Lap Top accessing Wireless connection

[cmjones007]

Ok - firstly apologies if this has been answered elsewhere but I'm not that clued up with all the techy talk so please be gentle with me ;)

Broadband connection to my desktop is via a Belkin Router / Wireless Modem.

Recently purchased laptop automatically picked up this connection and all was ok. This all stopped the other day when the laptop lost connection and now won't connect at all. This is despite the laptop being able to recognise that there is my connection there, as well as others around me ( I presume they are neighbour's connections).

1. What can I do to get my access back on laptop?
2. How do I lock my wireless connection to make it a little more secure and only give access to miney and a few other laptops?

Thanks in advance
Chris

[G_Dem]

Hi and Welcome. I'll try and leave out any techy words for you. Your first step will be to connect to the router again. Your best bet is to probably start from fresh and reset your router. There is a little button on your router to perform a factory reset. If your internet provider requires a user name and password make shore you have them handy. After you do this can you now connect to the router ok?

[cmjones007]

excellent...I done the restore factory settings etc and it is now working!

How would I go ahead with my second question? Security?

When I use the Belkin Security link, I get the options:
WPA - PSK (no server) - Each client that connects to the network must use the same key

128 bit WEP

64 bit WEP

WPA (with radius server)

What should I do now??
:dizzy:

[G_Dem]

Ok its your choice next. WPA is the best one out of those I believe, then WEP 128 and then 64. However the better the encription the slower your internet access will be. Personally I would go for 128 bit WEP. All you have to do is either manually assign a 26 digit code into the router config page (only using 0-9 and a-f) or some routers allow you to generate a key. Then write down the key and keep it safe. After applying it, it will disconnect you from the wireless connection. When you next try to connect it will ask for that key. You will only have to enter it the first time. After that it will remember it. That should be it. Let us know how it goes.

P.S. If you decide to go for WPA use the PSK version and not the radius server.