WLAN

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General WLAN

What does WLAN mean?

WLAN is an acronym for Wireless Local Area Network. This is a type of local area network that uses high frequency radio waves rather than wires to communicate between devices.

What does Wi-Fi® mean?

Wi-Fi® is short for Wireless Fidelity and is used when referring to any type of WLAN network. The name Wi-Fi is controlled by the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Any products tested and approved as "Wi-Fi Certified®" by the Wi-Fi Alliance are certified to work with each other, even if they are from different manufacturers. Products that are Wi-Fi Certified® can display the logo shown.

Where can I go for more information on WLAN?

For details of your Home Network WLAN service, please contact your Home Network customer care or visit your Home Network website.

What is a hotspot?

A 'hotspot' is a specific geographic location in which an access point provides public wireless broadband network services to mobile visitors through a WLAN. Hotspots are often located in heavily populated places such as airports, train stations, libraries, marinas, conventions centres and hotels.

What does WISP mean?

WISP is an acronym for Wireless Internet Service Provider. A WISP offers public wireless network services. WISPs typically install Wi-Fi hotspots that provide Internet access to mobile computers.

Vodafone has agreements with local or international WISPs, so that Vodafone customers can use the hotspots provided by this WISP.

What does SSID mean?

Short for Service Set Identifier. A SSID is referred to as a network name because it is, essentially, a name that identifies a wireless network. The SSID differentiates one WLAN from another, so all access points and all devices attempting to connect to a specific WLAN must use the same SSID.

A SSID refers to a network name because it essentially allows to identify a specific wireless network.

 

Using the Vodafone WLAN Service

What are Vodafone hotspots?

A Vodafone hotspot is a public location (such as an airport hotel or conference centre) where you can make a wireless connection to the Internet using Wireless LAN (WLAN) technology.

Vodafone Mobile Connect makes it easy for you to find and connect to hotspots, allowing you to pay for your connection on your mobile phone bill.

For the best experience, Vodafone recommends you use the Vodafone Mobile Connect software. It is also possible to connect via your Web browser.

What can I use a Vodafone hotspot for?

The Vodafone WLAN service enables you to gain access to the Internet, to your e-mails and, by using a VPN, to your corporate network and intranet

What Operating Systems support the GPRS/WLAN datacard?

• Windows 2000
• Windows XP Home
• Windows XP Professional
• Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
• Windows 98 SE

How can I find a Vodafone hotspot?

Clicking on the "Hotspots" button on the main toolbar of Vodafone Mobile Connect will open the hotspots module. This allows you to search for the locations of WLAN hotspots provided by Vodafone and selected partners.

Vodafone regularly updates the list of available hotspots, as more sites are continually being added. Regularly updating the hotspot database will ensure that you always have an up-to-date list of Vodafone WLAN hotspots; this can be done automatically or by clicking on the 'Update' button.

Useful tips can be found in the hotspots tips area accessed by clicking on the 'Hotspots' button. The help menu provides more detailed advice.

You can also call your Home Network for Vodafone WLAN hotspot location details.

How do I recognise / tell when I'm in a Vodafone hotspot?

When you are in a WLAN hotspot, Vodafone Mobile Connect will display the WLAN signal strength in the Status Bar. If this is a Vodafone WLAN hotspot, "Vodafone WLAN available" will be displayed in the status bar.

Look out for the Vodafone logo and Vodafone WLAN Partner logos.

A list of Vodafone WLAN Partners may be obtained by calling your Home Network.

 

How do I connect to a Vodafone hotspot?

Connection to a hotspot is easy using Vodafone Mobile Connect.

The Vodafone Mobile Connect software will alert you when there is a public hotspot available.
To connect, select "WLAN hotspot" from your Vodafone Mobile Connect "Connect" button. Click on Connect and simply follow the connection instructions provided.

If Vodafone Mobile Connect was able to connect to a WLAN, the "Connect" button changes to "Disconnect". In the status bar you will then see "Connected (WLAN)".

 

What does the message "Vodafone WLAN available" mean?

Vodafone Mobile Connect detected one or more WLANs provided by Vodafone.

 

What does the message "WLAN available" or "Unsupported WLAN detected" mean?

It means that one or more WLANs are available in this area. However, these WLANs may not be recognised as Vodafone's or may be from another WISP altogether. Depending on the language settings, these different messages will be displayed as follows:

or

 

Why do I have no WLAN message in the status bar?

There is no WLAN available in this area, the Vodafone Mobile Connect is still searching for WLANs or there is no WLAN card inserted.

 

Why do I get the Message "Searching for card / phone"?

You will get the message "Searching for … card" if you are using the Vodafone Mobile Connect and have not inserted a GPRS card or linked to another mobile device for GPRS use.

Can I use the Vodafone Mobile Connect together with WLAN card vendors' programs?

If you use other programs for a WLAN connection alongside the Vodafone Mobile Connect, it may be necessary to disable these programs or to configure them for access to WLAN via other programs.

What will happen if I am using proxy settings in my web browser?

If any of the proxy settings in the web browser are set, you may not see the landing page of the WISP when you open a web browser manually instead of using the Vodafone Mobile Connect. In many hotspots, proxy settings are being ignored by the access controller. Therefore, you will not have any problems using proxy settings in these hotspots.

Can I use an intranet URL as the homepage in my web browser?

If your web browsers home page is set to an intranet (internal company site) page rather than a public page, you will not see the landing page initially and will need to request a public URL e.g. http://www.vodafone.com

Is it possible to use a WLAN card configured with a static IP address?

Some hotspots do not allow access to computers that are configured with a static IP address. Therefore the WLAN card has to be configured in DHCP mode.

How do I know where I can find VF hotspots?

The Vodafone Mobile Connect provides a searchable hotspot database. This hotspot database allows you to search for hotspots before you travel. You can select "Hotspots" from the main Toolbar, then enter your search criteria. Once the search results are displayed, you can check the details of any particular result.

Is WLAN Roaming possible?

WLAN Roaming between your Home Network and other networks / WISPs is possible only if the hotspots of the foreign WISP are displayed in the hotspot database of the customer.

How do I ensure secure access to Vodafone hotspots?

VodafoneWLAN service provides high speed Internet access at selected public hotspots. As with all public hotspots, the data between your laptop and the Internet is not encrypted.

To ensure a high level of security, you can use a VPN to connect back to your corporate LAN as you would normally. The use of a VPN will ensure your data is encrypted.

Vodafone also recommend that you use a personal firewall to prevent against attacks from the Internet and possible peer-to-peer attacks from the WLAN network.

Session Information

Price plans: how will I be charged for using a Vodafone hotspot?WLAN access is usually charged by 'session'. You can purchase different sessions each time you connect, depending on how long you want to use WLAN.

For details on the session prices, please contact Neil Howard Telecoms.

I have disconnected from the hotspot. Can I reconnect without being charged?

As long as you are still within your session time and at the same hotspot, you can reconnect for the remainder of your session. You will be sent a new password.

Can I use my Vodafone hotspot session at more than one hotspot?

Please check with Neil Howard Telecoms for details on your service.

I still have session time remaining. How do I reconnect?

Connect in the normal way using either Vodafone Mobile Connect software or your web browser. Select "Continue Previous Session" when prompted.

Troubleshooting

Why do I get a message "No network available"?

Do not click "Connect" before a WLAN is available or forget to switch between the Mobile Network and WLAN Hotspot. Otherwise you get a message that there is no network available.

Why do I get a general error?

This can be due to technical problems (e.g. server down, network error) or due to using Vodafone Mobile Connect in a Vodafone hotspot without a roaming agreement to your Home Network.

I can log on with the Vodafone Mobile Connect but cannot see any web pages in the browser.

Please check that the proxy settings of your web browser are disabled.

Why is WLAN not available after closing the Vodafone Mobile Connect in Windows XP?

If the Vodafone Mobile Connect closes unexpectedly, control of WLAN may not be given back to Windows XP as it should. In this case, it will not be possible to connect to WLAN without the Vodafone Mobile Connect until the checkbox "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings" in the properties of the WLAN connection in Windows XP has been selected.

 

Why can I not connect to a hotspot after changing the WLAN card?

If you change the WLAN card or you have more than one WLAN card, you have to select the card to use with the Vodafone Mobile Connect under Tools->Options->Preferences->WLAN.

Why can I not connect directly to a hotspot if the Vodafone Mobile Connect is started?

In some cases Vodafone Mobile Connect needs a while to detect the WLAN environment. Please try again if a WLAN is available.

There is a Vodafone hotspot logo present but I can't connect.

This may be because your Network Operator hasn't implemented roaming with this Vodafone hotspot. Please check with your network operator Customer Care department to see if this hotspot is supported.

I'm in a Vodafone hotspot and I can't connect using Vodafone Mobile Connect software.

Check to see if this hotspot is accessible to you from your network provider, by searching for it in the hotspot Database or by contacting Customer Care.

Check to see that you have a WLAN signal as displayed in the status bar of the Vodafone Mobile Connect software.

Check to see that you have ticked "enable WLAN on this device" within Tools \ Preferences \ WLAN in the Vodafone Mobile Connect software.

Call your Home Network operator customer care to check if there is a problem with the Vodafone hotspot.

I'm in a Vodafone hotspot and I can't connect using my web browser / I can't see the hotspot landing page.

• Ensure that the software that came with your Wi-Fi® device is configured to use a profile supporting connections to a public WLAN.

  • Check the SSID is set to 'any' or matches the SSID in use by the WLAN network provider (Check any available local information). On some WLAN cards you have to set the SSID to blank.

  • Check that the network security is set to none e.g. WEP, LEAP etc. is not set.

• Check that the software that came with your Wi-Fi® device is detecting a signal.

• Check that the proxy setting in your web browser is switched off.
  For Internet Explorer:

  • Select "Tools" then "Internet Options" from the toolbar

  • Select the "Connections" tab

  • Choose "LAN Settings"

  • Make sure none of the boxes are checked

• Try accessing a public Internet page. e.g. www.neilhoward.co.uk in your web browser. It may be configured to point to a private web page such as your company intranet that you can't access until you have connected.

• Check with your IT department or call Neil Howard Telecoms to see whether you have a static IP address. (Many public access hotspots do not support laptops configured with static IP address).
  For Windows 2000:

  • Go to Start, select "Settings"

  • Select "Network and Dial-Up settings"

  • Right click on the network that you are currently using and select "Properties"

  • Either on the general or the networking tab, there will be a choice of "Components checked are used by this connection". Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

  • Choose "Properties"

  • If the "Use the following IP address" box is checked, you have a static IP address.