How to connect to a router

Hi,

I'll start by explaining my situation, I have internet at home & everything works fine but I'm trying to connect to a router in a different house to gain a faster & unlimited download & upload speeds.
Can anyone explain how I can setup this new connection

I have the log, password & ip adress from the server, but when i enter the ip adress in IE it says that the connection can't be loaded.

any help is greatly appreciated!

 

It won't work that way because you're trying to access the router itself via its IP address, which won't get you onto that network. Essentially, assuming that the IP address is one that begins something like 192.168..., what you're trying to do is find a host on your own network with that IP address, which doesn't exist so you're getting an error.

What you need to do is get your wireless ethernet interface card to connect with the other router, not your IE browser. In Win XP, you'd do this by going to the network connections window from the control panel, start the "view wireless networks" function - which should open a new window and list all of the wireless networks your notebook's wireless card can "see" (i.e., it can pick up their broadcasts), check to see if the router you want is listed by its SSID name, and if so, highlight it and click on the "connect" button. If the router in question is secured, you'll have to configure your side of the connection by entering the pass-key and whatnot.

 

Tnx for the fast response but can you explain how you do this in vista?
sry forgot to mention I'm not using xp.

 

It's illegal to steal internet from your neighbors. I would guess that they are running security on their wireless. With out the pass key your SOL.

Upgrade your own service.

 

Not in any detail, since I don't have _Vista on any of my systems. However, this might get you there - check to see if there's a little wireless icon in the system tray down at the bottom right corner of your screen. It should look like a little desktop computer with waves coming out of it. If it's there, right-click on that icon and a context menu should pop up. On that menu there should be an option to view wireless networks.

Otherwise, click on the "Start" button and see if there are any links displayed that will take you to your network connections. If so, click on that and, once you get to a window that displays your network interfaces (you should have at least two, one wireless and the other wired ethernet - on my system I also have a firewire interface showing). Right-click on the icon for the wireless interface, a context menu should come up that may have a line item permitting you to view wireless networks. Otherwise, from the same network connections window, go to the top where the drop-down menus are, and pull down the tools or options menu (if those don't exist, try all of the menus in turn), and see if either of them gives you the option to view wireless networks.

Keep in mind, I'm just going off of my experience with XP and my natural powers of fantasy and speculation here, so I may be completely wrong.

 

First of all I'm not stealing this connection, it's from my dad's office
Second I have the pas & login
Third It's way to expensive to buy if your not using if for business

 

Can we all just be a little more circumspect here? First off, to ShogunHelios - my apologies if you feel you've been unfairly accused; however, blue68f100 is acting quite reasonable in being suspicious - none of us really knows who the other is, and you're the only one who knows all of the real facts involved. For example, in your original post, you merely stated that you had the login ID, password, and IP address of the router you were trying to connect to; however, you didn't say anything about how you got that information, and even if you had, neither blue68f100 nor myself would have any way to verify your story.

Basically, while we all need to be civil and extend to each other the basic common courtesies, we have every right to be a little more suspicious of each other than we would if we were discussing face-to-face, because we don't even have access to any of the typical body-language that people use to evaluate whether or not someone's telling the truth.

Now, I will admit that I posted my initial answer without really thinking about all the ins and outs of your statement, although in my own defense, I will say that I took a bit of comfort from the fact that you stated you had UID and PW (although, as I say above, that was probably false comfort). After a little thought, another point that makes me at least a little more comfortable that you're not trying to hack a network is that you don't seem to have a lot of knowledge about how networking and wireless operate since you were perplexed by the fact that entering the router's IP address in your browser's address line didn't connect you to the network you want to join.

At the end of the day, it probably comes down to a difference in personal temperament, and perhaps greater wisdom on the part of blue68f100.

So, to reiterate, I apologize if you feel that you've been unfairly accused of theft, and I would ask you to be gracious enough to not overreact too much to the extra caution each of needs to bring with us when we adventure on the 'net.

Now, since you've given us a few more details of the network you're trying to connect to, I do have to ask you to double-check whether or not you really are permitted to connect to the network you want to join. As you state, the network belongs to your dad's office, and it appears to be a commercial business account as opposed to a personal residential account.

To me, that implies that the network belongs to the business your dad works for, in which case I would assume, until proven otherwise, that the IT policies of that business would not permit you to connect to the business' network to use it for personal reasons just because your dad works for that business, unless (a) your dad owns the business and gave you the login and password to use, or (b) you and/or your dad have checked with the IT department (or the owner, if it's a small business) to make sure that it's O.K. for you to access the business network for personal use.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing you of trying to steal anything or do anything you know you're not supposed to do; I'm just pointing out that things may not be quite as simple as they seem at first glance, and that since the subject of unauthorized access came up, it should be dealt with in a forthright, open manner.

Ok?

 

ok,

Sry if I acted a bit agressive but I just don't like to be called a thief.
To reply to your questions, yes my father owns the company & I got an email with the login & pasword from the IT department unfortunalty they thought I knew how to set up the connection & since it's weekend I can't get a hold of them, so I thought why not ask it on the forum.

Do I really look like some1 who has the skill to hack a router or steal a connection, I first googled my problem and found a few sites saying I should enter the ip adress in the adressbar when that didnt work I decided to ask it on this forum.

Look if you feel uncomftable helping me, I can w8 until monday and drop by the IT department.

 

ShogunHelios, in vista you should just be able to go to the vista orb, control panel, Network and internet, Network and sharing center, and then connect to a network, and then it will ask you for the login and the password. this should allow you access to his network.

although if your dad has good security on his network you may have to enter some additional information on the computer to which his network is connected too. and if he has valuable business information on that network, and you dont have "business" security features on your computer then it would probably not be in his best interest to let you have access to this!

but what i said should help you out none the less.

 

after I choose "connect to a network" wich of the four options should i choose?
Seeing as the router is in a different place I can't connect like I can to my modem right?

 

@ShogunHelios:

First, that's why I gave my apologies, because most people don't like it when they feel they've been accused of being a thief (not even thieves like it ).

Second, I probably didn't make myself clear (since I'm so long-winded), but I don't have any trouble trying to give you the basic pointers about how to get your computer to "see" the available wireless networks, and then have it try using the built-in wireless functionality to connect to the network.

Since your dad owns the business, so long as he knows what you're doing, then you almost certainly have all the permission you need to access the network. The only question now is whether you have the right hardware, software, and necessary information.

In particular, if the network is secured, you may need an encryption key in order to access the network, and in your original post you didn't mention anything about such a key, so you may not be able to connect in any event.

Finally, ChevyTrucks has nicely come along and given you the _Vista-specific info that I couldn't give you (because I've never used _Vista - and never will) about how to view the available wireless networks. Using that, you should be able to find the network you're trying to connect to if it's broadcasting its so-called SSID, in which case that name will show up in the view wireless networks window.

From there, it should be pretty self-explanatory how to go about connecting to the wireless network you want.

How's that?

EDIT: As far as whether or not you look like someone who could hack a wireless network - beats me; as far as I know, you're a big, puffy, two-dimensional cartoon character:

 

Can't seem to figure it out, I'm going to save myself the trouble & ask the IT guy next week.
Tnx for your help anyway

 

Your original post asked about connecting to a wireless in another building. With that info we had no idea who it belongs too, besides having permission. We get users through here on a regular basis trying to connect to someones else AP without permission.

If you were given the SSID and Encryption key it's as simple as searching for available networks and entering the key when prompted. Depending on the distance you may not beable to see the AP. Wireless does not penetrate outer walls very well, particularly if they have the foil sheeting.

There is no need to access the admin of the router. A wrong setting their could put your dad business at risk, or kill their access.

 

Ok, as blue said, if the router is too far from your house, you will have a difficult time connecting to the network. Assuming that's not the case,

You need to open the window 'connect to a network'. You can get to it from the 'network and sharing' tab in the 'networks' button in the start menu. Can you see the network name in the list? If you can, then enter the security password.

Otherwise, you have to manually enter the network name which is most likely if it is protected. The option is listed under 'setup connection'. At this point you will need to enter the network name, type of security (WEP, WPA) and password - all of which you have. This should allow you to connect to the network. I don't believe you'll need the IP address from the router for any of this. GL

 

The router is probably 2 far away to get wireless reception, so I tried setting up different types of connections but with none of them they asked me to input the wep keys. For clarification I got the: Login, password, ipadress & 4 wep keys

After I select create a connection do I choose
1) connection with internet
2)router or acces point for wireless connection
3)phone line connection
4)VPN connection

 

I would try either "connection with internet" or "router or access point for wireless connection" i would try the latter of the two first though. then it should ask you for at least the Login and the password to the router, after you have entered that information or any other required info ( it will prompt you if needed, or should) you should be able to gain access if you are within range!

 

If the router is too far away for a wireless connection, and thus implicitly too far away for a wired connection (to the same router, that is), then how, pray tell, are you trying to connect to the router?

Are you, perhaps, trying to log into the company network by using your own current internet connection?