Wireless Network - force SSID

[BT in AZ]

How do I force a computer to access only one SSID? My
current issue is that my next door neighbor has a wireless
access point, and sometimes my laptop PC will access that
wireless network instead of mine. How do I force my laptop
to ONLY log on to my wireless network and SSID?

 

[Chuck]

How do I force a computer to access only one SSID? My
current issue is that my next door neighbor has a wireless
access point, and sometimes my laptop PC will access that
wireless network instead of mine. How do I force my laptop
to ONLY log on to my wireless network and SSID?

1) Edit your Preferred networks list.
2) Turn off "Automatically connect to non-preferred networks".
3) Broadcast your SSID.
<http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811427>
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/wifisoho.mspx>

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[BT in AZ]

That's a good suggestion. However, XP will automatically
scan for ANY available networks if it does not find the
preferred SSID first.

-----Original Message-----
I believe that it is as easy as typing a unique SSID in

both the setup for your router and the SAME SSID in the
setting of your nic cards of your connected computers.
You have to make sure they are the same or they will not
connect. Look at the user manual for your router - it
should address this.

 

[BT in AZ]

But there is no option that I can see that will allow me
to turn off "Automatically connect to non-preferred
networks." Where is that option?

 

[Chuck]

But there is no option that I can see that will allow me
to turn off "Automatically connect to non-preferred
networks." Where is that option?

Try this article:
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg1102.mspx>

The Wireless Networks tab only appears for wireless adapters that support
Wireless Auto Configuration (aka Wireless Zero Configuration).

Windows XP (prior to Windows XP SP1) uses the same Wireless Networks tab with
the same settings. The properties of a wireless adapter for Windows XP (prior to
Windows XP SP1) contain an Authentication tab. In Windows XP SP1, the
Authentication tab appears with the properties of a wireless network (dialog box
not shown).

On the Wireless Networks tab, you can view and configure the following:
•

Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings Select this check box when
you want Wireless Auto Configuration to automatically configure your wireless
settings. If you have third-party wireless software that you want to use, clear
this check box. This option is enabled by default.
•

Available networks The list of wireless networks that are within range of your
wireless adapter. To view or change the configuration of a specific wireless
network and add it to the list of preferred networks, click it in the list of
available networks, and then click Configure. To force the wireless adapter to
initiate a new scan of wireless networks within range, click Refresh.
•

Preferred networks The list, by order of preference, of wireless networks with
which the wireless client will attempt to connect and authenticate. To add a new
wireless network that does not appear in the Available networks list, click Add.
To remove a wireless network, click Remove. To configure the settings of a
wireless network to which you are connecting, click Properties.
•

Advanced To configure advanced wireless settings that are independent of the
wireless networks to which you are connecting, click Advanced. You can use these
advanced settings to specify whether you want to connect only to infrastructure
or ad hoc wireless networks, and whether you want to attempt to automatically
connect to wireless networks that are not in your preferred list (by using the
Automatically connect to non-preferred networks setting, which is disabled by
default).

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.