[michuk]

HI

Just brought a laptop and trying to connect to the internet. The desktop pc has a router on it which allows my sisters laptop to access the internet. But she did not set hers up and we cant work out how to set up my laptop.

please advise.

[Dave Hybrid]

If you connect the laptop to the router by cable it should work automatically.

If you want it wireless you will need to setup the wireless on the laptop and router, if the laptop is not wireless ready you will need a piece of hardware to make it so.

[michuk]

It is a wireless laptop.
How do i do the above?

[Dave Hybrid]

Open the wireless software and scan for the router signal.

This guide should help: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314897

[michuk]

My laptop is vista and my desktop is xp.

[Dave Hybrid]

Oh, right.

You don't need to do anything with the desktop so leave that.

On the laptop open the start menu then click network, then click network and sharing center on the top bar.

Then click connect to a network on the left bar.

What do you see?

[michuk]

The connections come up. I have chosen the approiate one. I then put in the securiy key, pass pharse. It then comes up with the error "connection unsucessful" its states it is connected but does not have acess to the internet. it saids it may be caused by WEP, low signal (its was showing high signal so i dout its the signal).

[Dave Hybrid]

Probably the wrong security key.

The key you enter needs to match the one you setup on your router.

[michuk]

i didn't set it up! Damn. Is there a way i can find it out? Or do i need to ask the person who set it up?

[Dave Hybrid]

Asking the person who set it up is the simpliest way.

Or access the router via the desktop PC by entering the router IP address in the web browser.