HP Compaq NC4400 Installation and maintenance instructions

Wireless (Select Models Only)
Document Part Number: 384463-002
October 2005

Wireless (Select Models Only) ii
Contents
1 Integrated wireless devices
2 Wireless controls
Wireless button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–2
Wireless Assistant software (select models only) . . . 2–3
Operating system controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–4
3 Bluetooth devices (select models only)
4 WLAN devices (select models only)
Identifying a WLAN device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–2
Setting up a WLAN in your home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–3
Connecting to a WLAN in your home. . . . . . . . . . . . 4–4
Connecting to a public or corporate WLAN . . . . . . . 4–5
Using wireless security features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4–5
5 WWAN devices (select models only)

Wireless (Select Models Only) 1–1
1
Integrated wireless devices
Wireless technology makes a computer mobile by transmitting
data across radio waves instead of wires. Your computer may be
equipped with one or more of the following integrated wireless
devices:
■Bluetooth® device—Creates a personal area network (PAN)
to connect to other Bluetooth-enabled devices such as
computers, phones, printers, headsets, speakers, and cameras.
In a PAN, each device communicates directly with other
devices, and devices must be relatively close
together—typically within 33 feet of each other.
■Wireless local area network (WLAN) device—Connects
the computer to wireless local area networks (commonly
referred to as wireless networks, wireless LANs, or WLANs)
in corporate offices, your home, and public places such as
airports, restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, and universities.
In a WLAN, each mobile wireless device communicates
with a wireless access point, which can be several hundred
feet away.

1–2 Wireless (Select Models Only)
Integrated wireless devices
■Wireless wide area network (WWAN) device—Provides
access to information anytime and anywhere you have
cellular (data) coverage. In a WWAN, each mobile device
communicates to a public carrier’s base station. Public
carriers install networks of base stations (similar to cell
phone towers) throughout large geographic areas, effectively
providing coverage across entire states, regions or even
countries.
✎Your computer may look different from the illustrations in this
guide. The location and number of buttons, lights, and jacks
vary by model.
For more information on wireless technology, visit
http://www.hp.com/go/techcenter/wireless.

Wireless (Select Models Only) 2–1
2
Wireless controls
You can control the wireless devices in your computer using one
of three methods:
■Wireless button
■Wireless Assistant software (select models only)
■Operating system controls

2–2 Wireless (Select Models Only)
Wireless controls
Wireless button
Your computer has a wireless button 1that will enable or disable
all integrated wireless devices simultaneously. In addition, a
wireless light 2indicates the computer’s overall wireless state
(enabled or disabled). The wireless light does not reflect the
status of individual devices (unless the computer has only one
wireless device). When the wireless light is on, one or more of the
wireless devices are on.
✎By default, all of the integrated wireless devices and the
wireless light are turned on when you turn on the computer.
✎The location of the wireless button and light varies by model.
On some computers, the wireless button and light are together;
and on other models, they are separate.

Wireless controls
Wireless (Select Models Only) 2–3
You can enable and disable the wireless devices with the wireless
button or through the Setup Utility.
✎You cannot use the wireless button to control the wireless
devices if they have been disabled in the Setup Utility. For
more information, refer to the Wireless Assistant online Help.
✎Enabling a wireless device does not automatically connect the
computer to a network or to a Bluetooth-enabled device.
Wireless Assistant software
(select models only)
Wireless Assistant reports details about the status of the
integrated wireless devices in your computer, including WLAN
devices, WWAN devices, and Bluetooth devices. Wireless
Assistant displays the status of the devices as on, off, or disabled.
Wireless Assistant also provides information about devices that
are disabled and turned off to help you understand where and how
to enable them or turn them on.

2–4 Wireless (Select Models Only)
Wireless controls
When a wireless device is enabled, it can be turned on or off
using the Wireless Assistant software. Once a wireless device is
disabled, however, it must be enabled before it can be turned on
or off using Wireless Assistant.
To view the state of the wireless devices, place the pointer
over the Wireless Assistant icon ( ) in the notification area
(at the far right of the taskbar) or open Wireless Assistant by
double-clicking the icon in the notification area.
For more information about Wireless Assistant:
1. Open Wireless Assistant by double-clicking the icon in the
notification area.
2. Click the Help button.
✎You cannot use Wireless Assistant to control the wireless
devices if they have been disabled in the Setup Utility. For
more information, refer to the Wireless Assistant online Help.
Operating system controls
Some operating systems and client managers also offer a way to
manage integrated wireless devices and the wireless connection.
For more information, refer to the documentation for your
operating system or client manager.

Wireless (Select Models Only) 3–1
3
Bluetooth devices
(select models only)
A Bluetooth device provides short-range wireless
communications that replace the physical cable connections that
traditionally link electronic devices such as
■Network access points.
■Computers (desktop, notebook, PDA).
■Phones (cellular, cordless, smart phone).
■Imaging devices (printer, camera).
■Audio devices (headset, speakers).
Bluetooth devices provide peer-to-peer capability that allows you
to set up a personal area network (PAN) of Bluetooth devices.
The devices are represented in the Bluetooth for Windows
software by graphical icons that resemble the physical features of
the devices. These recognizable icons make it easy to distinguish
Bluetooth devices from other classes of devices.
For information on configuring and using Bluetooth devices, refer
to the Bluetooth for Windows Getting Started guide that came
with your computer.

Wireless (Select Models Only) 4–1
4
WLAN devices
(select models only)
With a WLAN device, you can access a wireless local area
network, which is composed of other computers and accessories
linked by a wireless router or a wireless access point.
✎The terms wireless access point and wireless router are often
used interchangeably.
■A large-scale WLAN, such as a corporate or public WLAN,
typically uses wireless access points that can accommodate a
large number of computers and accessories and can separate
critical network functions.
■A home or small office WLAN typically uses a wireless
router, which allows several wireless and wired computers to
share an Internet connection, a printer, and files without
requiring additional pieces of hardware or software.
✎To use the WLAN device in your computer, you must connect
to a WLAN infrastructure (provided through a service provider
or a public or corporate network).