Password protecting netgear router

Jolly_Roger

Thanks for the interest guys.
I have Windows XP Home with Service Pack 2 installed. All three computers, which have different XP masterdisks/licenses, have SP2.
I am using a Netgear DG834G.
I dread trying to reverse the process!
Decided to password protection because neighbours on either side have password-protected networks, another neighbour hasn't. Thought I would be safe and protect; beginning to wish I hadn't.
Not anticipating any major attack, so the hugely long password I didn't really think necessary, although the password chosen is fairly random, so relatively safe.
I work from home (freelance journalist) so am in front on the computer now.
Have to interview somebody by phone at 12.00!

espresso

You are using a Netgear router but what wireless equipment is in use on the computers?

albertross_2

Scooter, follow my earlier link, second entry.

Jolly, it's probably easier if you undo everything.

Allow broadcast of ssid, undo the ethernet address stuff, and if you have gone through the wireless networking wizard, then your router name should popup. Click connect to it, and put your encryption key in.

You are very trusting of the neighbours. My argument is, if you are going to put a key in, you may as well make it secure. It's a 2 second job to copy and paste it from https://www.grc.com/passwords into the router and the PC..

Jolly_Roger

Fixed it!
Obvious stuff really, but because I had never had to do it before didn't occur to me.
I went back and ticked the box allowing the SSID to be broadcast. Then went into Netgear on each computer and asked it to search for available networks, which I have never had to really do before because the computers were set to pick up nearest available. Without the SSID being broadcast, nothing was being picked up, but put in the tick and there was our network. Asking the computer to connect to that SSID, I was asked for the password, put it in and voila!
It really was doing the obvious, but sometimes things like this need spelling out literally for non-techni people like me!
Will each computer now always go directly to our home network, or will they always require the feeding in of the password?
Anyway, thanks for all your help!

albertross_2

I'd turn off the ssid broadcasting again now you have it working, you can ask the PC's to connect automatically to that network on the advanced screen of the wireless settings

Right click on wireless icon, view available networks, change advanced settings, wireless networks,

(properties, connection, tick connect when this network is in range)

(advanced, and tick access point infrastructure networks only.)