Just because you’re out of the office for the day, don’t think that gets you out of being productive, Sonny Jim. With the huge (and still growing) number of wireless networks all over the country, chances are pretty good you and your trusty notebook will be able to find and maintain an Internet connection almost anywhere you go. Sure, you could just pop in to a coffee shop that advertises “Free Wireless Internet,” but connecting to a public network like that is easy.
Sometimes, you won’t have the luxury of stumbling across an easily accessible public access point. Many times on the road, you’ll have to connect your notebook to a private (and that means encrypted) wireless network. Many companies and individuals choose to encrypt their networks in the interests of providing more data security, but sometimes, on the road for work, these networks are your only option for connecting to the Internet and getting back in touch with the office.
While connecting to anything encrypted sounds a bit daunting at first, the steps are actually rather simple. Follow along, and you’ll be back into Outlook before the first Out Of Office autoreply is sent out. The following steps are for Windows XP, but the process is nearly identical for all of the Windows operating systems. by Shawn Kupfer
FINDING THE NETWORK | 
The Network Connections window is your starting block for managing your wireless connections. If you're having problems after you've already connected, sometimes clicking the Repair option may fix your connection.
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Assuming you’re allowing Windows to manage your wireless connections, you’ll see an icon in the bottom-right corner of the System Tray that looks like a computer with lines radiating out from it. (In the event that you’re not using Windows to manage your wireless connections, you’re probably using a piece of proprietary software from your wireless card’s manufacturer. There is a lot of variation between these programs, so consult the documentation that came with your card for information on how to connect using this proprietary software.) If you’re not connected, that little computer will either have an X over it or (in the case of a limited or faulty connection) a small yellow triangle with an exclamation point in the center. You’ll want to keep an eye on this icon, as it will let you know when you’re connected and can get to work.
With this window still open, double-click My Computer and then double-click Control Panel. Double-click the icon for Network Connections and, when the new window pops up, right-click the icon for your wireless connection (usually named “Wireless Connection” or something similar). Click the Wireless Networks tab. If the checkbox for Use Windows To Configure My Wireless Network Settings is not checked, your network card is using proprietary software to manage your network settings. Check your card’s documentation for tips on how to proceed in this case.
Assuming you are using Windows to manage your wireless connections, click the View Wireless Networks button in the top half of the window. A list of available wireless connections will pop up. If the encrypted network is the only one available, that’s the one you’ll see; you can recognize it by the word “Encrypted” next to the network’s name. (Open or Automatic networks can also be encrypted, however, so don’t worry if you don’t see the word.)
WEP VS. WPA | 
If the network you're using uses WEP encryption, make sure your Association settings match those outlined above. If you're using WPA, select WPA in the Network Authentication drop-down menu and then select TKIP in the Data Encryption box.
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Networks can be encrypted using either WEP (Wired Equivalency Privacy) or WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption. You’ll have to know which type of encryption the network to which you’re trying to connect uses. Once you’ve determined that (presumably from whoever owns or runs the network), execute one of the two courses of action below.
For WEP, either enter the key (this should have been provided for you by the person running the network) in both the Network Key and Confirm Network Key boxes. If the owner of the network so indicates, click the The Key Is Provided For Me Automatically checkbox. Next, click the Authentication tab. Click the Enable IEEE 802.1x Authentication For This Network checkbox and then select PEAP (Protected EAP) from the drop-down box. Click Properties below the drop-down box and then uncheck the Validate Server Certificate checkbox. Click the Configure button and then uncheck the Automatically Use My Windows Logon Name And Password (And Domain If Any) checkbox. Click OK, click OK a second time in the Protected EAP Properties window, click OK a third time in the Wireless Network Properties window, and then click OK one more time in the Wireless Network Connection Properties window. This should bring you back to the Desktop, and a balloon will pop up at the bottom of your System Tray that will tell you to click it. Do so and then enter the username and password provided for you by the owner of the wireless network. Your little computer icon should now be radiating green lines, meaning you’re connected to the network.
For WPA authentication, select WPA in the Network Authentication box of the Association tab and then TKIP in the Data Encryption box. Follow the same steps as above for the Protected EAP Properties and the EAP MSCHAPv2 Properties windows and then click OK until you’re back at the Desktop. The balloon prompt and logon for the network should pop up. Enter the username and password provided for you by the network’s owner, and you should be connected within a few seconds.
Connecting to an encrypted network requires a few more steps than connecting to a public access point, but it’s well worth the five minutes of extra effort if the encrypted network lets you be productive while you’re out on the road.
NOW THAT YOU’VE GOT IT,
DON’T LOSE IT | 
To connect to a network, you can either find it by clicking View Wireless Networks or, if you know the name of the network, by clicking Add and then typing the name of the connection you're trying to access.
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Most of the time, wireless connections are stable enough, but every once in a while, you may get a bad connection that keeps dropping out on you. In this case, there are a few steps you can take to ensure a more solid connection.
First, right-click the icon in your System Tray that informs you of your connection status (the computer with the lines radiating out from it, as discussed in the article). Click View Available Wireless Networks.
You’ll also see a few bars representing the signal’s strength; the more bars, the better, of course, but for most practical purposes, anything over two bars will probably work. If the network you’re connected to has low signal strength and another network is listed with more bars, attempt to connect to the stronger signal by double-clicking that network. Often companies will run more than one wireless network, especially in a large building, so the network you initially connect to may not be the strongest signal offered.
Also, your proprietary software can sometimes be an impediment to maintaining a stable connection on an encrypted private wireless network. To get past this problem, you can (temporarily, of course) allow Windows to manage your wireless connections.
If you are using proprietary software, when you right-click the System Tray icon for your wireless connection and click View Available Wireless Networks, a message will pop up saying that Windows is not currently managing your wireless connections. Click the option on the left side of the screen that says Change Advanced Settings and then click the checkbox for “Use Windows To Configure My Wireless Network Settings.” Next, follow the connection steps we mentioned previously, and you should get a stronger connection.
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