I noticed that you have not received a reply to your question so I'll 
give it a try. The easiest answer is that your friend may not have had 
her computer search for available wireless connections and then tell her 
computer to connect to your network. If there is a tray icon, it can be 
used to access the search function or she can go through the control 
panel/network connections/new connection.

As to security, when you configured your modem/router did you set up 
wireless security? If not, you should do it. I am not familiar with ATT 
so I can not help with that. Your laptops will then have to be 
configured to communicate with the secured router. You need to get the 
details from your ATT router manual. Once this is done, your friend will 
not be able to use your secured network unless you inform her of the 
configuration parameters and she sets up her laptop.

This security is secure enough for the average user. However, if a 
hacker really wants to access your network, he can do it with some 
effort. Unless you have some critical data that a hacker might want to 
access, he/she will move on to a non secure network rather than make the 
effort to get onto your network.

Tom

tannis zamora wrote:
>  I have some questions on my home wireless connections.
>
> Background, I have a Modem, wireless router combination from my ISP.  (ATT)  I have my Dell Dimension 2400 desktop as my "base" station.  My husband and I both have Dell laptops.  I just swithched ISP's and I loaded ATT's software cd" onto the base station only.
>
> When either or both us turn on our laptops in another room we connect to the internet with no problems.  
>
> A friend came to visit, she did the same as my hubby and I do, turned on her new Dell laptop in another room and her ocmputer would NOT connect to the internet at all.
>
> I have two questions, how secure is our wireless service and why could our laptops connect and my friend's not connect.  None of the 3 laptops were physically
>  configured in any way to ATT's service.  The ONLY ATT internet software loaded onto any of the 4 computers was the Dell Dimension 2400 base station.  
>
> I hope that I have made this clear.  Oh and our 3 computers are running XP and my friend's is running Vista, although I didn't think that would make a difference.
>
> Thank you for any help.
>
> tannis z  TN
>
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