home? And do I achieve protection just through the advanced settings under Control Panel Network Connections, or do you mean additional software (I knew there would be follow-up questions ...).

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<hr>the accomm will provide an access key of some sort<hr></blockquote>

-> that means that you'd probably be protected.

I would suggest to make sure your home network is protected -> advance setting/password on your netgear router at home.

When it comes to travel and hooking up to other wireless networks you may be vulnerable but the likelihood of a breech is minuscule, I wouldn't worry about it too much especially if you're connecting to a password protected encrypted network provided by your hotel.

OF

Thanks again ofeldman. Will explore the Network advanced settings.

Your computer will find the open network and ask you if you want to connect with it. Usually you will have been given a username and password. You start your browser and the wifi system commandeers your browser's home page, giving you a special page for you to login. Once you're logged in you can refresh/reload your home page, go to another website, or start up your email client (that's right, your email client will find your home server and download your email - no need to use a webmail utility).

That sounds good. So I can just start up Outlook as per normal, and it will operate as if I were at home, and I don't need to use my &quot;travel lite&quot; email facility. Thanks.