Acer 3690-2900 trying to use wireless

Your friend was probably picking up signals from home users who incorrectly configured their home wireless networks. No codes required, just scan for an open access port and connect?.

If you go to a Starbucks or other business with a hotspot just ask them for connection details. They generally have a hand out that walks you through their connection procedure.

The default wireless laptop card is configured to automatically detect and usually connect to any access point within range.
Verify the configuration of your wireless card:
- In XP click on Start, settings, control panel, find and double click on the icon labeled Network connections.
- In the Network connections box that appears you should see an object titled Wireless Network Connection, left click on that and select the properties option from the box that appears.
- In the center of the next box that appears you will see a white box with several objects in it. Scroll down to the bottom of the listed items, find and right click once on *Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on the properties button below and to the right.
-In the Internet Protocol box that appears you should see two items *Obtain an IP address automatically* and Obtain DNS server address automatically*. Both of them should be selected, if not do so by clicking on the selector button to the left of each.
- Click on the OK button on this and the other previous box.

How to connect to an open access point:
- In XP click on Start, settings, control panel, find and double click on the icon labeled Network connections.
- In the Network connections box that appears you should see an object titled Wireless Network Connection, double left click on that.
- In the Wireless Network Connection box that appears click on the Refresh network button in the upper left hand corner.
- Once it displays the access points it can see left click once on the access point you want to connect to.
- Once it is highlighted click on the Connect button in the lower right hand corner of the Wireless Network Connection box. If you get a pop-up warning about connecting to an unsecured network click on Connect Anyway but remember with any kind of wireless connection (even secured) your transmissions could be intercepted. You don?t want to conduct on-line banking or any other type of business that is dealing with sensitive data.
- Once you click clicked on the button your laptop will attempt to connect:
-if successful it will show connected.
-If not you will get an error message. Your friend was probably picking up signals from home users who incorrectly configured their home wireless networks. No codes required, just scan for an open access port and connect?. If you go to a Starbucks or other business with a hotspot just ask them for connection details. They generally have a hand out that walks you through their connection procedure. The default wireless laptop card is configured to automatically detect and usually connect to any access point within range. Verify the configuration of your wireless card: - In XP click on Start, settings, control panel, find and double click on the icon labeled Network connections. - In the Network connections box that appears you should see an object titled Wireless Network Connection, left click on that and select the properties option from the box that appears. - In the center of the next box that appears you will see a white box with several objects in it. Scroll down to the bottom of the listed items, find and right click once on *Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on the properties button below and to the right. -In the Internet Protocol box that appears you should see two items *Obtain an IP address automatically* and Obtain DNS server address automatically*. Both of them should be selected, if not do so by clicking on the selector button to the left of each. - Click on the OK button on this and the other previous box. How to connect to an open access point: - In XP click on Start, settings, control panel, find and double click on the icon labeled Network connections. - In the Network connections box that appears you should see an object titled Wireless Network Connection, double left click on that. - In the Wireless Network Connection box that appears click on the Refresh network button in the upper left hand corner. - Once it displays the access points it can see left click once on the access point you want to connect to. - Once it is highlighted click on the Connect button in the lower right hand corner of the Wireless Network Connection box. If you get a pop-up warning about connecting to an unsecured network click on Connect Anyway but remember with any kind of wireless connection (even secured) your transmissions could be intercepted. You don?t want to conduct on-line banking or any other type of business that is dealing with sensitive data. - Once you click clicked on the button your laptop will attempt to connect: -if successful it will show connected. -If not you will get an error message.