Tips on How to Connect to Wireless Networks Using Your Mobile Phone

One of the most appreciated features of a mobile device is its ability to connect to different wireless networks to be able to connect to the internet. Not all mobile devices have this feature, however; the trend is veering towards smart phones which usually have wi-fi connectivity available out of the box. It can be quite difficult to connect using your mobile phone since wireless connections can easily lose their signal when you go away a few steps. Here are some tips on how you could get a good wi-fi connection. Please be reminded that setting up a wireless connection differ from model to model so let me just share you to the basic way of connecting.

The most important thing is to activate the wireless connectivity on your phone first. Go to settings, then wireless networks and then turn on Wi-fi. It will say it is trying to connect and then a check will be placed on the box showing that the wireless connection has been successfully activated.

Probably one of the toughest things to do is to look for a good connection. Your mobile phone should show the available networks that you can connect to and how strong the signal to that network is. The way this is shown differs from phone to phone. Let's say it has a maximum of 4 bars. If it's full, the signal is strong and it is recommended that you connect to that network. 1 bar means that there is a signal however, it may be very weak and can drop the connection easily.

If you're in a public place, be watchful of wi-fi hot spots. These are usually free especially if it's provided inside a mall or in a restaurant you are dining in. Don't worry though. your mobile phone probably has a scan feature where it continuously scans the area for wireless networks. From here, choose to connect to the wireless network of your choice which has the best signal. It is usually bumped up to the top of your phone's list.

The next thing you have to deal with is a network with a WEP or Wired Equivalent Privacy. WEP encrypted networks cannot be connected to unless you know the key or the password. You can always try to guess what the password is but it's almost impossible. If you're inside an establishment and it has a wireless connection available, you can always ask if you can be given access. Sometimes, they give access to customers. When I bought my phone at a Samsung Mobile store, they gave me access to their wireless network. Most phones would allow you to save the networks you've connected to so store them so that the next time you are within their signal, you don't have to enter the WEP key anymore. Yes, even the WEP key can be saved.

The key to a consistent connection is to monitor the connection occasionally. Just make sure you still have a strong signal. 2 bars are probably enough for a fast connection especially if the bandwidth (transfer rate) of the network is huge. If you are using wi-fi while traveling, you'll most likely have a hard time looking for a wireless network unless it is in 3G. But the latter usually costs significantly as they are most of the time billed to by your mobile service provider.

Just remember that wi-fi connections aren't available everywhere. Some of the more common places where there may be a good number of wireless connections could be a mall, an office building, commercial complex and other similar places.

Sources:
Wikipedia - Wired Equivalent Privacy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wired_Equivalent_Privacy