In uk.d-i-y, Huge wrote:
On 2009-09-05, Graeme wrote:
In message , Mike Barnes
writes

Wired PC: install CD if you must, use your web browser to configure the
WAP (passwords, etc).

Mike, this is where I'm confused. Why do I need to bring a wired PC
into the equation?

Because you have to configure the WAP and you can't talk to it on the wireless
until you have.

Quite so. It might be possible to connect to it as it comes "out of the
box" but that would be pretty lucky and obviously isn't happening here.

The first thing you should do, before even touching the laptop, is to
make sure the WAP is working as a member of your wired network, and
configure it. The software on the CD is meant to help you with this but
it isn't really necessary.

First, the WAP might be configured to obtain an IP address
automatically, or it might not. Probably not, in my experience, it will
be configured with a default fixed address. Go to a PC on the wired
network, start your browser and type 192.168.1.1 into the address bar -
this is a pretty popular address. If that brings up the configuration
screen (or asks for a password) you're in luck. Otherwise search the CD-
ROM documentation for 192.168 and see what you find.

If you're really unlucky your wired network will be on a different
subnet (first three numbers different from the WAP's default) and a
rather more complicated procedure will be necessary. I can explain it if
necessary but I think it probably won't be necessary.

Otherwise you could just run the CD and all this should be done for you.

Once you've got your configuration screen up, you need to configure your
WAP. Change the "SSID" to a distinctive name so that when you see a
signal on your laptop, you know it's yours and not your neighbour's. :-)

There's lots more to it but I think that's enough for now. Let us know
how you get on.

--
Mike Barnes