Wireless Internet

Those who are acquainted with me know that I'm a complete moron. There are a lot of things that I'm utterly clueless about -- rocket science, brain surgery, how to turn on a computer.

For example, I've always used wired Internet connections with my old Computer-sauruses. Having just bought a new laptop, I was acutely aware that it would feature wireless Internet capabilities. But I had no clue how switch it to wireless use. A few friends who know a lot more about computers than me promised they'd help me, and I've been biding my time with the trusty blue ethernet cord in my new place while I prepped for my coming residency (where I will see many of these friends and where I will have to have wireless if I want any Internet at all), trying not to think about what a colossal undertaking this would be.

Suddenly, a few hours ago, HP Wireless Assistant magically appeared on my screen. I don't know what I did to make this happen.

After about 5 minutes of playing around, my laptop reported the following:

Wireless Assistant Device Options, Combo Device: ON
"This device is working properly"

Wireless LAN Adapter: ENABLED
"This device is working properly"

Wireless WAN Adapter: ENABLED
"This device is working properly"

Then I was asked to choose between a list of connections, and to choose what I wanted to share with the other computer in the household (really, nothing), and then suddenly...

Voila. Apparently I am now blogging to you on a wireless Internet connection.

I can't tell you how simultaenously exhilarating and frustrating this is. I'm thrilled to have wireless Internet, but I have no clue how I did it. I'm also worried that maybe I did something wrong and cops will burst down the door, pin me to the carpet and haul me to jail for violating some sort of Internet provision of the PATRIOT Act.

And even if what I did is totally on the up-and-up, I also hate it when I'm smart enough to do something, but not smart enough to understand WHAT exactly I did or HOW I did it.

Oh well. I can only hope wireless is still around when I wake up tomorrow morning.