Connect to wireless network before login?

[fluxburn]

Hi, I have a desktop that doesn't have a nic card, but it does have a wifi card. Once you login locally to the machine, windows connects to the wifi network programmed into it. How can I have it connect to the network before login? Or do I need to buy a nic?

From a logically standpoint, wifi doesn't make any sense for a "network" it only makes sense for going to the internet. To bad they didn't make it a layer 2 protocol, or at least the option for layer 2 / layer 3, as layer 3 is way slower.

 

[wahnula]

What exactly are you trying to accomplish? A WiFi card IS a NIC, just a wireless NIC. To connect to a Windows network, the wireless card is active at boot-up. I am struggling to understand your need.

Tony

Users helping Users...

 

[NeoGreen]

Depending on your laptop or Wifi Software, some software managers like the Intel Proset wireless has a feature that will authenticate and login you in before logging into Windows XP or Vista. If you go into your wifi applications check to see if there is an option for pre-login.

 

[fluxburn]

Well, windows doesn't login to the wifi network unless it is past the login screen. This thing is running server 2003, so I think it is a security thing.