new to wireless and confused

I have a wireless connection on my Thinkpad portable and am using Windows XP Pro, SP2, to manage my wireless connections. I am using WPA security.

When I go out to a cafe, I use Windows to search for an unsecured connection and it usually finds at least one. I try to connect and most of the time I succeed and at other times, it is trying to acquire a network connection forever.

In either case, I notice that windows then adds this connection to the list of preferred connections.

When I come home, I cannot connect to my own network. First I have to go into the preferred list and take out the network(s) that have been added at the cafe.

But the biggest problem is that after I do connect to my network, I have to enter my WPA password all over again - which is a little tedious to say the least.

Essentially, it seems that every time I connect to another wireless network, I have to re-enter my WPA password to connect to my own network.

Is there a way to resolve this more efficiently? Any way to keep my WPA password so that it automatically registers when I connect to my network?

TIA

Louise

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louise
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Instead of deleting the others, make sure that your own network is the first choice.

This shouldn't happen - again, make sure that your home network is top choice on the preferred networks list. Mark McIntyre

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Mark McIntyre

I don't see a way to control which becomes "first choice". When windows connects to a network I pick up in a cafe, it makes it "automatic" just like my own network is. I seem to end up with 2 or 3 "automatic" and then, of course, it doesn't work right.

Am I doing something wrong when I try to connect to another network - is there a way to do it without its becoming "automatic"?

Would Netstumbler help? I used to use it with my old laptop, pre - SP2, to find networks.

TIA

Louise

Reply to
louise

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