wireless connection: non-mac

I have a Dell Latitude 600 and if there's a network available, providing there's a network card installed, it will automatically pick up the network and a message displays up in the bottom right hand corner, just double click on the balloon and it will take you to the connection setup..

Most installed wireless LANs today utilize "infrastructure" mode that requires the use of one or more access points. With this configuration, the access point provides an interface to a distribution system (e.g., Ethernet), which enables wireless users to utilize corporate servers and Internet applications.

As an optional feature, however, the 802.11 standard specifies "ad hoc" mode, which allows the radio network interface card (NIC) to operate in what the standard refers to as an independent basic service set (IBSS) network configuration. With an IBSS, there are no access points. User devices communicate directly with each other in a peer-to-peer manner.

Ad hoc mode allows users to spontaneously form a wireless LAN. For example, when we have our monthly tech meetings at an area office people with 802.11-equipped laptops easily switch NICs to ad hoc mode to from a small wireless LAN to share documents, presentation charts, spreadsheets, etc.