Disable wireless network

Hi All

I have recently become the proud owner of an Acer Aspire 5021. Excellent machine, and I'm very happy with it.

I use the machine at home mainly as a desktop replacement. I connect to the Internet with a broadband modem, and will rerely get the chance to use a wireless network (although I do intend to use wireless on some rare occasions in airports etc).

My question is this: should I switch off or "disable" the wireless network? If so, how do I do this, and can it be easily turned on again?

I know its on at the moment because of the flashing light on the front of the computer.

Thanks in advance... G23

 

You can either just turn off or disable the wireless network. It can be easily turned on/enabled in the Network connections folder(double click on the wireless icon in your tasbar & right click on the wireless network & select disable....enabling is also the same process) If you disable it, you wont get the flashing and the wireless network icon in the task bar will be hidden.

 

Thanks miner... just did what you suggested and now wireless is off.

Do you recommend turning wireless off in my situation?

Any other advantages / disadvantages / other implications I should be aware of when doing this?

 

There shouldn"t be any complications since the device will be turned off. I suppose you see the 'x' mark on your wireless network icon. With turning off you just push a button to connect back to the network & vice versa. With disabling you tell Windows to disable/not recognize the wireless card. There are no disadvantages to both these options...

I am in the opposite situation as you, I rarely use my ethernet card, so I disable it for months & if I want to connect it, I just reenable it & it still work. So disabling or turning off should not do any harm.

 

Apologies in advance for the stupid noob question, but is "turning off" and "disabling" the same thing?

At the moment I have "disabled" wireless thro control panel by right clicking on the icon and choosing "disable" (as you suggested).

Is there a different way to "turn off"?

 

Well, I think I should have explained better!!

Turning off is by pressing the button in front of the laptop(just a physical cutting off the power). Disabling on the other hand is more of a derecognition of the wireless card by windows(more of a software thing). For the user, both attain the same end result but just in a different way.

Hope I havent ended up confusing you more....

I will move this thread to the wireless networking forum as you might be able to get replies from others also & also it is more of a wireless issue...

 

Thanks miner... you explained perfectly... the problem is my stupidity I'm afraid!!!

You mention pressing the wireless button on the front edge of the laptop to turn off. When wireless is "enabled" nothing happens when I press this button. Am I doing something stupid again?

 

Pressing the button will only turn on or off the wireless network adaptor, it will connect to the network only if you set it to connect automatically(check wireless networking properties menu) & if it is within range of your preffered network, otherwise you'll have to double click the icon and then select your network manually...

 

So should the button stop flashing if I press the button and wireless in "enabled" in control panel?

 

The button (light) flashes only when the wireless is enabled and the adaptor is searching for your or any network in the surrounding. So the light flashes when the wireless is on & it sees the network & is waiting on you to either connect manually or if you have set to connect to your preffered network automatically - then it will conect to the network. When the light is flashing it is more like a 'standby mode'.

 

Excellent reply miner. Thank you very much for your patience and understanding with this.

I think I understand now!!!

I have decided to disable the wireless network connection thro control panel until the next time I'm within range of an appropriate network. I'm not going to press the wireless button on the front edge of my laptop (from what I understand from your reply, there is no need to do this).

Thanks again...