connecting to world wide web - help?

[AlienBZ]

Today at the cafe in Barnes & Noble bookstore while I was using my Asus Eee PC netbook (which was not connected to the world wide web), a woman approached me asking me if I could help her connect her netbook to the internet. But because I didn't know how to connect a laptop/netbook to the WWW at barnes & noble (or even at home for that matter) I told her I couldn't help her.

But after I told her that, I was wishing with all my heart that I was able to help this woman connect to the internet today and I was beating myself up for not knowing how to help this woman, so - could any of you people please give me a step-by-step guide on how to connect a laptop/netbook to the internet at a Barnes & Noble bookstore cafe so that the next time this kind of situation occurs, I'll be able to help that person?

I've never did this before - I'm just beginning to learn how to tinker with computers, and I'm willing to learn so I can gain the expertise to help others in the future.

Would like a internet setup guide for each of these OS'es - XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

Thanks in advance.

[FTT]

Well I don't have tons of experience with lots of different OSes but usually your Netbook/Notebook or even a home computer will have a wireless access point or wireless card. On my laptop there is an on/off switch so first, that has to be on and is indicated by a small green LED. There is sometimes an icon in the taskbar by the clock (in XP, ME, 2K, 9X) which you can right click and open and then have the computer 'Search for wireless networks' in the area. Other times you can go into Control Panel and open the wireless features there. Then there is usually a 'connect' button to click on. Anyway, Barnes and Noble may have an encrypted wireless signal so you would need to get the password from them so your access point will connect.

You could google for free wireless access points for your area and practice with your netbook. Libraries are a likely place to have wireless networks as well as most coffee shops and now even fast food places such as McDonald's! ;) The Eee PC has built in wireless doesn't it?

[Paul Komski]

You could google for free wireless access points for your area and practice with your netbook.
Absolutely. Google is nearly always your friend in that and in response to the OP (http://www.google.ie/#hl=en&source=hp&biw=1291&bih=578&q=how+to+connect+laptop+to+wifi+hotspot&aq=3&aqi=g7&aql=&oq=how+to+connect+laptop+to+wifi&gs_rfai=&fp=612682cd2c4a0820).