ethernet adapter?

Nikiya

SSID is TalkTalk232f3. That is the one I've tried to connect to and the one to which apparently the problem PC got connected at some point.
Now, I have not downloaded any updates since one of them (quite heavy) wrecked havoc with my PC. The package had a very bad press at the time and people were advising not to download it. So that might be the problem.
I do not think I can solve this on my own. I know all of you have given me lots of advice but it is difficult for someone knowledgeable in this field to imagine how difficult and slow it is for someone who does not even know the meaning of the words you use.
I am extremely grateful to all of you and will keep trying the various things in my own time, but perhaps I should go back to the ordinary hardware connection that had served me well so far and use just the PC.

Fonz_2

Nikiya - where are you in the country? Perhaps theres someone from the forum who will take a look for a cup of tea and a biscuit?

macman

OK, so you are using the default SSID. So why don't you just change that in the router and then try to connect using that?
Switch off the wireless encryption as explained by espresso to eliminate this possible problem area.
And please can you reconfirm if you are using XP or XP SP2 as this is still not clear (if you are not using SP2, then that is why you can't connect using WPA encryption).
I'm sure you can solve this on your own, but not if you won't actually try the suggestions made. Since you don't currrently have a connection on your PC, what do you have to lose?
PS: how can you make a 'hardware' (do you mean ethernet?) connection on the PC, as it does not have an ethernet port?

culpepper

Try turning off the firewall just to see if you can connect when it is not on.
If it wont connect without it, turn it back on,if it will connect without it, you still need to turn it back on but you then look through the settings to see where you need to allow it to connect.
You might need to type in the ip address of the router to allow it(you can find it in ipconfig under the name gateway).

Else

Try turning off encryption to see if you can connect without it(you need to go into the wireless router settings as has been described previously and click on none instead of wpa and save) if it will connect without it, it is probably the lack of service pack or updates that are preventing it ,turn it back to wpa and make sure the passkey(not SSID but the combination of letters and numbers you previously mentioned) is typed back into the box and resave, then go and grab the updates you need from windows updates.

The would be 'helpers' cant see your computer so you need to be really specific in describing all the settings.