Wi-Fi

[woodelf]

I haven't got Wi-Fi, but I may need it, so how do I go about getting it, from where, cost, etc - this is me, techno duffer of course? Ta Muchly.

[fiction-factory]

Is this at home or when out and about, or both?

[Old_Geezer]

If you have broadband to your house and your router/modem is wireless then you have WiFi at your house.

Outside some businesses will offer "free" WiFi. May need to give e-mail or whatever, and may or may not have to ask for the password.

[Tuvok]

Let us know what equipment you have eg. BT Homehub, Sky broadband, Plus net etc.

Is your computer a desltop or a laptop? If its a laptop it will probably have built-in wifi, if its a desktop it may not have wifi so you would need a dongle.

[Buenchico]

Assuming that you're referring to your home, you've probably already got wi-fi but you're just not using it.

If you went into 1000 homes, where they've got broadband internet access, over 990 of them would probably have a wireless router connected to their phone line (or cable). It's the standard equipment provided by internet service providers. (The remaining few households might have wired routers or simple modems but they're both now extremely rare).

So the chances are that you've already got a wireless router (even if you're actually using it as a wired one, with a lead connecting it to your computer). If so, it's broadcasting a wi-fi signal which can be used by any suitable device in or around your house as long as you know the password for the connection (which will have been provided with the documentation that came with the router).

However if you're referring to something different (such as using the free wi-fi in a Wetherspoon's pub), please provide us with more details, including the type of device you wish to connect to it (such as a Windows laptop or an Android phone).

[woodelf]

Hi guys, sorry for the delay, but I've been away - not inside I hasten to add.
Anyway, a few years ago, my partner was given a laptop (of sorts), no sound card and it was more like a satellite device from a central hub, if that makes any sense.
I have a router connected to my desktop and via local area network, she can receive emails and search the web, etc, but we have been told we don't have Wi-Fi and all she'd like to do is just sit down with a laptop or tablet etc and just get on with it, instead of uncoiling cables from and to her machine from mine.
Any of that make any sense and Many Thanks for your answers so far.

[woofgang]

oh so its not you that hasn’t got wifi, its your partner’s laptop that isn’t wifi enabled?

[woodelf]

Sorry Woofgang, I'm the original techno duffer, so I dunner know if I've got Wi-Fi or not, but my partner's so called laptop has not and it seems she can't just sit and type away or whatever on any such kind of device...if that makes any kind of sense?

[tamborine]

To access wifi from your modem
1. Modem has WEP number printed on/under it.
2. Open your wifi gizmo (lappy/tablet/cell phone etc)
3. The gizmo should report it has found wifi & will ask for WEP number & password
4. Enter the WEP & make up a password you can remember.

[Buenchico]

The vast majority of routers are 'wireless'. I'd be very surprised if yours isn't.

Assuming it's wireless, it will be broadcasting its 'SSID'. That stands for it's 'Service Set Identifier' but basically it just means that's what its name is. It's likely to include the name of your internet service provider. (For example, my ISP is a firm called Claranet and my router's SSID is 'claranetsoho').

Ask your partner to use any device which is capable of using a wifi connection to search for signals at your location. (For example, if I go into the wifi settings on my mobile phone, I can see my router listed there, as well as those of my neighbours. I can also see the strengths of their signals, indicating which are closest to where I am).

If your partner can identify your router that way then it's definitely wireless. The next thing she'll need is its 'security key' (which is just another name for the password needed to connect to its signals). That will most probably be on a label attached to your router and/or in the paperwork which your ISP sent with the router. (If it's not, there a way to find it out via your computer but we'll need the make and model of the router to tell you how to do it).

That's got the router end of things sorted out. Now I'll move onto the laptop:

All modern laptops come with a wifi card built into them. To check whether your partner's laptop has got wifi built into it, ask her to take a look at the icons in the bottom right-hand corner of her screen. (She might need to click on 'Show hidden icons'). If there's a wifi icon there, all she needs to do is to click on it, select the SSID for your router, tick the box marked 'always connect' and then click on 'Connect'. She'll then be asked to enter the security key for your router, which will get her connected.

If your partner's laptop doesn't have a wifi card built into it, then the easiest solution is simply to plug in a USB wifi adapter, such as this one (for just £2.45) from Amazon:
http://tinyurl.com/hfyajtg

Then the laptop will become wireless-enabled and she can connect it to the internet, as above.

[tamborine]

You say your partner has a tablet? Take the tablet to wifi free zone like library, McD, pub or coffee shop. Assistants will show you how to connect to their wifi (using their WEP & password) - your home modem is same but with your own settings.

[Tuvok]

Let us know what router you have. If it has wifi ability then you just need something like this for any computer you want to make wifi

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/computing-accessories/networking/network-routers-and-switches/wireless-adapters/netgear-wna3100m-100ens-wireless-usb-mini-adapter-n300-21430734-pdt.html?gclid=CMux5bHc_c4CFRSNGwodPzANYQ&srcid=198&cmpid=ppc~gg~~~Exact&mctag=gg_goog_7904&;s_kwcid=AL!3391!3!75233967139!!!g!110897028020!&device=t&istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&;istItemId=xiwxlmptx&istBid=tztx&PLA=1&ef_id=VSkdHgAAAXWAJUuJ:20160907165502:s