when i try to set up a wifi connection on my phone it starts scanning and finds other networks some of which are locked and some of which are out of range.how do i get it to connect to my laptop?is this even possible?what is wifi?
the reason i ask is i tried to download a game and it asked me to set up a wifi connection.
does my laptop have wifi capability or is it something i have to buy?all i have at the moment is a dongle 
i can set it up so that my laptop connects to the internet through my phone via wifi but not vice versa.i have an all you can eat data package with my phone,so why is it asking me for a wifi connection to download a game.another game i tried downloaded but would`nt install without a wifi connection,whats happening 
Wi-Fi is used in buildings, itās not something you can use out on the road. Youāre laptop will probably have ābuilt in wi-fiā, but it;s useless unless you are near a wireless router. 3G is whatās used by mobiles, ipads etc, but itās not the quickesst thing in the world.
Actually, itās to late to get all technical and geeky, just read this 
commonrail:
i can set it up so that my laptop connects to the internet through my phone via wifi but not vice versa.i have an all you can eat data package with my phone,so why is it asking me for a wifi connection to download a game.another game i tried downloaded but would`nt install without a wifi connection,whats happening
Thatās called āTetheringā. If youāre connected to 3G signal on your phone, then trying to use that same signal on your laptop, you wont get very far at all. It will work, but you wont be able to download games, the signal will be nowhere strong enough
unless you mean at home, in which case you need one of theseā¦
thewifishop.net/3g-broadband-/-g ā¦ d_180.html
3G WiFi Broadband from Ā£10 per month
First off what phone is it?
As above it is called āTetheringā. What you need to do is set your phone to a wifi hot spot. Doing this will depend on your phone type and model.
Iāve never seen one of those before. Are they very reliable? Finding a 3G hotspot on my phone is a mission in itself most of the time
commonrail:
when i try to set up a wifi connection on my phone it starts scanning and finds other networks some of which are locked and some of which are out of range.how do i get it to connect to my laptop?is this even possible?what is wifi?
the reason i ask is i tried to download a game and it asked me to set up a wifi connection.
does my laptop have wifi capability or is it something i have to buy?all i have at the moment is a dongle
Wi Fi is a wireless connection to the net via a router which sends and receives date to and from your device, if you have a router at home you can set up a connection to your phone or lap top after keying in a code.
If you are away from home your mobile provider will offer their own mobile connection depending on your contract, lots of providers now offer unlimited access this works in the same way as your dongle, I know you can connect a lap top to the net through your phone but the other way around I donāt think you can, Your lap top will have Wi Fi unless it is very old.
Open the Connect to the Internet wizard by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type network, click Network and Sharing Center, click Set up a new connection or network, and then double-click Connect to the Internet the computer will search for networks within range and ask for a code or password.
Check with your mobile phone provider regarding the costs and whether your contract allows internet use, be careful especially if using mobile internet outside the U.K, I say this as the BBC Wales consumer program X ray highlighted the cost of browsing outside the U.K 2 cases of bills for Ā£800 and Ā£1500 and up to Ā£16 just to open Facebook beware.
thanx chaps, i think im starting to get the jist of it.if anyone has anything else to add,im taking it all inā¦slowly
C-Kay:
Iāve never seen one of those before. Are they very reliable? Finding a 3G hotspot on my phone is a mission in itself most of the time
Yes I use mine all the time, takes about 700 meg to watch a football match on Sky over the internet.
I have a Samsung on ā3ā and it will work well. Not all phones will let you do wireless āTetheringā with some you have use a data cable and the mini usb port.
Paul
commonrail:
i can set it up so that my laptop connects to the internet through my phone via wifi but not vice versa.i have an all you can eat data package with my phone,so why is it asking me for a wifi connection to download a game.another game i tried downloaded but would`nt install without a wifi connection,whats happening
O.K unlimited access you need to be in a 3G area the 3G symbol will be on your home screen go through the phone menu and find the internet access menu I donāt know what phone it is, the handbook should have the answer.
the phone is galaxy s2.the thing that stumped me was because it can connect to the internet on it`s own why would it need to go through someone elses router.i thought routers were just old fashioned things that were used before dongles were invented 
so am i right in thinking that a phone uses a different signal to a computer and that said signal is weaker than the one the computer uses
I hate smart phones, unless youāre a teenager or work for N.A.S.A the bloody things are likely to drive you mad, they seem to work right up until the moment when you actually need it then it switches itself off!!! 
When I see the word āMicrosoftā I know it means problems ahead, smart, my arse.
Santa, If your watching I want an Iphone iām told they work.
Samphone as mine, so easy.
Go into Seting.
Then Wireless and network.
Then Teathering and portable hoptsopt.
Then Portable wifi hotspot settings.
Top line with Portable wifi hotsopt. if you tick the box it turns it and and turns off the wifi part of your phone as they will not work at the same time.
Before turning it on you need to set up your wifi.
Go into the configure portable wifi hotshops part.
Once in there set up the SSID and pass word parts.
Once set click save.
Turn on the wifi hot spot.
Then use you laptop to searc for the wifi network you have just set up. connect to it and enter the password.
All done 
Paul
mike68:
Santa, If your watching I want an Iphone iām told they work.
Only if you ājailbreakā them so Apple cannot track you!!
i fathomed the bit where you set up the mobile hotspot but i did`nt know why i needed to do it 
so to recap
my phone can give wifi to my laptop enabling it to work faster but it can`t get wifi from itself if you know what i mean
mike68:
I hate smart phones, unless youāre a teenager or work for N.A.S.A the bloody things are likely to drive you mad, they seem to work right up until the moment when you actually need it then it switches itself off!!!Santa, If your watching I want an Iphone iām told they work.
An iPhone is a smart phone.
mike68:
Santa, If your watching I want an Iphone iām told they work.Paul_Humphreys:
Only if you ājailbreakā them so Apple cannot track you!!
ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā . Iāve had my iPhone not jailbroken and jailbroken and it works the same either way, no problems.
commonrail:
the phone is galaxy s2.the thing that stumped me was because it can connect to the internet on it`s own why would it need to go through someone elses router.i thought routers were just old fashioned things that were used before dongles were invented
so am i right in thinking that a phone uses a different signal to a computer and that said signal is weaker than the one the computer uses
Not always no, i use my iPhone out on the road via 3G, but when iām home i connect to my wireless router. Remember that people pay money for internet at home/in shops, so they password protect it so other people cant use it.
I have a laptop, PC and 2 PS3ās all running off of the same wireless router, plus my phone. They all run at the same time perfectly with no issues. if i was running them off 3G they probably wouldnāt work at all
commonrail:
i can set it up so that my laptop connects to the internet through my phone via wifi but not vice versa.i have an all you can eat data package with my phone,so why is it asking me for a wifi connection to download a game.another game i tried downloaded but would`nt install without a wifi connection,whats happening
You may have a Laptop which was build to Times of Napoleon.
New Laptops connect direct and dont need Phone Modem anymore.