Can't make working wifi connection with wife's Samsung Netbook.

[Halfbaked]

Hi. I have been reading and trying the instructions in a similar currently running thread in this forum.Nothing seems to work. I am sure that I somehow messed this up big time.
The Samsung Netbook is an N145 Plus. It works fine when hooked to the internet via cable. When I first started to hook up wifi I was given options such as who did I want to connect to etc.
I think I need to reset the Home group/public places fields and try it again from the start. I'm not looking to use wireless for home at this time.
I need to set this up for Public Places connection and tight security for my wife so that she can use this pc while she waits for her clients in court or doctors offices.
I have never worked with wireless before and am really lost.
I have an Atheros AR9825 adapter with updated software and drivers and an Asus USB N10 wifi antenna with current drivers in place.
I very much need some patient guidance. I'm still a novice but can usually follow directions.
Thanks. H.

 

[Corazon]

You don't really need to do anything, actually.

Once your wife uses the netbook to connect wirelessly to (for example) an office network, Windows will give her the choice of using the connection as a "home" or "public network" connection. Based on her answer, Windows will automatically disable file/folder sharing and network discovery if she opts for "public network".

You can't set this up ahead of time anyway - it happens at the moment of connecting to a new network Windows hasn't seen before. You'd have to physically travel to your wife's workplace and connect there if you really wanted to do that.

 

[Halfbaked]

Corazon,
Thanks for your help. I got her connected to our cable provider's wifi. Slow but it's there.
But how do I get her hooked up when she's out of our service area? I'm always reading about people finding hot spots everywhere but don't know how they do it.
I tried to hook up to one with a very strong signal and it wanted a key number. I entered ours but it didn't work.
Any idea of how we can do this?
Thanks. H.

 

[Corazon]

If you had been able to connect to that signal you found, you would've been stealing someone else's wireless connection (for which they pay). That's why wireless access points are protected with keys.

WiFi hotspots are fairly common in places such as public libraries, coffee shops, airports...sometimes they're truly free, sometimes you have to pay a small fee to use the service.

Windows on a laptop with wireless adapter will automatically find and display signals in the nearby area, wherever you go. It's just a matter of whether or not you're allowed to connect to these signals - which brings us back to the keys.

Here's an explanation of the basics of wireless networking that might be useful for you:
HowStuffWorks "How WiFi Works"

 

[Halfbaked]

Corazon,
Thanks for all of your help. I learned a lot.
Have a good weekend.
H.