Vista does not connect to Wi-Fi. Setting up a home local network in Windows Vista. Patch replacement information

If you have the Windows Vista operating system installed on your computer or laptop and want to, then you have come to the right place. Before we start setting up a connection to the Global Network, I want to clarify some points:

1. Setting up an Internet connection on Windows Vista according to the diagram that I will give below only makes sense when the cable that comes from the floor cabinet is connected directly to the computer.
2. In the case of a dial-up connection, the cable that comes from the splitter must be connected to the computer.
3. Under no circumstances do you need to set up an Internet connection if you have a router, Wi-Fi router or Combo device. For such cases there is a special article ““.

The process of creating an Internet connection on the Windows Vista operating system

To set up an Internet connection on a computer running Windows Vista, you must follow these steps:

1. Open Start and select item Control Panel.
   
2. In viewing state Large icons you need to select an item Network and Sharing Center.
   
   
3. In the window that opens, select the item Establishing a connection or network, which is in the left column.
4. Next you need to select the item Internet connection and press the button Further.
   
5. The next step is to select High speed. If Windows asks whether to create a new connection, answer yes.
   
6. This point is the most important: here you need to enter your username and password to access the Internet. You must receive this combination from your Provider.
   
7. The next window should either please you or... This item will display a message stating that the Internet connection on Windows Vista is ready for use, or an error. In case of an error, you need to remember the error code (usually a three-digit number) and try to solve this error. Some errors when connecting to the Internet, in particular, and ways to solve this problem are described on this site.

This completes setting up an Internet connection on a computer running Windows Vista.

How to display a shortcut to connect to the Internet on your desktop?

To display the Internet connection shortcut on the desktop on Windows Vista, you need to open Network and Sharing Center. In the window that opens, click on the button Managing network connections.

In the window that opens, right-click on the previously created Internet connection and select Create a shortcut, which you place on your desktop.

This is how you can set up an Internet connection on the Windows Vista operating system.

Sergey Pakhomov

When you start working with the new Windows Vista operating system, the problem of setting up network connections arises. The difficulty is that, having gotten used to the interface of the Windows XP operating system, it is not possible to quickly switch to the new interface offered by Windows Vista. In general, the first impression of the Network and Sharing Center (this is the name of the network connection settings dialog box in Windows Vista) is by no means unambiguous. It seems that, wanting to simplify everything as much as possible, the developers left the entire setup process to the appropriate Network Connection Setup Wizard. But it looks like they overdid it, and as a result, things only got more complicated. Gone is the transparency and simplicity that was inherent in Windows XP, and instead we have a lot of dialog boxes that are easy to get confused in. But Windows Vista provides tools that increase the security and reliability of network connections, which, of course, is its undoubted advantage.
In this article we will look in detail at all the nuances of creating network connections using the example of the Russian version of Windows Vista Ultimate (32 bit) (build 6.0.6000).

Properties

And point

connecting to a network domain

Network and Sharing Center You can make additional network connection settings.

Settings Public or Private). As for the home network, it is better to set the placement type Private Public

Network and Sharing Center View full map

As you can see, the Network and Sharing Center does not display the network diagram correctly. First, the wireless router appears as a wireless access point and its associated switch, rather than as a single device. The second wireless router is generally shown as a switch, and the wireless link between the two routers is defined as a wired link between the two switches. Therefore, you should not trust the displayed network diagram. At the same time, we note that the created network map allows you to quickly view the IP and MAC addresses of all computers and network devices that are part of the local network. To do this, just move your mouse pointer over the icon with the image of a computer or network device, and the IP and MAC addresses (of the network device) will be displayed in a tooltip.

Private or Public

• network discovery;
• file sharing;
• sharing access to public folders;
• sharing media files.

Access parameter Network discovery determines whether a given computer will be visible to other networked computers and devices and whether, in turn, this computer will be visible to other networked computers.

Parameter File sharing

Parameter Sharing public folders determines whether network users can access files located in the shared folder. However, you can enable sharing of shared folders so that network users can open, edit, and create files in shared folders on a given computer, or only open them for reading.

Parameter

When the option is enabled, only those users for whom accounts and passwords have been created on this PC will be able to access shared files and printers.

When you enable the option Media sharing

Network and Sharing Center select link. After this a window will open Net

Net on the desktop.

To create a new wireless network connection profile, you first need to either configure the wireless adapter to automatically obtain IP addresses, or register all IP addresses manually.

To configure the wireless adapter, select the item in the window on the taskbar Adapter properties and pressing the button Properties

After setting up your wireless network adapter, you can begin creating a new wireless connection profile. To do this in the window Wireless Network Management Add

• create a network profile manually;

When you select this option, a window will open with a list of all detected wireless networks (Fig. 12). By selecting an unsecured wireless network from this list, that is, a network that does not use authentication and data encryption protocols, and clicking on the Connect, you can connect to this wireless network. After successfully connecting to the selected wireless network, you will be prompted to save the settings of this network, that is, create a wireless connection profile for a specific network. If you plan to connect to the selected wireless network multiple times, then it is advisable to save the connection profile, but if you connect to the network once, there is no need to create its profile. If the option to save connection parameters is selected, then in the window Wireless Network Management

Rice. 13. Profile setup

No authentication

In the window Wireless Network Management Rename

Properties. This will open a window Network Security Properties. On the tab Connection Safety

Network and Sharing Center select link

• Internet connection;
• connection to the workplace.

Option Internet connection

Selecting an option launches the router (access point) setup wizard. Naturally, to launch this wizard, the computer must be connected to the router (access point). The setup wizard offers two configuration methods: it allows you to either open the web interface of the router (access point) and then manually configure the device, or first create all the settings for a secure wireless network (network profile) and save them to a flash drive with the possibility of later transferring them to the router and other computers. However, for this, the router (access point) must support configuration from flash media.

Select an option Connecting to a wireless network manually

Option - computer"

Option Internet connection

Option Connection to the workplace

As even blacks in Zimbabwe know, a home network consists of several computers connected to each other via Ethernet or Wi-Fi channels. In this case, all computers are connected to switches, routers or access points, which, in turn, are connected to other switches, to which other computers on the local network will connect. Thanks to this scheme, it is possible to create home networks that include tens of thousands of computers. This article explains how you can configure your Windows Vista computer to work on your home local network.

The information presented will be useful for working not only with official home networks that offer paid access to the Internet, but also with those small home networks that are created in families with several computers.

Setting up network equipment in Windows Vista couldn't be easier. Most of the work is done in the window , to open which select the command Start>Control Panel Network and Internet and then on the link . As a result, the window shown below will open.

This center is the main tool for working with the local network and Internet connection. At the very top of the window is a network map that shows how your computer is connected to the local network and the Internet. The main tasks of configuring network parameters are performed by selecting the appropriate command in the left panel of the window. As you can see, there are quite a few commands in this panel, and we will look at some of them next.

Click on the link to view a list of all computers that are members of the same workgroup. If one of your computers is configured to share video or audio files, an icon will appear in this window. Clicking on each computer icon will allow you to view a list of shared resources, including files and folders located on those computers. To access these resources, you must have the appropriate permissions.

Now go back out the window Connect to the network. As a result, a window will open containing a list of all networks detected by the computer, including Wi-Fi wireless networks. Just double-click on any connection icon to connect to the selected network (unless, of course, the network is secure or you have the necessary access rights). To update the list of detected networks, click the Refresh button in the upper right part of the window. This window will be very useful to all owners of laptops who like to walk around the city with them. How to find out if there is any Wi-Fi network in the near or far radius from the laptop that you can connect to? Open the window Connect to the network and you will get a list of all wireless networks detected by your laptop's wireless adapter.

Return to the main window again , then click on the link . As a result, a window that is already familiar to us will open, in which you can configure access to the Internet both via a dial-up connection and via a broadband network.

Let's take a closer look at what Internet connection options are presented in the window shown above.

• Internet connection. If your computer was unable to connect to the Internet automatically, this is the link you will need. With its help, you can set up a broadband connection, a connection via a Wi-Fi wireless network, or via a regular dial-up modem. How to do this was already discussed earlier in this chapter.
• Setting up wireless routers and access points. A home network often uses routers and access points, thanks to which all computers on the local network have access to the Internet. This link will help you set up your newly purchased router, but keep in mind that you will likely get the best results using the setup program that came with your router or access point.
• Setting up a telephone connection. This link will help you set up a dial-up connection to the Internet via a telephone line and modem.
• Connection to the workplace. This link will help you set up VPN access to a remote network. This is how Internet access is often configured in large commercial home networks.

Returning to the main window , click on the link . This window will display icons for absolutely all of your computer's connections, for example, an icon for Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections. By double-clicking on the icon, you will open the properties window for this connection, in which you can not only view various properties of the connection, but also configure the network connection settings.

By clicking on the button in the window shown above Intelligence, you can view detailed information about the connection, such as its IP address, IP lease time, subnet mask, default gateway IP address, etc. These settings will help you configure your network adapter or router. In turn, clicking on the button Properties will allow you to configure the parameters of the TCP/IP protocol set, in particular, manually specify the IP address and subnet mask for your computer. After clicking the button Disable the network connection will be closed and you will be left without Internet access (unless you have a backup connection). Finally, if you have any problems with your Internet connection, click on the button Diagnostics. In this case, Windows Vista will try to detect the source of the problem and offer solutions.

By the way, to carry out diagnostics you can also click on the link Diagnostics and recovery located on the left panel of the window . The network connection diagnostic program is a wonderful Windows Vista tool that will automatically perform for you some actions hitherto known only to system administrators. For example, it will renew the DHCP address lease, restore the network connection, disable or enable the network adapter if necessary, etc.

In this case, a window with diagnostic results may appear on the screen, in which various recommendations will be offered to solve the problem. Often, the diagnostic tool will independently solve your network connection problems.

Now pay attention to the link View full map, located in the upper right corner of the screen, immediately below the inscription . Click this link to have Windows Vista create a map of your home network, including all connections to other computers on the network. Unfortunately, the best results will be achieved if Windows Vista is installed on all computers on the local network. Otherwise, the network map will be incomplete, although all network devices will be listed in it.

Now let's go back out the window and turn our attention to the parameters located immediately below the mini-map of your network connection on the right side of the window. If you click on the link Settings located to the right of the icon Net, you will be able to select the type of network location for your computer. The choice of type depends on where and in what capacity your computer is used.

There are only two types of accommodation. For each placement type, you can choose a custom icon or use the default icon provided by Windows Vista.

• Public. When connected to a public network, such as a public Wi-Fi network in a cafe or airport, Windows Vista will try to protect the computer (particularly a laptop) as much as possible from possible outside intrusion.
• Private. Private hosting is ideal for a home or office network because it makes the computer more accessible to other computers on the network with which it can easily exchange data.

Now pay attention to the field Sharing and network discovery. As you can see, it lists quite a few network functions, each of which has certain features. Let's take a closer look at them.

• Network discovery. Activate this feature to make your computer visible to other computers on the network.
• File sharing. This function will allow you to set up file sharing.
• Sharing access to public folders. Set up sharing of public folders such as folder Are common in folder Users on drive C.
• Using Shared Printers. Set up access to the printer connected to your computer for other computers on the local network.
• Password protected sharing. Enable this feature to require a user name and password to access shared resources and devices on your computer. If this function is turned off, free access to resources will be open to everyone.
• Media sharing. Enable this feature and then tell Windows Media Player 11 which media files (audio and video) you want to share.

To see what folders and files are shared on your computer, click the link Show all files and folders on this computer that are shared located at the very bottom of the window .

Sergey Pakhomov

When you start working with the new Windows Vista operating system, the problem of setting up network connections arises. The difficulty is that, having gotten used to the interface of the Windows XP operating system, it is not possible to quickly switch to the new interface offered by Windows Vista. In general, the first impression of the Network and Sharing Center (this is the name of the network connection settings dialog box in Windows Vista) is by no means unambiguous. It seems that, wanting to simplify everything as much as possible, the developers left the entire setup process to the appropriate Network Connection Setup Wizard. But it looks like they overdid it, and as a result, things only got more complicated. Gone is the transparency and simplicity that was inherent in Windows XP, and instead we have a lot of dialog boxes that are easy to get confused in. But Windows Vista provides tools that increase the security and reliability of network connections, which, of course, is its undoubted advantage.
In this article we will look in detail at all the nuances of creating network connections using the example of the Russian version of Windows Vista Ultimate (32 bit) (build 6.0.6000).

In the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, all network connection settings are made in the window. To access it, click on the desktop icon Net right-click and in the context menu that opens, select Properties(Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Accessing the Network and Sharing Center window

As a result, a window will open Network and Sharing Center(Fig. 2), on the right side of which the status and properties of the computer’s connection to the Internet and local network are displayed, and on the left side there is a taskbar with links to other dialog boxes related to settings, management, viewing and diagnostics of network connections.

Rice. 2. Network and Sharing Center window

First, let's look at connecting a computer running Windows Vista to a local network using a wired interface, that is, connecting via an Ethernet network.

Until the necessary settings have been made on the computer's network controller to connect it to the local network, Shared Network Center The connection status of the computer will be displayed as No connection or as a connection to Unidentified network.

To include a computer in a local network, you first need to find out whether it uses a DHCP server or whether each computer on the network is allocated a static IP address. However, the second option is quite rare - as a rule, it is used at home, when two or three computers are connected to a network. But even if the home network is built on the basis of a router with Internet access, the router itself is often used as a DHCP server, which necessarily has a built-in DHCP server. In the case of corporate networks with dozens or more computers, the standard solution is to use a DHCP server.

A DHCP server allows all computers on a local network to obtain IP addresses automatically from a predefined range of IP addresses. Actually, in this case, no specific settings are required on the network controller. With default settings, the network controller will try to obtain all network addresses (its own IP address, default gateway IP address, DNS server IP address) automatically.

In order to configure the computer’s network controller to automatically obtain IP addresses or to set IP addresses manually, you need to use the window Network and Sharing Center on the taskbar click on the link Managing network connections. In the window that opens Network connections(Fig. 3) select the network interface we need (if there are several of them) and, right-clicking on it, select the item in the context menu Properties.

Rice. 3. Network connections window

This will open the network connection properties dialog box ( LAN connection-properties) (Fig. 4), which is practically no different from a similar window in the Windows XP operating system.

Rice. 4. Network Connection Properties Dialog Box

Going to the item, click on the button Properties, after which the well-known (for those who have experience setting up network connections in Windows XP) TCP/IPv4 protocol properties window should open. It sets the IP addresses of the network controller, default gateway and DNS server.

If a DHCP server is used on the local network, then in the TCP/IPv4 protocol properties window you must check the box Obtain an IP address automatically and point Obtain DNS server address automatically. (Fig. 5). These network controller settings are used by default.

Rice. 5. Configuring the TCP/IPv4 protocol

If you need to connect to a local network that does not use a DHCP server, you must manually assign the computer an IP address and set a subnet mask. Naturally, the assigned IP address must be from the same subnet as all other addresses of computers on this local network. In addition, if the local network has a router with Internet access, then to gain access to the Network you must also specify the IP address of the main gateway (IP address of the router with Internet access).

After setting up the computer’s network interface, it will be connected to the local network and in the window Network and Sharing Center The connection status will be displayed with the name of the network to which the PC is connected. For example, if the computer is connected to a network domain, then the name of the network domain will be displayed as the network name (Fig. 6).

Rice. 6. Network and Sharing Center window
and general access with status display
connecting to a network domain

After connecting the computer to the local network in the window Network and Sharing Center You can make additional network connection settings.

To do this, select the link on the taskbar Settings next to the local network name. In the window that opens Setting up network location(Fig. 7) you can specify the name of the created network connection (for example, HOME LAN), select an icon for this connection and the type of network location ( Public or Private). As for the home network, it is better to set the placement type Private, because this will allow your computer to discover other computers and devices on the local network and make it possible for them to discover your computer. For a public network (for example, if we are talking about a wireless hotspot), it is better to use the placement type Public. In this case, the detection of computers on the network will be limited, as well as the use of the network by some programs.

Rice. 7. Setting network parameters

After the network parameters are configured, in the window Network and Sharing Center you can view the full network map by clicking on the link View full map. It should be noted that the correct network structure is displayed only in the simplest cases, and if the local network is more or less complex, then you cannot expect it to be displayed correctly. For example, in our case, we used a home local network consisting of three computers and two wireless routers operating in wireless distributed network (WDS) mode and, accordingly, connected to each other via a wireless interface. A laptop and a computer were connected wirelessly to one router, and another computer was connected to the other via a wired interface. A diagram of such a network is shown in Fig. 8.

Rice. 8. View a complete local network map

As you can see, the Network and Sharing Center does not display the network diagram correctly. First, the wireless router appears as a wireless access point and its associated switch, rather than as a single device. The second wireless router is generally shown as a switch, and the wireless link between the two routers is defined as a wired link between the two switches. Therefore, you should not trust the displayed network diagram. At the same time, we note that the created network map allows you to quickly view the IP and MAC addresses of all computers and network devices that are part of the local network. To do this, just move the mouse pointer over the icon with the image of a computer or network device, and the IP and MAC addresses of the network adapter (network device) will be displayed in a tooltip.

In addition to the ability to set the local network location type ( Private or Public), in the Network and Sharing Center window, you can more precisely configure all the settings for your computer’s access to the network, as well as the settings for accessing your computer from the local network. Thus, it is possible to control (turn on and off) the following access parameters:

• network discovery;
• file sharing;
• sharing access to public folders;
• use of shared printers;
• shared access with password protection;
• sharing media files.

Access parameter Network discovery determines whether a given computer will be visible to other networked computers and devices and whether, in turn, this computer will be visible to other networked computers.

Parameter File sharing Determines whether files and printers that are shared on your computer can be accessed by other network users.

Parameter Sharing public folders determines whether network users can access files located in the shared folder. However, you can enable sharing of shared folders so that network users can open, edit, and create files in shared folders on a given computer, or only open them for reading.

Parameter Using Shared Printers determines whether printers connected to this PC can be used by other network users.

When you enable the option Password protected sharing Only those users for whom accounts and passwords have been created on this PC will be able to access shared files and printers.

When you enable the option Media sharing network users will have access to music files, images and videos stored on this PC, and the computer itself will search for shared files of this type on the network.

After the computer is included in the local network, the Network and Sharing Center allows you to quickly access the local network browser. To do this, just go to the taskbar in the window Network and Sharing Center select link View computers and devices. After this a window will open Net(Fig. 9), which will display all computers on the local network and network devices. By clicking on any of these computers (devices), you can access it if allowed by the security policy.

Rice. 9. View computers that are part of the local network

Note that you can also access the network browser by left-clicking on the icon Net on the desktop.

The next feature provided by the Network and Sharing Center is the ability to select the local network to which you want to connect. It is important when there are several wireless local networks.

To set up wireless connections, the Network and Sharing Center offers a special wireless connection setup wizard. To configure wireless connections from the taskbar in Network and Sharing Center you must select a link. After this, a window of the same name will open (Fig. 10), in which you can create a new profile (or edit an already created one) for connecting to a wireless network.

Rice. 10. Manage wireless networks window

To create a new wireless network connection profile, you first need to either configure the wireless adapter to automatically obtain IP addresses, or register all IP addresses manually.

To configure the wireless adapter, select in the window Wireless Network Management item on the taskbar Adapter properties. This will open the already familiar settings window for the wireless network adapter. Going to point Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and pressing the button Properties, we get to a standard window in which you can set the IP address of the wireless network adapter, subnet mask, IP address of the default gateway, as well as the IP addresses of the primary and secondary DNS servers.

If we are talking about a public wireless network such as a hotspot, you need to configure the wireless network adapter to automatically obtain all IP addresses (this is the default setting). For a home network based on a wireless access point or wireless router, you may need to register IP addresses manually.

After setting up your wireless network adapter, you can begin creating a new wireless connection profile. To do this in the window Wireless Network Management on the taskbar, select Add. After this, a dialog box will open (Fig. 11), offering three options for creating a wireless connection profile:

• add a network within the coverage area of ​​this computer;
• create a network profile manually;
• create a computer-to-computer network

Rice. 11. Options for creating a wireless connection profile

If a wireless access point or wireless router is active and the computer is within range of an unsecured wireless network, it is advisable to use the option Add a network within the range of this computer.When you select this option, a window will open with a list of all detected wireless networks (Fig. 12). By selecting an unsecured wireless network from this list, that is, a network that does not use authentication and data encryption protocols, and clicking on the Connect, you can connect to this wireless network. After successfully connecting to the selected wireless network, you will be prompted to save the settings of this network, that is, create a wireless connection profile for a specific network. If you plan to connect to the selected wireless network multiple times, then it is advisable to save the connection profile, but if you connect to the network once, there is no need to create its profile. If the option to save connection parameters is selected, then in the window Wireless Network Management a new wireless network connection profile will be added.

Rice. 12. Window with a list of wireless networks,
within the coverage area of ​​which the computer is located

If you plan to create a connection profile for a secure wireless network, then in the dialog box Connecting to a wireless network manually you need to select a connection option Create a network profile manually. When you select this option, a dialog box will open in which you must specify the network name, security type, and encryption key. In addition, in the same window you can specify options such as the ability to automatically connect to this network (Fig. 13).

Rice. 13. Profile setup
wireless connection when connected to a secure network

It should be noted that in the current implementation of Windows Vista, the wireless connection setup wizard when connecting to a secure wireless network does not work quite correctly (what to do - there are still a lot of “glitches” in Vista!). Therefore, do not be surprised that after creating a wireless network profile using the method described above, you will not be able to connect to it - the profile must first be edited. For example, if you are connecting to a secure network that uses WEP encryption, then when you set the security type to WEP and enter the security key in the created profile, WEP encryption will be used, but without user authentication (security type - No authentication(open)). In addition, the specified network name will also serve as the SSID. Naturally, these settings may not allow you to connect to a secure network, and therefore the first thing we do is fix the “glitches”.

In the window Wireless Network Management select the added profile and right-click on it. To change the network name (but not the network SSID), select the item in the context menu Rename(Fig. 14). This will allow you to enter a new network name that is different from the network SSID.

Rice. 14. Renaming the wireless network

Then right-click on the added profile again and select the item in the context menu Properties. This will open a window Network Security Properties. On the tab Connection you can specify the method of connecting to the network, and on the tab Safety- security type (authentication method), encryption type and enter the encryption key (Fig. 15). It is on this tab that you can fix Microsoft errors. Specify the required security type (authentication method), encryption type, and re-enter the encryption key. Only after this the created profile will allow you to connect to a secure wireless network.

Rice. 15. Configuring the authentication method
and type of encryption on the wireless network

Another useful feature provided by the Network and Sharing Center is the ability to launch the New Connection Wizard. To launch this wizard from the taskbar in a window Network and Sharing Center select link Establishing a connection or network. This will open a window of the same name (Fig. 16), which will offer several options for creating connections or network settings:

• Internet connection;
• setting up wireless routers and access points;
• connecting to a wireless network manually;
• setting up a wireless computer-to-computer network;
• setting up a telephone connection;
• connection to the workplace.

Rice. 16. Window Setting up a connection or network

Option Internet connection allows you to set up a wireless, high-speed (using the PPPoE protocol) or telephone (using an analog modem or ISDN) connection to the Internet (Fig. 17).

Rice. 17. Dialog box Connect to the Internet

Select an option Setting up wireless routers and access points launches the router (access point) setup wizard. Naturally, to launch this wizard, the computer must be connected to the router (access point). The setup wizard offers two configuration methods: it allows you to either open the web interface of the router (access point) and then manually configure the device, or first create all the settings for a secure wireless network (network profile) and save them to a flash drive with the possibility of later transferring them to the router and other computers. However, for this, the router (access point) must support configuration from flash media.

Select an option Connecting to a wireless network manually leads to the launch of the already familiar Wireless Network Setup Wizard.

Option Setting up a wireless network "computer"-computer" allows you to set up a wireless network in Ad-Hoc mode, that is, in the mode of interaction of two computers with each other directly, without using an access point.

Option Setting up a telephone connection designed for setting up an Internet connection using an analog modem. This option duplicates the wizard that runs in the option Internet connection when choosing a telephone connection method.

Option Connection to the workplace allows you to set up a VPN connection to the Internet.

It would seem that such a simple action as connecting Wi-Fi on a Windows Vista laptop cannot cause any problems or troubles. But only those who have not dealt with this operating system can think so.

What are the disadvantages of Windows Vista

Between the two most iconic versions of Microsoft's operating system, Windows Vista was released. This was a time when XP had already begun to become obsolete, but had not yet lost its position, and the “seven” was still only in theory, and even then not in its best form. It would seem how you can fail if all you need to create an operating system that is brilliant in simplicity and convenience is to collect the best from the already iconic XP, improve it a little, then make a new graphical interface, prudently add new functions and optimize. But it was not there…

The company's management decided to rely not on a proven scheme based on the simplicity and ease of operation of the system by the user, but on its long-standing dream of reducing the user's sphere of influence and maximizing the share of automation. Anyone who has ever tried to comfortably work with this OS understands what we are talking about, since he had to constantly be distracted by unnecessary pop-up windows, distribution of access levels to various applications and the all-consuming attempts of the operating system to tell the user what he should do, and what should be avoided.

What can I say, if at the start of sales, just to set up Wi-Fi in Vista, you had to set the local network parameters. Fortunately, as soon as this bug was identified, the developers immediately released a patch that fixed it. But even now you can find laptops that were running Windows Vista at the start of sales and where the image of the original system still has this kind of problem.

Even apart from the general instability of the system, almost everything else was also implemented with low quality, right down to the color scheme chosen by the developers and the notorious Aero.

Wireless technologies

Although the “Wireless Network Setup Wizard” was implemented in the second Service Pack for Windows XP, there is no such service in Vista. Of course, it was added later, but, like its ease of use, its practicality in general was very, very overestimated by the developers.

The stability of Wi-Fi not only left much to be desired: the functionality of this function was simply arbitrary. Here are just some of the frequently encountered problems:

• Some equipment may simply be incompatible with the system or may be partially compatible. In the second case, the OS will see it, but all attempts to use it will be unsuccessful.
• The system may refuse to work with a particular driver, even if this hardware and drivers work perfectly on Windows 7 and XP.
• When using a USB-Wi-Fi adapter, you will need to know exactly whether this particular model and this sample with Vista are supported or not. This is due to changes in USB standards in general towards greater system control and stricter implementation. If the system doesn’t like the gadget, the OS will refuse to accept it.
• Sometimes you may need to manually enter parameters such as IP address, DNS server and subnet mask, even if they are provided automatically by your provider. And here there are several options: changing the provider to one that Vista will approve; giving up Wi-Fi or upgrading to a previous or newer version of Windows.

To summarize: this is Vista, which means anything can happen.

Wi-Fi setup algorithm

Open the “Network and Sharing Center” in any convenient way. The simplest and most convenient method is to find the network icon in the notification area and right-click on it, thereby calling up the context menu.

Now on the left side of the window that opens you need to find “Manage wireless networks” and select it.

In the middle part of the window displayed, you will need to select the “Add” item.

The “Wizard” will launch, offering you to choose one of two modes: permanent, with manual input of parameters, and temporary, for a one-time computer-to-computer connection. We are interested in the constant mode with filling out the Wi-Fi profile.

Sergey Pakhomov

When you start working with the new Windows Vista operating system, the problem of setting up network connections arises. The difficulty is that, having gotten used to the interface of the Windows XP operating system, it is not possible to quickly switch to the new interface offered by Windows Vista. In general, the first impression of the Network and Sharing Center (this is the name of the network connection settings dialog box in Windows Vista) is by no means unambiguous. It seems that, wanting to simplify everything as much as possible, the developers left the entire setup process to the appropriate Network Connection Setup Wizard. But it looks like they overdid it, and as a result, things only got more complicated. Gone is the transparency and simplicity that was inherent in Windows XP, and instead we have a lot of dialog boxes that are easy to get confused in. But Windows Vista provides tools that increase the security and reliability of network connections, which, of course, is its undoubted advantage.
In this article we will look in detail at all the nuances of creating network connections using the example of the Russian version of Windows Vista Ultimate (32 bit) (build 6.0.6000).

In the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system, all network connection settings are made in the window. To access it, click on the desktop icon Net right-click and in the context menu that opens, select Properties(Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Accessing the Network and Sharing Center window

As a result, a window will open Network and Sharing Center(Fig. 2), on the right side of which the status and properties of the computer’s connection to the Internet and local network are displayed, and on the left side there is a taskbar with links to other dialog boxes related to settings, management, viewing and diagnostics of network connections.

Rice. 2. Network and Sharing Center window

First, let's look at connecting a computer running Windows Vista to a local network using a wired interface, that is, connecting via an Ethernet network.

Until the necessary settings have been made on the computer's network controller to connect it to the local network, Shared Network Center The connection status of the computer will be displayed as No connection or as a connection to Unidentified network.

To include a computer in a local network, you first need to find out whether it uses a DHCP server or whether each computer on the network is allocated a static IP address. However, the second option is quite rare - as a rule, it is used at home, when two or three computers are connected to a network. But even if the home network is built on the basis of a router with Internet access, the router itself is often used as a DHCP server, which necessarily has a built-in DHCP server. In the case of corporate networks with dozens or more computers, the standard solution is to use a DHCP server.

A DHCP server allows all computers on a local network to obtain IP addresses automatically from a predefined range of IP addresses. Actually, in this case, no specific settings are required on the network controller. With default settings, the network controller will try to obtain all network addresses (its own IP address, default gateway IP address, DNS server IP address) automatically.

In order to configure the computer’s network controller to automatically obtain IP addresses or to set IP addresses manually, you need to use the window Network and Sharing Center on the taskbar click on the link Managing network connections. In the window that opens Network connections(Fig. 3) select the network interface we need (if there are several of them) and, right-clicking on it, select the item in the context menu Properties.

Rice. 3. Network connections window

This will open the network connection properties dialog box ( LAN connection-properties) (Fig. 4), which is practically no different from a similar window in the Windows XP operating system.

Rice. 4. Network Connection Properties Dialog Box

Going to the item, click on the button Properties, after which the well-known (for those who have experience setting up network connections in Windows XP) TCP/IPv4 protocol properties window should open. It sets the IP addresses of the network controller, default gateway and DNS server.

If a DHCP server is used on the local network, then in the TCP/IPv4 protocol properties window you must check the box Obtain an IP address automatically and point Obtain DNS server address automatically. (Fig. 5). These network controller settings are used by default.

Rice. 5. Configuring the TCP/IPv4 protocol

If you need to connect to a local network that does not use a DHCP server, you must manually assign the computer an IP address and set a subnet mask. Naturally, the assigned IP address must be from the same subnet as all other addresses of computers on this local network. In addition, if the local network has a router with Internet access, then to gain access to the Network you must also specify the IP address of the main gateway (IP address of the router with Internet access).

After setting up the computer’s network interface, it will be connected to the local network and in the window Network and Sharing Center The connection status will be displayed with the name of the network to which the PC is connected. For example, if the computer is connected to a network domain, then the name of the network domain will be displayed as the network name (Fig. 6).

Rice. 6. Network and Sharing Center window
and general access with status display
connecting to a network domain

After connecting the computer to the local network in the window Network and Sharing Center You can make additional network connection settings.

To do this, select the link on the taskbar Settings next to the local network name. In the window that opens Setting up network location(Fig. 7) you can specify the name of the created network connection (for example, HOME LAN), select an icon for this connection and the type of network location ( Public or Private). As for the home network, it is better to set the placement type Private, because this will allow your computer to discover other computers and devices on the local network and make it possible for them to discover your computer. For a public network (for example, if we are talking about a wireless hotspot), it is better to use the placement type Public. In this case, the detection of computers on the network will be limited, as well as the use of the network by some programs.

Rice. 7. Setting network parameters

After the network parameters are configured, in the window Network and Sharing Center you can view the full network map by clicking on the link View full map. It should be noted that the correct network structure is displayed only in the simplest cases, and if the local network is more or less complex, then you cannot expect it to be displayed correctly. For example, in our case, we used a home local network consisting of three computers and two wireless routers operating in wireless distributed network (WDS) mode and, accordingly, connected to each other via a wireless interface. A laptop and a computer were connected wirelessly to one router, and another computer was connected to the other via a wired interface. A diagram of such a network is shown in Fig. 8.

Rice. 8. View a complete local network map

As you can see, the Network and Sharing Center does not display the network diagram correctly. First, the wireless router appears as a wireless access point and its associated switch, rather than as a single device. The second wireless router is generally shown as a switch, and the wireless link between the two routers is defined as a wired link between the two switches. Therefore, you should not trust the displayed network diagram. At the same time, we note that the created network map allows you to quickly view the IP and MAC addresses of all computers and network devices that are part of the local network. To do this, just move the mouse pointer over the icon with the image of a computer or network device, and the IP and MAC addresses of the network adapter (network device) will be displayed in a tooltip.

In addition to the ability to set the local network location type ( Private or Public), in the Network and Sharing Center window, you can more precisely configure all the settings for your computer’s access to the network, as well as the settings for accessing your computer from the local network. Thus, it is possible to control (turn on and off) the following access parameters:

• network discovery;
• file sharing;
• sharing access to public folders;
• use of shared printers;
• shared access with password protection;
• sharing media files.

Access parameter Network discovery determines whether a given computer will be visible to other networked computers and devices and whether, in turn, this computer will be visible to other networked computers.

Parameter File sharing Determines whether files and printers that are shared on your computer can be accessed by other network users.

Parameter Sharing public folders determines whether network users can access files located in the shared folder. However, you can enable sharing of shared folders so that network users can open, edit, and create files in shared folders on a given computer, or only open them for reading.

Parameter Using Shared Printers determines whether printers connected to this PC can be used by other network users.

When you enable the option Password protected sharing Only those users for whom accounts and passwords have been created on this PC will be able to access shared files and printers.

When you enable the option Media sharing network users will have access to music files, images and videos stored on this PC, and the computer itself will search for shared files of this type on the network.

After the computer is included in the local network, the Network and Sharing Center allows you to quickly access the local network browser. To do this, just go to the taskbar in the window Network and Sharing Center select link View computers and devices. After this a window will open Net(Fig. 9), which will display all computers on the local network and network devices. By clicking on any of these computers (devices), you can access it if allowed by the security policy.

Rice. 9. View computers that are part of the local network

Note that you can also access the network browser by left-clicking on the icon Net on the desktop.

The next feature provided by the Network and Sharing Center is the ability to select the local network to which you want to connect. It is important when there are several wireless local networks.

To set up wireless connections, the Network and Sharing Center offers a special wireless connection setup wizard. To configure wireless connections from the taskbar in Network and Sharing Center link must be selected. After this, a window of the same name will open (Fig. 10), in which you can create a new profile (or edit an already created one) for connecting to a wireless network.

Rice. 10. Manage wireless networks window

To create a new wireless network connection profile, you first need to either configure the wireless adapter to automatically obtain IP addresses, or register all IP addresses manually.

To configure the wireless adapter, select in the window Wireless Network Management item on the taskbar Adapter properties. This will open the already familiar settings window for the wireless network adapter. Going to point Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and pressing the button Properties, we get to a standard window in which you can set the IP address of the wireless network adapter, subnet mask, IP address of the default gateway, as well as the IP addresses of the primary and secondary DNS servers.

If we are talking about a public wireless network such as a hotspot, you need to configure the wireless network adapter to automatically obtain all IP addresses (this is the default setting). For a home network based on a wireless access point or wireless router, you may need to register IP addresses manually.

After setting up your wireless network adapter, you can begin creating a new wireless connection profile. To do this in the window Wireless Network Management on the taskbar, select Add. After this, a dialog box will open (Fig. 11), offering three options for creating a wireless connection profile:

• add a network within the coverage area of ​​this computer;
• create a network profile manually;
• create a computer-to-computer network

Rice. 11. Options for creating a wireless connection profile

If a wireless access point or wireless router is active and the computer is within range of an unsecured wireless network, it is advisable to use the option Add a network within the range of this computer.When you select this option, a window will open with a list of all detected wireless networks (Fig. 12). By selecting an unsecured wireless network from this list, that is, a network that does not use authentication and data encryption protocols, and clicking on the Connect, you can connect to this wireless network. After successfully connecting to the selected wireless network, you will be prompted to save the settings of this network, that is, create a wireless connection profile for a specific network. If you plan to connect to the selected wireless network multiple times, then it is advisable to save the connection profile, but if you connect to the network once, there is no need to create its profile. If the option to save connection parameters is selected, then in the window Wireless Network Management a new wireless network connection profile will be added.

Rice. 12. Window with a list of wireless networks,
within the coverage area of ​​which the computer is located

If you plan to create a connection profile for a secure wireless network, then in the dialog box Connecting to a wireless network manually you need to select a connection option Create a network profile manually. When you select this option, a dialog box will open in which you must specify the network name, security type, and encryption key. In addition, in the same window you can specify options such as the ability to automatically connect to this network (Fig. 13).

Rice. 13. Profile setup
wireless connection when connected to a secure network

It should be noted that in the current implementation of Windows Vista, the wireless connection setup wizard when connecting to a secure wireless network does not work quite correctly (what to do - there are still a lot of “glitches” in Vista!). Therefore, do not be surprised that after creating a wireless network profile using the method described above, you will not be able to connect to it - the profile must first be edited. For example, if you are connecting to a secure network that uses WEP encryption, then when you set the security type to WEP and enter the security key in the created profile, WEP encryption will be used, but without user authentication (security type - No authentication(open)). In addition, the specified network name will also serve as the SSID. Naturally, these settings may not allow you to connect to a secure network, and therefore the first thing we do is fix the “glitches”.

In the window Wireless Network Management select the added profile and right-click on it. To change the network name (but not the network SSID), select the item in the context menu Rename(Fig. 14). This will allow you to enter a new network name that is different from the network SSID.

Rice. 14. Renaming the wireless network

Then right-click on the added profile again and select the item in the context menu Properties. This will open a window Network Security Properties. On the tab Connection you can specify the method of connecting to the network, and on the tab Safety- security type (authentication method), encryption type and enter the encryption key (Fig. 15). It is on this tab that you can fix Microsoft errors. Specify the required security type (authentication method), encryption type, and re-enter the encryption key. Only after this the created profile will allow you to connect to a secure wireless network.

Rice. 15. Configuring the authentication method
and type of encryption on the wireless network

Another useful feature provided by the Network and Sharing Center is the ability to launch the New Connection Wizard. To launch this wizard from the taskbar in a window Network and Sharing Center select link Establishing a connection or network. This will open a window of the same name (Fig. 16), which will offer several options for creating connections or network settings:

• Internet connection;
• setting up wireless routers and access points;
• connecting to a wireless network manually;
• setting up a wireless computer-to-computer network;
• setting up a telephone connection;
• connection to the workplace.

Rice. 16. Window Setting up a connection or network

Option Internet connection allows you to set up a wireless, high-speed (using the PPPoE protocol) or telephone (using an analog modem or ISDN) connection to the Internet (Fig. 17).

Rice. 17. Dialog box Connect to the Internet

Select an option Setting up wireless routers and access points launches the router (access point) setup wizard. Naturally, to launch this wizard, the computer must be connected to the router (access point). The setup wizard offers two configuration methods: it allows you to either open the web interface of the router (access point) and then manually configure the device, or first create all the settings for a secure wireless network (network profile) and save them to a flash drive with the possibility of later transferring them to the router and other computers. However, for this, the router (access point) must support configuration from flash media.

Select an option Connecting to a wireless network manually leads to the launch of the already familiar Wireless Network Setup Wizard.

Option Setting up a wireless network "computer"-computer" allows you to set up a wireless network in Ad-Hoc mode, that is, in the mode of interaction of two computers with each other directly, without using an access point.

Option Setting up a telephone connection designed for setting up an Internet connection using an analog modem. This option duplicates the wizard that runs in the option Internet connection when choosing a telephone connection method.

Option Connection to the workplace allows you to set up a VPN connection to the Internet.