User's Manual

8 Operation

This chapter explains how to establish wireless connections using your adapter and the Wireless

Adapter Utility. It is assumed here that —

• you have completed installation of the driver, utility, and adapter;

• you know how to start the utility, hide and redisplay its window, and shut it down (see

section 5.2, “Controlling the Utility”); and

• you are within range of at least one wireless device that will accept a connection from

you.

Any wireless connection, even a connection to a single device, is treated in this chapter as a

connection to a wireless network. There is, in fact, no difference in the steps required to connect

wirelessly to a single device or a whole network, and a connection to a single device works in all

the same ways as a connection to a network with many devices on it.

6.1 Understanding Connection Profiles

The utility makes connecting to wireless networks simpler by the use of connection profiles. A

connection profile is a group of settings used to join a particular wireless local-area network

(WLAN). Connection profiles are referred to simply as profiles in the rest of this guide.

For a low-security WLAN, you often can create a profile with two clicks, save it with another

click, and apply it (that is, use the settings in it to join the WLAN) with one more click. For some

WLANs, however — especially high-security WLANs — you must input settings supplied by the

WLAN operator to create a profile and join the WLAN for the first time.

A profile is automatically saved for each WLAN that you join. The next time you want to join

that WLAN, you can do so by simply applying the profile. There is no limit to the number of

profiles you can save. You can also save multiple profiles for a single WLAN, if it requires

different settings at different times (this is done on some WLANs for security reasons). You can

create, edit, and delete profiles at any time, whether you are connected to a WLAN or not.

6.2 Understanding the Utility’s Panels

The utility has six tabbed panels. When the program starts up, the Information panel is shown,

and a dotted rectangle on the tab shows that the panel name is selected. For convenience on

laptop computers, you can switch panels with the right, left, and up arrow keys when a panel

name is selected.

Figure 13. The utility’s panel tabs