Okay, now I am totally confused.

What am I naming here?? You say not to name it Melody's House.

What am I naming Melody's House?

I have a desk top computer. It's an HP Pavillion, media center.

It doesn't have any name.

When I buy the router and set up the Linskey thing and my laptop, do I then have to give something a name?

See where I'm confused.

I have one computer. Both Alan and I use it. No one else comes in my home and uses my computer.

So from what I'm understanding. I buy the router (Linskey), I buy a laptop, I hook everything up, I go to Linskey's website, I click on, I register, I sign up or do whatever they tell me to do.

So what am I naming????

Thanks, Melody

You are naming your wireless network. Others will be able to see its name, just as you will be able to view other wireless networks within distance of your own.

We use Network Magic at our house. Hubby set it up so that we can put files/ pictures in a shared folder and we are able to view them on any of the puters in the house. Don't know if we needed it for that but it works for us. Hubby is the PC guy around here I just click and go LOL

We have 4 desktops and 2 laptops connected to it. Sometimes it is picky but for the most part it works great.

Melody, when I search for available wireless networks I come up with 4 different networks. 3 of them are secure and I know which is mine from the name we gave it. Then our password is saved so we just have to click on it.

I was able to set up my sisters wireless at her house using Linksys and it was pretty easy so I know you can do it. But please ask questions as I love to read them ...Sue

Okay, here we go ONE MORE TIME, just so I get this straight.

I buy a laptop, I buy a Linsky Router, I connect the Router to the modem, and the other side of the router goes to the back of my Tower,

I then get my laptop, turn it on. I go to Linskys website, and register.

When do I name my wireless network?? (When I register it at Linskys??).

God, this is fascinating.

I'm actually naming a wireless something.

I haven't even bought anything yet. lol

Mel

You name it when you are installing the router. It will signal you when to do it.

Looking at snoozie's post about Network Magic, it seems its value might mostly be for hooking up different computers in your home to the same network so you can all easily access the same files. Just note that you can still do this without NM.

Since I only have one desktop and I'm thinking of getting a laptop, (which will need a router), then I don't think I'll need the Network magic thing.

And I now know that when I hook up the router, it will prompt me to give it a name. Really??

When does it do this?

Let's say I bought a laptop today, and I hooked up the router.

I turn on my desktop. Will there be an icon on my screen saying "LOOK AT YOU, YOU NOW HAVE A ROUTER, GIVE IT A NAME!!! (or something to that effect. lol).

thanks much

Mel

Many things like that are "plug n play" meaning once it's connected it will automatically work right away - or a pop up with a wizard or set up program will appear on screen.

Or a install CD will come with the product and it will guide you. usually it will have something with a box that says name network or network name- and you just fill it in.

I found this on the Network Magic site a comparison of their products - they do have a free one...
http://www.networkmagic.com/product/compare.php

I hope I'm not bringing up a thread that's too old.

You should be fine without it. When you run the software for the router, it'll ask for a name as one of the steps.

If you set up the network (install the router) using the laptop, your desktop won't see it until you add a new network connection on it. At that time you'll be asked to give the name of the network and the password, and will have to set it up to always use that connection or to give a choice of connections to use.

Once you have a wireless connection on a computer, you can use your own network or a neighbor's if they have an unsecured one. I'd suggest always using your own rather than just letting it pick the first one because it should have the strongest and most reliable signal since it's closest to you.

Good luck with it.

Switch:

You said the following:

If you set up the network (install the router) using the laptop, your desktop won't see it until you add a new network connection on it. At that time you'll be asked to give the name of the network and the password, and will have to set it up to always use that connection or to give a choice of connections to use."

I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT YOU WROTE....lol

I thought you set up the network via the desktop (because that's where the router is being hooked up).

God, I'm so dumb.

Melody

I think it is which ever way you do the set up- from the desktop or from the laptop.
You may want to set up each one so it will see the other - Depends on if you want to share files between the machines or not..

It's been awhile since we used a shared network here.

We all use the same wireless router to get to the internet here - but I don't have file sharing enabled, only for specific uses- then I turn sharing off again.

It's really pretty easy unless someone changed some default settings on the desktop or if antivirus or firewall are set at very high security level