by MS
As Figure 13-8 shows, wireless network connections provide the following additional details about the network and the connection:
The name of the wireless network in parentheses after the connection type designator.
The current signal strength. A signal strength of one bar is poor; a signal strength of five bars is excellent.
A Disconnect link for disconnecting the wireless connection.
Figure 13-8: Manage wireless network connections using Network And Sharing Center.
If you click View Status for the wireless connection, you'll see a status dialog box similar to the one shown in Figure 13-9. You can use the Wireless Network Connection Status dialog box to check the status of the connection and to maintain the connection, in much the same way as you can for other types of connections, as I discussed previously. You'll also see the duration and speed of the connection.
Figure 13-9: Determine the status and signal strength of a wireless network connection.
As with Local Area Connections, Wireless Network Connections have configurable properties. This means that every discussion about configuring local area connection properties in Chapter 12 also applies to wireless network connections. You can do the following:
Install and uninstall networking features for clients, services, and protocols. In the Status dialog box, click Properties and then click Install or Uninstall as appropriate.
Set TCP/IPv6 and TCP/IPv4 settings for DHCP, static IP, and dynamic IP addressing. In the Status dialog box, click Properties and then double-click Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) or Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
Disable or diagnose wireless connections. In the Status dialog box, click Disable or Diagnose as appropriate.
If you have problems establishing a wireless connection and automated diagnostics can't resolve the problem, use these tips to help you troubleshoot:
Problem: Limited or no connectivity to the wireless network.
Resolution: Check the signal strength. If the signal strength is low (poor) you will need to either move closer to the access point or redirect your antenna. For a built-in antenna, you might need to change the position of the laptop relative to the access point. The problem could also be that the network did not assign your computer a network address. To check your IP address assignment, double-click the wireless connection in the Network Connections dialog box and then select the Support tab. If the IP address is 0.0.0.0, your computer was not assigned an IP address, and you need to click Repair. If the IP address currently assigned to the computer is in the range of 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254, then the computer is using Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA). Try clicking Repair to resolve the problem.
Problem: Not connected or unable to connect to the wireless network.
Resolution: If you are out of the broadcast area, your computer will not be able to connect to the wireless network. Double-click on the connection. The computer will display the Wireless Network Connection dialog box, and in the right pane you will see the message "No wireless networks were found in range." If you think this is an error, click Refresh Network List under Network Tasks. Otherwise, try moving closer to the access point or changing the position of your antenna/computer relative to the access point. The computer also might not be configured properly for establishing a wireless connection on this network.
Tip
You'll have better connection speeds—up to the maximum possible with the wireless technology you are using—when you have a stronger signal. If the signal strength is weak, the connection speed might be reduced considerably. To improve the signal strength, try moving the adapter's antenna if one is available or try changing the position of the computer relative to the access point.
Connecting to Wireless Networks
Any wireless access point broadcasting within range should be available to a computer with a wireless adapter. By default, Windows Vista is set to allow you to configure the network settings that should be used. This enables you to configure different authentication, encryption, and communication options as necessary.
If you haven't previously connected to a wireless network, you can create a connection for the network by completing the following steps:
Click Start and then click Network. In Network Explorer, click Network And Sharing Center on the toolbar.
In Network And Sharing Center, click Set Up A Connection Or Network. This starts the Set Up A Connection Or Network Wizard.
Select Manually Connect To A Wireless Network and then click Next.
As shown in Figure 13-10, you now need to enter information about the wireless network to which you want to connect. Your network administrator should have this information.
Figure 13-10: Enter the information for connecting to the wireless network.
In the Network Name box, enter the network name (also referred to as the network's secure identifier SSID).
Use the Security Type selection list to select the type of security being used. The encryption type is then filled in automatically for you.
With WEP and WPA-Personal, you must enter the required security key or password phrase in the Security Key/Passphrase box. For example, A WEP key typically is one of the following:
q 5 case-sensitive characters
q 13 case-sensitive characters
q 10 hexadecimal case-insensitive characters
q 26 hexadecimal case-insensitive characters
By default, the connection is started automatically whenever the user logs on. If you also want the computer to connect to the network regardless of whether it can be reached, such as when the computer is out of range of the wireless base, select Connect Even If The Network Is Not Broadcasting.
Click Next to connect to the wireless network using the settings you've entered.
If you're previously connected to a wireless network, you can easily connect to it or disconnect from it by completing the following steps:
Click Start and then click Network. In Network Explorer, click Network And Sharing Center on the toolbar.
In Network And Sharing Center, click Connect To A Network. By default, all available networks are listed by name, status, and signal strength. If a network that should be available isn't listed, try clicking the Refresh button.
Moving the pointer over a wireless network entry displays a message box that provides the network name, signal strength, security type, radio type (the wireless standard supported), and the link's security ID.
You can now connect to or disconnect from wireless networks:
q To connect to a wireless network, click the network and then click Connect.
q To disconnect from a wireless network, click the network and then click Disconnect. Confirm the action by clicking Disconnect again.
Managing Wireless Networks
You can manage wireless networks using Manage Wireless Networks, shown in Figure 13-11. To access Manage Wireless Networks, follow these steps:
Click Start and then click Network. In Network Explorer, click Network And Sharing Center on the toolbar.
In Network And Sharing Center, click Manage Wireless Networks.
Figure 13-11: Manage wireless network connections.
Manage Wireless Networks lists wireless networks in the order in which the computer should try to use the available networks. The network listed at the top of the list is tried before any others. If the computer fails to establish a connection over this network, the next network in the list is tried, and so on.
To change the preference order of a network, click it and then use the Move Up or Move Down buttons to set the order in which the computer should try to use the network. As necessary, click Add to create a new wireless network that will be added to the wireless networks list, or select an existing network and click Remove to delete a listed wireless network.
Chapter 14: Managing Advanced Internet Options and Security
Microsoft Windows Vista includes Windows Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista, a feature-r
ich Web browser that can be used to access information published on the Internet and corporate networks. You can customize the configuration of Internet Explorer in many areas, including Internet file caching, Internet security zones, Internet privacy preferences, default Internet programs, and other advanced options that control browser features.
Internet Explorer settings can be managed in several ways. When you want to manage Internet Explorer settings for individual users, you'll use the Internet Properties dialog box. Access the Internet Properties dialog box in Control Panel by clicking Network And Internet and then clicking Internet Options. When you want to manage settings for multiple users, you'll use Group Policy. The focus of this chapter is on managing Internet Explorer settings through Group Policy. Many policies can be implemented to make your job easier while improving the user experience and getting better control over security and privacy.
Customizing URLs
Internet Explorer is configured with many default Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), which are used for everything from the default home page to favorite lists. Through Group Policy, you can customize the URLs so that the browser interface meets the needs of your organization.
Setting Home Page, Search, and Support URLs
Custom home page, search, and support URLs provide users with quick access to important resources that can make their lives (and yours) a bit easier. To configure these options through Group Policy, follow these steps:
Access Group Policy for the system with which you want to work. Next, access User ConfigurationWindows SettingsInternet Explorer MaintenanceURLs.
In the right pane, double-click Important URLs. As shown in Figure 14-1, you can now specify a custom home page, search bar page, and online support page.
Figure 14-1: Use the Important URLs dialog box to set custom URLs for a home page, search bar page, and online support page.
Select Customize Home Page URL and then in the Home Page URL text box, type the URL of the home page you want to use, such as http://www.intranet.cpandl.com/. The home page URL is opened whenever the browser is started or the user clicks the Home button on the Internet Explorer toolbar.
Tip
Typically, you'll want to set the home page URL to the home page of your organization's intranet. If you don't have an intranet, you might want to set this to the home page of your company's external Web site.
Select Customize Search Bar URL and then in the Search Bar URL text box, type the URL to the search page you want to use, such as http://www.intranet.cpandl.com/search.asp. The search page is opened in a side frame of the Internet Explorer window whenever a user clicks the Search button.
Caution
Getting the search page to work correctly is tricky. Test your implementation locally before rolling it out to multiple users. The search page must be formatted as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and should include links targeted at the main frame. Because the search page is opened in a side frame of the browser, you'll need to create a separate version, modified to work as a side frame, of any existing search page on your organization's intranet or external Web site.
Select Customize Online Support Page URL and then in the Online Support Page URL text box, type the URL to the support page you want to use, such as http://www.intranet.cpandl.com/helpdesk/. The support page is opened when a user selects Online Support from the Internet Explorer Help menu.
Click OK.
Customizing Favorites and Links
The Favorites and Links lists are designed to provide quick access to commonly used resources. In Internet Explorer, you access Favorites and Links through the Favorites menu. When you click Favorites on the menu bar, you see a list of options that enable you to add, organize, and access favorites. Through Group Policy, you can add favorites and links that make it easier for users to access commonly used online resources, such as expense forms, corporate phone directories, and product specifications. This makes users more efficient and saves time, and it might also increase use of these important resources.
Using Group Policy, you can add favorites and links in two ways. You can add items individually or you can import a folder containing the items you want to use. To create favorites and links one by one, follow these steps:
Access Group Policy for the resource you want to work with. Next, access User ConfigurationWindows SettingsInternet Explorer MaintenanceURLs.
In the right pane, double-click Favorites And Links. This displays the Favorites And Links dialog box, shown in Figure 14-2. You can now add submenus and individual options to the Favorites menu in Internet Explorer. These items are available to all users subject to the policy.
Figure 14-2: Use the Favorites And Links dialog box to configure quick access links to important online resources.
When you plan to add several favorites or links, you can create a folder to hold the options. The folder you create appears as a submenu under the Favorites menu in Internet Explorer. To create a submenu, select Favorites and then click Add Folder. This displays the Details dialog box. Enter a name for the submenu in the Name text box and then click OK.
To add individual menu options, select Favorites, Links, or a folder entry and then click Add URL. This again displays the Details dialog box. Type the name of the menu option, such as Expense Forms, and then type the URL to the resource, such as http://www.intranet.cpandl.com/exp_forms/. Next, click OK. The entry is then added to the menu or submenu you have chosen.
Tip
After you add a menu option, you can verify that you've correctly entered the URL by selecting the option and then clicking Test URL. This action loads the selected item in Internet Explorer. If the related page appears in Internet Explorer, you've entered the URL correctly. Otherwise, you've probably made a mistake and should edit the URL.
Once you are finished adding submenus and creating menu options, you can specify additional preferences for adding the items to the Favorites menu. These additional preferences include the following:
q Place Favorites And Links At The Top Of The List In The Order Specified Below Places favorites and links at the top of the menu and in the order in which you entered them in the list box. If you select this option, you can also use the Up and Down buttons to change the order of submenus and menu items in the list box.
q Delete Existing Favorites And Links, If Present Removes any existing favorites and links, replacing them with the items you created. Using this option alone removes existing items created by both users and administrators.
q Only Delete The Favorites Created By The Administrator Removes previous favorites and links created by the administrator but doesn't remove those created by users. This is a good option to use if you previously configured favorites and links and now want to replace those entries with your current items.
Click OK when you are finished.
You can also create favorites and links using a folder and its contents as the basis for a submenu. To do this, follow these steps:
Create a folder on a network or local drive that you can easily access. In the folder, add URL shortcuts that point to the locations you want to be able to access. These shortcuts will become the items in the submenu you are creating. Be sure to use descriptive names for the folder and its shortcuts, which will appear in the Internet Explorer Favorites menu.
When you are ready to continue, access User ConfigurationWindows SettingsInternet Explorer MaintenanceURLs in Group Policy and double-click Favorites And Links in the right pane.
In the Favorites And Links dialog box, shown previously in Figure 14-2, select Favorites, Links, or a folder entry and then click Import. This displays the Browse For Folder dialog box. Use this dialog box to select the folder you created in step 1 and then click OK. The folder and its contents are added as a submenu of the selected item.
Note
Only properly formatted URL shortcuts are imported. If the folder contains other types of files or shortcuts, the folder doesn't appear as a submenu and the additional items are
n't imported.
Follow steps 5 and 6 of the previous procedure to complete the process.
Customizing the Browser User Interface
The Internet Explorer user interface can be customized for your organization using the Browser User Interface policies in Group Policy. These policies enable you to add custom titles to the title bar, custom logos that replace the Internet Explorer logo, and custom toolbars that add to or replace the existing toolbar.
Creating Custom Titles
Using the Browser Title policy, you can customize the text that appears in the title bar of Internet Explorer. By default, the title bar displays the title of the current page followed by the text "Microsoft Internet Explorer," such as "My Home Page–Microsoft Internet Explorer." When you add a custom title, the default title is updated so that your string is added to the text "Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by," such as "My Home Page–Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by ABC Publishing."
To add a custom title to Internet Explorer, follow these steps:
Access User ConfigurationWindows SettingsInternet Explorer MaintenanceBrowser User Interface in Group Policy and then double-click Browser Title. This displays the Browser Title dialog box, shown in Figure 14-3.
Figure 14-3: Use the Browser Title dialog box to add custom titles to Internet Explorer.
Select Customize Title Bars and then type the custom title in the Title Bar Text box.
Click OK.
