How can I setup a password for my wireless network?

hi, I have set up a wireless network on my home. I have a desktop and a laptop.

I use a router to share my internet connetion.

I have two questions:

1) how do i set a password for my wireless connection so that other people does not get into my network without my permit

2) I want to use net meeting or web cam with my friends. But because the router only gives me a hidden IP. How do i set up a real IP for my two computers. I have called my ISP, they say that my account has two IP's available for me to use and that will detect it automatically. But it doesnt seem to detect it and i don't have real IP's for my computers when i am actually paying to have two IP's

Can you guys help me with this..? I would really appreciate it... Thx

This question was answered on June 9, 2005. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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First you need a physical network--network cards in each machine, cables or a wireless network connecting the PCs, and possibly a small hub With all that in place, adding Internet connection sharing (ICS in Windows 2000 lingo) is a breeze Windows has everything needed to put this into play.

At the Windows 2000 machine that is connected to the Internet, select Settings, Control Panel, then start the Network and Dial-Up Connections applet Right-click the Net connection you want to share and choose Properties Click the Sharing tab, then check the box "Enable Internet Connection Sharing for this connection." Also check the box "Enable on-demand dialing" so that when another computer on the network accesses the Internet, this PC automatically dials the modem You can leave this disabled if you're using an always-on digital subscriber line or cable modem connection to the Internet.

On the other PCs in the local-area network you need only verify that they can obtain an Internet Protocol address automatically This is the default setting for a network connection, but it never hurts to double check At every PC on the network, first locate the LAN connection by opening My Network Places (or in Windows 9x lingo, Network Neighborhood) Right-click the LAN connection and select Properties Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button Finally, in the General tab, check "Obtain an IP address automatically." Click OK.

You'll also need to reconfigure applications on the PCs that access the Internet To set up Internet Explorer to use the new shared connection on the LAN, select Tools, Internet Options/Tools, then click the Connections tab Check "Never dial a connection," then click the LAN Settings button near the bottom of the window Under the Automatic configuration section, make sure both boxes are clear; also clear the "Use a proxy server" box in the Proxy Server section Click OK.

Another step that is rather easy to do but critically important is changing the default password of your wireless network device Most manufactures use a default login ID such as "admin" and a password like "1234" or "admin" or may be blank Some of the devices don't actually use a user ID and only have a password But again, these default passwords are well known to anyone who can download the manual from the manufacturers website Passwords are a pet peeve of mine and are one of the most important pieces of setting up a secure network The steps to change the passwords on these devices are typically straight forward and performed through the browser connection to the wireless device Make sure the password you assign is complex, containing both letters and numbers such as "s3c41t3" and is kept secret

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Posted by Johnny of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on June 9, 2005

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