Problem Connecting to a Wireless Network with Laptop

PasturesNew

I have a laptop (HP 6735s, running Vista Home Premium), if I wanted to connect to a wireless network then I have to press a little button just above the keyboard.

I have two dongle services:
- three, contract
- O2, PAYG

Three connects OK.
O2 connects OK.

However, in a conversation with a neighbour they offered me their network password so I could use their Sky internet service.

I have now tried many times to use the password and it just doesn't connect.

I have tried this:
- through the O2 dongle
- with the dongle not in and just using Start, Connect To

I think I recall that I connected in the past (18 months ago) to another neighbour's unsecured network without any problems (they've moved now).

The kind neighbour thought I might need to load a CD she has, but I don't think it's that. I think it'll be something to do with something on my network settings or expecting the dongle, or something of that ilk.

Any suggestions?

googler

They may need to access the security settings at their end to 'let you in' as it were.

Depending on what security is enabled on their Sky router (assuming they have such a thing), you may need to get the MAC address of your laptop, and provide it to them. They access security settings on their router, and add your laptop to the 'permitted devices' list.....

You realise that every shared folder on your laptop will be accessible to your neighbours, and they realise that you'll be able to access their shared folders too.....?

mongoose2009

look in the system tray for the wireless icon
click connect to a network
it should bring up a list of available wireless networks
click on you friends box
enter key remember its case sensitive

PasturesNew

mongoose2009 wrote: »

look in the system tray for the wireless icon
click connect to a network
it should bring up a list of available wireless networks
click on you friends box
enter key remember its case sensitive

That is what I do and it doesn't work.

PasturesNew

googler wrote: »

They may need to access the security settings at their end to 'let you in' as it were.

Depending on what security is enabled on their Sky router (assuming they have such a thing), you may need to get the MAC address of your laptop, and provide it to them. They access security settings on their router, and add your laptop to the 'permitted devices' list.....

Blimey. That won't happen then. Way too complex.... I don't even "know" them, they're just next door and I don't even actually live here , It was just one of those over the fence conversations "staying ... yeah .... internet? ... yeah/dongle ... want to connect to mine? ... yeah!"

googler wrote: »

You realise that every shared folder on your laptop will be accessible to your neighbours, and they realise that you'll be able to access their shared folders too.....?

There's nothing in my shared folders ... and I'm far too busy/occupied to go snooping round the files of others

googler

I'll bet that the T&Cs of their contract with Sky allows them, and their household only, to access their service.....

PasturesNew

googler wrote: »

I'll bet that the T&Cs of their contract with Sky allows them, and their household only, to access their service.....

If that were so, I'd still expect to be able to connect once I have the password, it'd then just be a issue of them breaking their contract terms .... not sure how they'd know though.

ManAtHome

When you do 'The Wireless Thang', do you get any WiFi networks showing? Dunno Vista stuff, but I can pick up heaps (Win2K, XP, Linux), most of them showing as 'locked' (normally needing a WEP or WPA key).

If nothing showing, possibly next door have 'broadcast SSID' turned off - may need to turn it on so you can pick it up.

[edit] If your lappy has WiFi, you don't need the dongles (lol - sounds like something needing penicillin..).

PasturesNew

ManAtHome wrote: »

When you do 'The Wireless Thang', do you get any WiFi networks showing? Dunno Vista stuff, but I can pick up heaps (Win2K, XP, Linux), most of them showing as 'locked' (normally needing a WEP or WPA key).

If nothing showing, possibly next door have 'broadcast SSID' turned off - may need to turn it on so you can pick it up.

[edit] If your lappy has WiFi, you don't need the dongles (lol - sounds like something needing penicillin..).

I have three neighbour networks listed on wireless, all show as security-enabled. This particular neighbour shows as WPA-PSK. So I can see it, it just says I've got the password wrong (checked, double-checked, triple-checked, neighbour even took my laptop and tried the password she has written down, to prove I wasn't being an idiot). So we were working together on it, working from her password which was written down on a piece of paper.

Doing it now (while on three dongle):
- enable wifi
- right click in systray, connect to a network and I can see it
- right click on the listing in there, choose connect
- type in the security key
- click on connect, it shows it is connecting
- "The network security key provided does not match the network security key for this network. Please re-enter the network security key for ..."

So that sounds like it's the wrong password, except we were working off the written down password and she is 100% convinced it's the right one.

ManAtHome

Only thing I can think of is to check upper/lower-case.

An oldish thread with various Vista WPA issues - most may have been resolved by now, but some of the 2008/9 posts point at drivers and signal-strength. The last post suggests using the Diagnose button to pick up required settings...
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/itprovistanetworking/thread/ca15b260-5c06-4032-a23a-86bd02630822/

PasturesNew

ManAtHome wrote: »

Only thing I can think of is to check upper/lower-case.

An oldish thread with various Vista WPA issues - most may have been resolved by now, but some of the 2008/9 posts point at drivers and signal-strength. The last post suggests using the Diagnose button to pick up required settings...
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/itprovistanetworking/thread/ca15b260-5c06-4032-a23a-86bd02630822/

It's not upper/lower causing it, I've also tried variations (e.g. is that Z really a 2?).

Diagnose has never said anything useful. I've pressed that on at least six occasions.

I'll read that thread.

I tried it on my XP, but that wasn't getting a signal at all. I have noticed though that the signal is variable, sometimes it's showing 5 bars, sometimes 2, sometimes it's just not present at all. I've tried to connect only when it's got 5 bars. Their house is just separated from here by 6' and we started off trying to connect from the gardens (and then she took my lappie inside where she normally sits with hers).