My card or router is rated for up to 300 ft or yds? can't remember which.
A lot of the signal strength depends on if it has to go thru walls, wall type, indoors or outdoors that sort of thing.

for winXP - using encryption settings-
In your network connection settings go to-
/properties/wireless networks/preferred networks/click any networks on the list and then/properties/you can set WEP {weakest} or WPA{mid} or WPS-PSK {higher} for encryption {depending on your card/setup}.

Or you can let a security software program handle this.

I live out in a rural setting so I don't have any other networks or hot spots other than our own computers to worry about.

We are going to check out Zone Alarm to start. ( we had this on our old unit) Our new DSL AT&T recommends it, and links to it for download, we just discovered. (we have the slower DSL for now).

That stickey, Southern Lady is really great! Thanks for making it for us.

Our DSL router came yesterday, and that has to be set up for the upstairs. We are staying off the wireless networks until we understand them better.
So Zone Alarm is going on the laptop this weekend.

My husband visited the AT & T website, and there are scads of free AT & T
WiFi hubs...just plug in your zip code... All McDonald's, and some Barnes/Nobles,coffee shops, etc. So here in the densely compacted city...we will have many choices. At my home here there are only two, so far. One secured and one open. The county free service should be up soon, it is covering 6 cities here as an experiment.

Thanks all!

That's great news/info. about AT&T, MrsD. .

I wish that there were more of a "choice" in my area, which is rural. I can't get broadband or DSL; the, only option for higher-speed was (a different provider) wireless broadband. The options? A lone one .

It's also great what your area is doing in establishing the Hot Spots.

Maybe, one day, some day, there will be less of a monopoly in my area .


Jo55 and Southernlady, thank you for all the info. you two post (and, I got nosey and checked out your blog, Southernlady... luv it!).

Thanks, Bobbi...Liz

We had to remove Zone Alarm...it was fighting with our router. It froze the computer...and when uninstalled, it then worked again. Our son set up the password at 16 characters...not likely to be cracked yet.

We disabled the free McAffee, and installed Avast. I have had good experience with Avast on this desktop.

We tested our privacy settings, going out..and all show encrypted. Is that
enough? My son installed the router today, and says it is acting as a firewall.
WPA shows good strength on a security check. So is this adequate?

I was not there.. my hubby took the laptop to my son's today, while I was at work. So this is all second hand basically. So many choices...so much to learn...

WPA should be fine - just make sure all the antiV and spyware ect programs are set up to keep updated and running all the time.

Are they set to scan at a certain interval also? like once a day, once a week. ect You can schedule them to do that at a time when you aren't usually using the computer.