Help with Windows 7 & Networking

goblin · 07-01-2011, 05:46

Hi,

Not sure how to go about asking this question to be quite honest. So I'll try the best I can and hopefully soneone will be able to figure out what exactly I'm asking... maybe

Ok, so I'm in hospital. I unplug my 3g Modem as its got 'issues' that I can't figure out, keeps losing connection for some reason and stops working. So I unplug it and its beside me on the table.

Windows Update pops up and advises me 'you've got updates', I click nothing, but watch the bubble disappear. I've got the laptop turned on I'm working away then suddenly Windows 7 says 'ready to install updates', so it seems that Windows has interfaced itself with whatever connection and downloaded the updates - fantastic!

My question is of course: How?

And whilst I'm here, How would I go about connecting to that connection by choice? Or finding out what it connected too? If this isn't the place to ask, can you suggest a more appropriate forum?

I have http://www.makayama.com/easywifiradar.html installed and it suggested a few wifi connections I can use. However, I click on some of those listed and it tells me that I need a U\P or I've not got the permissions. Whilst I don't want to 'break in' to anyone's wifi connection. I would like to know how Windows connects and uses some 'mystery' connection as if its going to get me into trouble, I feel I had better tell someone before they notice and I do get into trouble.

Thanks for your time.

Aragorn · 07-01-2011, 08:15

Go to "Control Panel\Network and Internet\Manage Wireless Networks". This will show all wireless networks that Win7 is allowed to connect to automatically.
"Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center" will show what you are currently connected to.
In short standard Windows 7 does not connect to random open wireless networks.
However, if you have that wifiradar running it looks like it does automatically connect to any open wifi! IMO, very dangerous - any hacker can setup an open access point and capture traffic to any unencrypted site you happen to visit!