Cant connect to telstra wi-fi

[pravski]

Hi,

I realise this is an exetel forum, but telstra won't help me so I thought I'd post up here anyway:

I've got telstra internet with Home Wi-Fi, and telstra refuses to help me.
We've got 1 computer with the modem + 1 connected using a USB adapater.
We now have 1 more computer ( a windows VISTA laptop with a wireless card inbuilt).

We can't work out how to connect the laptop, and our SSID is hidden, so can someone please tell me how to connect the laptop?

Cheers

[JasonM]

The obvious answer to that is configure your wireless client on the laptop with the hidden SSID, and the correct channel, and security information such as the WPA or WEP key it is secured with.

[CoreyPlover]

You should be able to access the wireless router directly through a web interface (check your user manual how) so that you can configure the wireless access. In this web interface you should find the name of the SSID, the channel and the encryption. You can unhide the SSID and (temporarily) disable the encryption to make it easier to connect your laptop, etc(they will either connect automatically or you can hardcode the SSID and channel as JasonM says).

I am a little worried when you say you have one computer connected to the modem (ethernet?) and another via USB. Modems work much better if you avoid USB connections completely. To me, it sounds as if your network is a little messy and it will take time for Exetel staff and volunteers to sort out an issue that Telstra should really be responsible for.

The basic and preferred setup for ADSL modems, including Telstra ones, are:

• Connect one computer to the modem via an ethernet cable. This computer should be set to auto assigned IP and DNS addresses and not require any software to be installed.
• Using that computer, connect to the modem's web interface and configure the modem details (ADSL connection, wireless, etc)
• Connect as many more computers as you like to the modem via ethernet cables. Again, these should be auto assigned IP and DNS addresses and not require any software to be installed. They should gain internet access immediately once connected to the modem
• Connect as many more computers via wireless, using the SSID and encryption you have configured. Again, this will not require any additional software and they should gain internet access immediately once connected to the modem.

This method is MUCH preferred because each new computer needs no extra setup; just an autodetect setting and perhaps a few wireless details. USB connections are a pain because they require software to be installed to make the USB connection behave like an ethernet connection. They also usually involve installing an ADSL gateway that you have to double-click in order to force your modem to "dial-up" and connect. When you configure the modem directly via the web interface, you are telling the modem to remain connected (or automatically connect) and you get internet access at all times from all computers that are connected.

Ultimately, however, this is an Exetel support forum, not a Telstra one. You may get some advice from other users and volunteers, even Exetel staff. But I would suggest that you try Whirlpool. It is a general broadband forum, has a larger userbase and even has a Telstra section which may provide more tailored responses.