[colore]

hello!

android has a so marvelous way to connect via wifi: you simple click a button, it scans for available networks and you choose to connect

while i consider myself pc advanced literate, i still cannot figure out how to do it in win7

maybe i expected it to be simple

any hint?

thanks!

[submix8c]

??? Look in the lower-right (AFAICR). It's there...

[Tripredacus]

Windows won't show you the wireless icon in the systray if you are already connected to a wired connection.

Here is a picture of the wireless icon:
http://ptgmedia.pear...soper_fig06.jpg
A = wireless connections available
B = connected to wireless network (shows signal strength)

When you click on it in the "A" state, you will see a list of available networks, including whether or not they are open or secured.

[colore]

Tripredacus, on 17 December 2012 - 09:34 AM, said:

Windows won't show you the wireless icon in the systray if you are already connected to a wired connection.

Here is a picture of the wireless icon:
http://ptgmedia.pear...soper_fig06.jpg
A = wireless connections available
B = connected to wireless network (shows signal strength)

When you click on it in the "A" state, you will see a list of available networks, including whether or not they are open or secured.

the problem is that somehow that icon doesnt appear in traybar (I probably disabled it)

isnt there any other way to bring up the window with the available wireless networks?

[submix8c]

http://www.sevenforu...le-disable.html
also Post#19
http://www.sevenforu...tem-tray-2.html
also read this -
http://answers.micro...99-e5171c77ae95

This post has been edited by submix8c: 17 December 2012 - 03:51 PM

[colore]

submix8c, on 17 December 2012 - 03:47 PM, said:

http://www.sevenforu...le-disable.html
also Post#19
http://www.sevenforu...tem-tray-2.html

but i want an alternative way to bring the "available wireless networks" window, not via any traybar icon!

[submix8c]

Well, you didn't specify that. What you DID specify is

Quote

the problem is that somehow that icon doesnt appear in traybar (I probably disabled it)

More info here -
http://social.techne...89-2ed8b0f6477f

This post has been edited by submix8c: 17 December 2012 - 04:02 PM

[colore]

submix8c, on 17 December 2012 - 03:58 PM, said:

Well, you didn't specify that.

please accept my apologies

submix8c, on 17 December 2012 - 03:58 PM, said:

More info here -
http://social.techne...89-2ed8b0f6477f

in that link, I cannot proceed further than the 1st step, because I cannot see the “Manage wireless networks”. !!!
screenshot

[submix8c]

Interesting... I see a "Active Network" that states "Public Network" of type "Local Area Connection". Are you connected by WIRED? Tripredacus specifically stated

Quote

Windows won't show you the wireless icon in the systray if you are already connected to a wired connection.

You will see HOW you are connected (at this time) by clicking "See Full Map". This will more than likely SPECIFICALLY show that you're connected via a WIRED NETWORK. Betcha! You will HAVE to disconnect the WIRE to use WIRELESS (see quote, dude)!

[colore]

submix8c, on 17 December 2012 - 04:58 PM, said:

You will HAVE to disconnect the WIRE to use WIRELESS (see quote, dude)!

indeed i am wired atm, but i still wanted to see other wireless networks! i should be able to also connect to some else wireless network, should I ?
or would like to see the available wireless connections, without having to unplug

okay, i understand i cant do it, i give up :/

This post has been edited by colore: 17 December 2012 - 05:13 PM

[Tripredacus]

Windows won't let you connect to a wireless network if you are connected to a wired one. The reason is because you cannot have 2 default gateways. You will need to find a third-party "site survey" software to see what networks are available. I have none to recommend, as I log into my router to use the built-in site survey function.

[bphlpt]

Not true, as I found out today on my wife's laptop. (Win7 x64 as supplied straight from Dell and kept up to date from MU)



Both networks were connected simultaneously. Disconnect from either one and any internet activity continued on the other one.

(It just so happened that I did not want this behavior. I wanted it set so that if the LAN was plugged in the wireless network was disconnected. I couldn't figure out how to do this automatically when I quickly looked, so I just disconnected the wireless network and left it to NOT automatically re-connect. If it's needed, I just have to select it and click "connect" so that's easy enough.)

Cheers and Regards

This post has been edited by bphlpt: 17 December 2012 - 09:07 PM

[cluberti]

Windows 8 will let you connect to as many networks as you have devices for, but it's only going to use one *long term*. It will disable any it isn't using within a short time, as connections that may be active on it get FIN'd (or some other disconnect, of course. There can be a decent amount of time where multiple connections are active, though.

[bphlpt]

submix8c, on 17 December 2012 - 04:58 PM, said:

You will see HOW you are connected (at this time) by clicking "See Full Map". This will more than likely SPECIFICALLY show that you're connected via a WIRED NETWORK. Betcha! You will HAVE to disconnect the WIRE to use WIRELESS (see quote, dude)!

This was not true in my wife's laptop's case. The pic I showed above is the one that showed most clearly that she was indeed connected though both connections, LAN and wireless, at the same time. When I clicked the "See Full Map", it just showed one "leg" at a time, based on the pulldown box selection. But it did show that she was connected through both connections. That screen also had options to show other "legs" that she was not connected through, such as Bluetooth.

I think the reason the OP is having problems is because of something he disabled or removed:

colore, on 17 December 2012 - 03:24 PM, said:

the problem is that somehow that icon doesnt appear in traybar (I probably disabled it)

He probably disabled/removed more than just the icon in the traybar, probably something key in the wireless system itself. My desktop doesn't have that icon or the "Manage Wireless Networks" option, but my desktop doesn't have any wireless card or driver installed. The "See Full Map" option dropdown box might show the OP whether there is a wireless connection installed, just not active, available to be connected to, but I'm not sure.

@colore, assuming you have a wireless card and driver installed in your computer and a wireless router or whatever properly set up and the two appear to be talking to each other, (you sometimes have to set the wireless side of the router up through the wired connection), what happens when you click "Connect to a network" and try to establish a connection through that wireless card? And is this a home wireless connection you are trying to establish or at an Internet cafe or hotspot or something?

Cheers and Regards

This post has been edited by bphlpt: 18 December 2012 - 12:24 AM

[Tripredacus]

bphlpt, on 17 December 2012 - 11:31 PM, said:

The pic I showed above is the one that showed most clearly that she was indeed connected though both connections, LAN and wireless, at the same time.

I wonder if your wireless software has something to do with it. I see those two Intel Wireless options in your picture as well. Even so, if you are able to connect to more than 1 network at a time, you only will get one default gateway, thus internet access can be used on only one and not the other. The only potential reason I can see why you would want to connect to more than one is to use the wireless for internet, and use the physical lan to connect to network shares in a private LAN. I figured it was possible using static IPs or with other wireless software, but I typically don't even install those things and let Windows manage the wireless connections.

[bphlpt]

No special wireless hardware/software installed, that I know of. Just straight from Dell and updated with MU. I did not intend the two networks to both be active at the same time and I did nothing at all special to enable it. Both networks were set up with straight stock default settings, except network name and password, of course. (They are both using the same router to connect out to the internet, if that makes any difference, so the only difference, in my case, between the two networks is the route taken from the laptop to the router, either wireless or Ethernet.) Anyway, if I am connected to the Internet through the LAN connection and have a browser open to any site at all, then disconnect/unplug the LAN and connect/enable the wireless network and click any link at all on the already opened page it goes there with no hesitation and no page refreshing necessary at all. Then if I disconnect the wireless network and plug in the LAN and click any link at all, again it goes there with no hesitation and no page refreshing necessary at all. The next link selection is not made before I am connected to the network I want to use. It makes no difference if I have both networks connected at the same time before I disconnect from one of them, or if I disconnect first, so have no Internet connection at all for a bit, before connecting the other one. If I keep both networks connected simultaneously browsing works just fine as well, though I have no idea which network it actually uses at that time. I don't have multiple different physical connections (routers/LANs) to experiment with. I wasn't trying to set it up this way, but if you want me to tell you any particular settings just let me know.

Cheers and Regards

[jaclaz]

When you have BOTH networks connected, can you run an

 IPCONFIG /ALL>C:\mynicconfig.txt

and post the result?
(edit/redact sensible data, obviously)

jaclaz

[Tripredacus]

bphlpt, on 18 December 2012 - 10:03 AM, said:

No special wireless software installed, that I know of.

Sure, its right in your screenshot. You have the Intel PRO/Set software, as well as Intel My WiFi installed.

I don't know what the My WiFi software does, I haven't used it before. Maybe if I get bored later I can try to connect to wireless and wired on a notebook with stock Windows (driver only, no additional software) to see if it is possible.

Oh, you can see what network you are using by running:

netstat -v

Your Local Address column will show you which IP your NIC is using to go out into the world, from there you can determine which NIC has the default gateway allowing for internet access.

This post has been edited by Tripredacus: 18 December 2012 - 10:29 AM

[bphlpt]

Tripredacus, on 18 December 2012 - 10:27 AM, said:

bphlpt, on 18 December 2012 - 10:03 AM, said:

No special wireless software installed, that I know of.

Sure, its right in your screenshot. You have the Intel PRO/Set software, as well as Intel My WiFi installed.

None that I installed. That came straight from Dell and I'm not even sure what part either of those plays in this situation. I did nothing to set either of them up or change anything at all different from when it came straight from Dell. The laptop is now a year old and it has been running fine all this past year with only updates from WU. Other various software has been installed, but nothing at all that has anything to do with any kind of networking or Internet access besides browers, ftp clients, etc.

I'll post the data you and jaclaz asked for when I get home later this evening.

Cheers and Regards

This post has been edited by bphlpt: 18 December 2012 - 04:13 PM

[colore]

i lost the rest of the conversation

is there a solution to my original post?