How to Connect a Laptop to the Internet

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name's Dave Andrews. Today I'm going to talk to you about connecting a laptop to the Internet. Now there's a couple ways that we can do that. Number one is, if you're at home, you have a router device that's capable of splitting your network connection into two separate points of connection. Now you'll need a cable for that, and you'll basically run that cable to where you're going to be sitting your laptop, and plug in your laptop. But, what you're probably going to want to do is connect your laptop wirelessly. So if you can see my computer here, I'm going to explain to you how to do that. You have to have a wireless access point in your Internet connection. They have those at, you know, wireless cafes, and they sell 'em at most computer stores for between thirty and fifty dollars. What we're going to do to connect, is if you can see this little flashing icon down here, it's told me that wireless networks are available. And it gives me a little listing of bars, kind of like you would see on your cell phone. So let's right click on that, and we're just going to select 'Connect to a Network.' Now this gives you a listing of all of the wireless networks that your device is currently able to see. I'm going to connect to this first one. Simply right click on it, and say 'Connect.' This is going out and contacting the wireless Internet device, and it's actually registering my computer with that device. That way that device can communicate with my computer, and get me onto the Internet. Now, in Vista, as you can down here, you have to have a little globe icon appearing, and if that globe icon is appearing, that's basically telling you that the network you're connected to is allowing you to access the Internet. And I can go to any web site, just as if I was on a desktop computer. My name's Dave Andrews, and I've just told you how to connect your laptop to the Internet."