Using USB wireless adapter to get better range

pc9460

New Member
I just recently bought the following usb wireless adapter to get more distance. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Netgear-RangeMax-Dual-Band-Wireless-N-USB-2.0-Adapter/10928682 I installed the cd but it doesn't seem to work. I just want my old gateway laptop (running xp) to use the usb adapter to run off of wireless. I can't seem to get the one built into the computer to shut off so I can have the usb adapter working alone. Can someone tell me how to get the usb adapter working as the only wireless card?

My other problem is that I want the adapter to automatically connect to the closest wireless connection in whatever area I'm currently in. This is solely for my dad who isn't really computer savvy so I cant really tell him step by step what to do. He lives two hours away and knows how to surf the internet. His roommate has a usb adapter and he can use internet since it can find connections farther away. (His computer is in chinese so he can't help my dad since his is in english & I cant go up and do it myself) If I can get the usb adapter to work from you guys helping me I want it so it connects to the closest internet connection automatically on bootup of the machine. Please help me with these two problems it will greatly be appreciated.

P.S. Do you guys know of any good remote access programs that are completely free and not like a 30 day trial? I like the logmein.com one but its kind of slow and I want to have the observing thing too instead of taking over the computer completely.
 
Hey pc9460,

I installed the cd but it doesn't seem to work. I just want my old gateway laptop (running xp) to use the usb adapter to run off of wireless. I can't seem to get the one built into the computer to shut off so I can have the usb adapter working alone. Can someone tell me how to get the usb adapter working as the only wireless card?

To disable any network connection, just go to Start-->Control Panel-->Network Connections and right click whatever adapter you don't want to use anymore and click "disable."

My other problem is that I want the adapter to automatically connect to the closest wireless connection in whatever area I'm currently in.

Depending on the configuration utility you're using, you may or may not have the option to connect to any open network within range. If not, he'll just have to scan for the networks in every new area, and once connected, go to the connection and check "automatically connect to this network when in range" or the like - I've seen this or a similar option in every wireless config utility I've used. If not, you could allow Windows to configure your wireless settings (Start-->Control Panel-->Network Connections--> right click your adapter --> Wireless Netorks tab -- check "Allow Windows to configure...)

P.S. Do you guys know of any good remote access programs that are completely free and not like a 30 day trial?

Real VNC Free Edition. :good:
Get it here and follow the directions: http://www.realvnc.com/products/free/4.1/index.html

Hope that helps you out!
 
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