wireless network setup

[jay.lunis]

OK, I admit it, I'm not a computer guy. I recently bought a new (Vista
Home Premium) PC to replace my XP PC. On the XP PC I had a wireless
network I could access with my PDA and laptop from almost anywhere in my
house. With the Vista PC I fail constantly. I have read a handful of
web articles on how to accomplish this but I apparently am missing a step.
The Netgear router is working on the Vista PC. Firewall on the laptop
is (when I'm trying to get a connection) disabled. The Network status
on the laptop and PDA show a good signal. How do I troubleshoot this?
FWIW, 'Connect to a Network' on the Vista PC and laptop show 2 networks
- one secured and one unsecured. I don't know why. All I want is the
secured.
Can I uninstall these wireless networks and create a new one?
The Vista PC also has a wired?/cabled? network to access the cable modem
and NAS. Does this make a difference?

 

[Mick Murphy]

Continually posting the same thing here will NOT get you more help!
It gets LESS!

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
Are you sure that the second Network is Not another Wireless in the
neighborhood,
Or one entry relates to your Wireless and second one to a wire connection
(most newer computers have both wire and wireless).
Jack (MVP-Networking).

 

[jay.lunis]

Hi
Are you sure that the second Network is Not another Wireless in the
neighborhood,
Or one entry relates to your Wireless and second one to a wire
connection (most newer computers have both wire and wireless).
Jack (MVP-Networking).
initial post snipped

I hope I finally have this newsreader working so I don't post 100 times.
OK, Jack, here is what I know.

On my Desktop
Wired network works for internet, NAS, and connecting to my laptop.
Under 'Connect to a Network' I have 2 listed - one BT and one is my own
wireless network (which I will call NETWORK). On the right are 5 bars
each increasing in height. The 2nd bar is darkened which I presume
indicates signal strength.
Under 'Network and Sharing Center'I see (I think) my wired/ethernet
network. But when I switch to 'Manage Wireless networks, it is empty.
I presume that means it detects no wireless networks.

On my PDA
I have a choice of 2 networks - NETWORK - unsecured which I noted above,
and what I will call OLDNETWORK, a secured network I had on the old PC
but is not listed on my Desktop. Trying to connect to OLDNETWORK on my
PDA results in failure.

Why does the PDA not find NETWORK?
Why does the desktop not find OLDNETWORK?
Can I rename these networks to be more descriptive?