Connectivity While on the Go
You’re a do-it-yourself person who is resourceful, organized, and always willing to help. In fact, you’ve just volunteered to host your best friend’s baby shower. With a lot of details and a short timeline, this is your kind of fun challenge.
If you have a mobile PC (a notebook, Tablet PC, or ultra-mobile PC), you can do most of the planning online—from ordering party favors and finding a caterer to sending invitations and a map with directions to your house. Even when you’re on the go, you can use your mobile PC to take care of the details so that the party is a success. Connect to the Internet from a public wireless network, buy a subscription service, or get a mobile broadband card so you can connect almost anywhere. Windows Vista offers several options.
How do I get started?
All you need to connect to a wireless network are your mobile PC and a built-in or external wireless card (also called a network adapter). Most mobile PCs come with a wireless card already installed. Here’s how to find out if you have one:
Click the Start button 
, click Control Panel, click Network and Internet, click Network and Sharing Center, and then click Manage network connections. If you have a wireless card, it will appear in the list.
After you confirm you have a wireless network card, it’s time to find a public wireless network, or hotspot—a place where the public can access the Internet through a wireless local area network (WLAN).
Find a hotspot
Many cities provide free hotspots in public places, such as libraries, airports, and parks. Examples include Austin, Texas, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Portland, Oregon. Although these cities are the exception rather than the rule, the list is growing. Some businesses, such as hotels and restaurants, also provide hotspots for free, while others provide hotspots for a fee.
It’s easy to locate hotspots in most cities across the United States and Canada. To be prepared before you go mobile, you can make a list of hotspots by researching them by location on websites such as JiWire WiFi Finder.
Windows Vista can also help you find a hotspot by detecting if any wireless networks are available within range of your mobile PC. For more information, see View and connect to available wireless networks in Windows Help and How-to.
Get connected
Finding a wireless hotspot is half the battle. Now, to track your shipment of party favors, you need to connect to the Internet. Here’s how:
Click the Start button , and then click Connect to.
In the Connect to a Network dialog box, in the Show list, click Wireless.
In the list of available wireless networks, click a network, and then click Connect.
Connect to a network dialog box
If you’re prompted for a security key or passphrase, ask the barista at the coffee shop, the person running the information desk at the library, or another person who represents the business or organization that's providing the hotspot.
Wireless safety first!
When using hotspots, follow a few basic rules to help protect your mobile PC.
Rely on Windows Firewall. With your mobile PC running Windows Vista, you already have a robust firewall working for you. Just don’t turn it off. A firewall is a barrier between your mobile PC and the rest of the Internet. Its main purpose is to help block people and programs that are trying to connect to your computer without your knowledge or approval. For more information, see Understanding Windows Firewall settings in Windows Help and How-to.
Use Windows Defender. Like Windows Firewall, Windows Defender comes with Windows Vista. It helps you detect and remove spyware and other potentially unwanted software. For more information, see Using Windows Defender in Windows Help and How-to.
Install antivirus software. Whenever you’re connected to the Internet or to a network, your mobile PC is at risk from viruses, worms, and malicious software. Antivirus software helps either quarantine these intruders or delete them entirely before they can damage your computer and files. You can usually download antivirus software directly from the manufacturer’s website. For more information, see the Windows Vista Security Software Providers website.
For more ideas and information about protecting your mobile PC, see Nine Ways to Help Protect Your Mobile PC.
Buy a subscription service
If you frequent certain coffee or bookstore chains that charge a fee to use their wireless connection, consider purchasing a subscription to the same wireless provider that they use to ensure that you can connect to the Internet whenever you’re in one of their stores.
Get a mobile broadband card
Mobile broadband cards offer the most flexibility for people on the go. With a mobile broadband card, you can connect to the Internet from almost anywhere. These cards provide high-speed wireless access and enhanced security features. Many mobile phone providers sell these cards and the service plans that go with them. You can also purchase a mobile broadband card separately from your mobile PC’s manufacturer, and then choose a mobile broadband provider.
With a mobile broadband card and a service plan, you can check the baby shower gift registry even when you’re in the car—but please, only when someone else is driving!
Take on any challenge
When the big day arrives, you can relax and enjoy the baby shower because you’ve taken care of all of the details. Your mobile PC and its wireless connectivity features made planning the shower a snap. Now the mom-to-be is grateful, and you deserve credit for throwing such a fabulous party. When you are connected, you can make it look easy—because it is easy.
