Today’s computers are usually built with a Wireless Network Adapter (WNA) that gives the device the capability to connect to a network wirelessly. However, for a computer that is being built from scratch, a WNA is usually purchased separately and installed into the computer manually.For a computer that has been bought off the shelf, the following steps would determine if a WNA has already been installed into the system:1) Click Start > “Control Panel” > “Network and Internet Connections.”2) Click on “Network Connections” under the Control Panel icon.3) In Windows XP, all the network adapters are listed on the Network Connections window of which the Wireless Network adapters are labelled as “Wireless Network Connection.”Under “Wireless Network Connection,” If an installed adapter shows a red X, then it is not connected. If the Network Connections window is blank, then the purchased computer does not have a WNA installed.Without such a device, the user would not be able to set up or connect to a network such as the internet wirelessly. This would mean that WNA would need to be installed manuallyIn the case of a device such as a laptop, turning on the wireless switch on the side, back, or front can be the solution to enabling Wi-fi connection if a wireless network adapter is built in.There are three ways a WNA can be installed into the computer. These are through the USB port; through a Card bus; and internally through a slot located on the mother- board in the computer. Two of these methods, namely the USB port and Card bus, can only be applied to a portable device such as a laptop; while the motherboard slot method and USB port are mostly associated with the desktop computer. The following describes the steps to take for all three methods.————————————————–Installing a Wireless Network Adapter through a USB port————————————————–Installing a WNA through a USB port is simple and fast. Here are the steps:1) Purchase a Wireless Network Adapter2) Insert the CD that came with the hardware into the CD drive of the computer to begin the installation of the software to run the device.3) Follow the instructions.4) When prompt plug the WNA into a free USB port of the computer for the final step.5) After some seconds, a notification will appear on the bottom right hand corner of Windows indicating that a new hardware has been installed successfully.If however, the Wireless Network Adapter did not come with a CD, then do the following:1) Connect the USB WNA into a free port of the computer.2) After some time, Windows will automatically detect the adapter and attempt to download the software itself.3) After the installation is complete, a notification will appear on the bottom right hand corner of Windows indicating that a new hardware has been installed successfully.————————————————–Troubleshooting the USB Wireless Network Adapter————————————————–To ensure that the WNA is detected and connected to the computer, make sure that the LED light of the device is active and blinking. If not, then the device may not be connected to the computer. To be certain that the adapter was installed in the computer, do the following:1) Right-click My Computer and select Properties.2) Click the Hardware tab then Device Manager.3) Click the + sign beside Network adapters to expand.The name of the WNA should be seen in Network Adapters section. If not, then the device was not inserted probably into the USB port or the device was not installed at all in the computer.This could also be a problem of the computer not having the right driver to recognize and operate the WNA. The following should be done.1) Uninstall the adapter’s driver by going to “Start” > “Control Panel” > “Add or remove Programs” and select the previous driver to uninstall.Other ways to uninstall include going to the Device Manager or going to “Start” > “All Programs” > and selecting the previous downloaded driver to uninstall.2) Reinstall the driver of the Wireless Network adapter. This can be done by either going to the device manufacturer website to download the specific driver; or download all the necessary drivers from a software tool called DriverTuner.DriverTuner has the ability to download all up to date and old drivers and fix any driver issues with a few clicks of the mouse. A powerful and highly recommended tool for any driver related issue of the computer.After reinstalling the Wireless Network adapter driver from DriverTuner, restart the computer and go back to Device manager to see if the driver can be seen there.————————————————–Installing a Wireless Network Adapter through a Card bus————————————————–A Card bus is a slot on the side of most portable devices such as the laptop. Like a USB port adapter, a network card fits perfectly into the slot, making this installation method simple, convenient, and fast. To install a network card into a Card bus, the following steps are undertaken:1) Purchase a Wireless Card Bus Adapter.2) Insert the CD that came with the hardware into the CD drive of the computer to begin the installation of the software to run the device.3) Follow the instructions.4) When prompt, insert the Network Adapter into the card slot of the computer for the final step.5) After some seconds, a notification will appear on the bottom right hand corner of Windows indicating that a new hardware has been installed successfully.If however, the Wireless Card bus did not come with a CD, then just follow the same steps as the USB port Adapter without a CD. This means just inserting your Network Card into the computer slot and allowing Windows to do rest.————————————————–Troubleshooting Card Bus Wireless Network Adapter————————————————–To be certain that the adapter was installed in the computer, do the following:1) Right-click My Computer and select Properties.2) Click the Hardware tab then Device Manager.3) Click the + sign beside Network adapters to expand.The name of the Card bus Adapter should be seen in Network Adapters section. If not, then do the following:1) Uninstall the adapter’s driver by going to “Start” > “Control Panel” > “Add or remove Programs” and select the previous driver to uninstall.Other ways to uninstall include going to the Device Manager or going to “Start” > “All Programs” > and selecting the previous downloaded driver to uninstall.2) Reinstall the Network adapter driver by using the DriverTuner tool.3) Restart the computer and go back to “Device Manager” to see the new driver installed.4) Setup wireless network.————————————————–Installing an Internal Wireless Network Adapter through a slot on the motherboard————————————————–Installing a WNA internally is usually associated with desktop computers which involves opening the case of the desktop and inserting a purchased network adapter on the available slot on the mother board.This method is more difficult and time consuming than the other two methods of installing a network adapter. It can be done by an experienced user or by a hired technician. Below are the steps to follow to install a Network Adapter.1) Purchase an internal WNA.2) If computer is on, turn it off, unplug it from the socket, and unplug the power cable from the back.3) Lay computer on a desk and open it up with a screw driver. Start of with the screws at the back of the computer.4) Once screws have been taken off, slide the side cover of the computer off to reveal the insides of the machine.5) Remove the antenna from the wireless network adapter.6) Remove the small metal panel covering the opening of the slot at the back of the computer.7) Line up the network adapter with opening of the slot at the back of the computer and carefully insert the network adapter into the available open slot on the motherboard. Make sure that the adapter is firmly resting in that slot.8) Use the screw that was used to hold the metal panel to now hold the network card in place.9) Attach the antenna back to the network adapter.10) Slide back the side cover of the computer and screw it to tightly close the case.11) Plug the power cable back to computer and plug the computer back to the socket.12) Turn on the system.Windows will automatically detect the new hardware and install the software for it. After some time, a notification will appear on the bottom right hand side to indicate that the hardware was installed successfully.————————————————–Conclusion————————————————–Installing a Wireless Network Adapter usually involves connecting the device into the computer and allowing Windows to finish up the installation process.However, when it comes to finding the drivers for the computer to make any wireless network adapter operational, this sometimes can be a problem for Windows; or even a confusing and difficult task for the user.It is therefore recommended that DriverTuner is downloaded to give the user that peace of mind of finding any driver with simplicity. The tool would not only work for network adapters, but for any other device that may be connected to the computer in the future.This will help to keep the computer up to date and enable it to perform faster and better with relevant driver downloads.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Sevilla Art and Culture
Sevilla is also referred to as Seville and it is a modern and industrial city in Spain with the old Spanish charm that most tourists are attracted to. The very friendly climate makes it a favorite tourist destination aside from the rich culture and history reflecting the festive and romantic ambiance particular for Spanish tourist destinations.The Mediterranean coast contributes to the pleasing climate that does not make tourists choose the best season to visit. Regardless of the season, Sevilla has something to offer that will make locals and tourists enjoy.Things to DoWitness Ongoing FestivalsThe festive spirit is alive with the many events that highlight religious occasions. These festivals are enjoyed with traditional music, dance with a show of beautiful Spanish clothes. The popular festival that people look forward to is the Festival of the Nations.Strolling and Walk in ParksFeel the beauty of gardens and parks as you stroll along the Parque Maria Luisa and the Gardens of Alcazar. You will see that the park is maintained with magnificent landscape and the garden is located near a palace. These parks and gardens are well-maintained for tourists’ appreciation.ShoppingFill your shopping bags with affordable souvenir items that you can buy along the streets of Tetuan and Sierpes. You can buy shirts, crafts, artwork, antique items, dresses, embroidered clothes, trinkets and other souvenir items that you can bring home for your friends or family. Plates and ceramic work are also some of the things that you will normally see along the streets of Alfarera.Appreciate Art and CultureA visit to Sevilla will not be complete without stepping into the city’s Fine Arts Museum with a great collection of paintings. You will also see exhibits in the Cathedral Museum with outstanding metalwork, religious items, jewels and antique items.NightlifeFor the partygoer, Sevilla is a place for fun. There are nighttime activities that will make you enjoy. Dance and dine and drink as you enjoy the reception and entertainment in bars and restaurants. For better scenery, there are restaurants along the riverbank which will make you feel the breeze as you enjoy the food and music. Enjoy authentic Spanish and international cuisine in the many restaurant choices. You have to try the unique cuisine of Seville as this is one of the things that tourists do not forget when they leave the city. You will surely be delighted with the many dish choices and the unique Sevillan food taste that you will love.
Using Nikon Equipment For Wildlife And Nature Photography
Choosing the Right Digital SLR for Your Nature PhotographyIt is very true that it doesn’t matter what equipment you use — it’s what you do with the camera that matters. However, there is no question that when you’re hiking through a thick jungle in the middle of central america you want to pack light. Even though the Nikon D2x has the prestige of being Nikon’s premier “PRO” camera, you may not find it’s the best fit for your nature work.One of the first things you need to consider is how you’re going to use the pictures. Look up the magazines you want to publish your work. Send in for “submission guidelines” and find out their minimum mega pixel count. The same is true for stock agencies — browse around and decide which place you’d ultimately like to sell your work. Many organizations have their submission guideliens published on their websites. If you’re more interested in learning and doing nature photography for your own pleasure then by all means buy the less expensive models. There’s nothing wrong with a camera that takes a 5 or 6 megapixel image. You’ll still be able to blow it up to poster size if you want a special print made.Choosing the Right Digital SLR for Your Nature PhotographyIt is very true that it doesn’t matter what equipment you use — it’s what you do with the camera that matters. However, there is no question that when you’re hiking through a thick jungle in the middle of central america you want to pack light. Even though the Nikon D2x has the prestige of being Nikon’s premier “PRO” camera, you may not find it’s the best fit for your nature work.One of the first things you need to consider is how you’re going to use the pictures. Look up the magazines you want to publish your work. Send in for “submission guidelines” and find out their minimum mega pixel count. The same is true for stock agencies — browse around and decide which place you’d ultimately like to sell your work. Many organizations have their submission guideliens published on their websites. If you’re more interested in learning and doing nature photography for your own pleasure then by all means buy the less expensive models. There’s nothing wrong with a camera that takes a 5 or 6 megapixel image. You’ll still be able to blow it up to poster size if you want a special print made.
Magnification – Use it to your AdvantageFor wildlife photographers in particular, the one advantage of shooting with any Nikon digital camera these days is the magnification factor. Rather than create a sensor the same size as one frame of 35mm film, Nikon and most other digital SLR camera manufacturers decided to create a sensor that is smaller than the 24x36mm standard frame of the older film models. Having a smaller sensor means you aren’t going to capture all the information on the left and right and top and bottom of the frame. This may sound really bad… but there is no need to worry about what you haven’t captured because the viewfinder has been adjusted so that what you see optically is what is captured in the digital file.The result is that the camera multiplies the magnification of all the lenses. Nikon’s magnification (depending on the camera you use) is around 1.5x. That means a 300mm lens is now magnified to 450mm. This is great news for wildlife photographers. The only drawback is that wider angle lenses (like a 17mm wide angle becomes a 25.5mm not-as-wide-angle lens. However, landscape photographers still have some options. I’ll get to those in a bit.Choosing the Right LensesUnfortunately, no one can tell you which lenses to buy or “how to build the perfect SLR system for nature photography.” Again, it depends on the kinds of photos you like to take, your personal preference and the market where you want to sell your image.The great advantage of Nikon cameras is that you can use older lenses on your body. This allows a lot more freedom of choice and means you can get really amazing older lenses at shockingly affordable prices.I’ll give you an example. One of my favorite lenses is a 300mm f4 manual focus prime lens from the 1970s. It cost only $350 CAD (meaning it would be much less expensive in American dollars) and the glass is still ED! Nikon especially developed ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass to provide pricise optical colour correction. This special glass (not available in all Nikon lenses) provides the sharp, clear resolution required for superb photographs. The other advantage (at least for me since I generally hike to find wildlife) is that it weighs less and packs small.Another example — the 50mm 1.4 auto focus lens (that’s right f1.4!) sells for only $166 CAD (again, much less in American dollars). It’s actually an 80mm on your body. That means you have a prime lens at 80mm that can take pictures in the darkest settings. And, because Nikon has been perfecting its 50mm lenses since its inception as a company (Nikon used to include a 50mm on all its bodies until well into the late 1980s), it’s one of Nikon’s very best lenses. It’s cheap because 50mm on a 35mm camera is kind of pooey. But 80mm on a digial camera is marvelous. edit
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Magnification – Use it to your AdvantageFor wildlife photographers in particular, the one advantage of shooting with any Nikon digital camera these days is the magnification factor. Rather than create a sensor the same size as one frame of 35mm film, Nikon and most other digital SLR camera manufacturers decided to create a sensor that is smaller than the 24x36mm standard frame of the older film models. Having a smaller sensor means you aren’t going to capture all the information on the left and right and top and bottom of the frame. This may sound really bad… but there is no need to worry about what you haven’t captured because the viewfinder has been adjusted so that what you see optically is what is captured in the digital file.The result is that the camera multiplies the magnification of all the lenses. Nikon’s magnification (depending on the camera you use) is around 1.5x. That means a 300mm lens is now magnified to 450mm. This is great news for wildlife photographers. The only drawback is that wider angle lenses (like a 17mm wide angle becomes a 25.5mm not-as-wide-angle lens. However, landscape photographers still have some options. I’ll get to those in a bit.Choosing the Right Lenses for your Style of Nature PhotographyUnfortunately, no one can tell you which lenses to buy or “how to build the perfect SLR system for nature photography.” Again, it depends on the kinds of photos you like to take, your personal preference and the market where you want to sell your image.The great advantage of Nikon cameras is that you can use older lenses on your body. This allows a lot more freedom of choice and means you can get really amazing older lenses at shockingly affordable prices.I’ll give you an example. One of my favorite lenses is a 300mm f4 manual focus prime lens from the 1970s. It cost only $350 CAD (meaning it would be much less expensive in American dollars) and the glass is still ED! Nikon especially developed ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass to provide pricise optical colour correction. This special glass (not available in all Nikon lenses) provides the sharp, clear resolution required for superb photographs. The other advantage (at least for me since I generally hike to find wildlife) is that it weighs less and packs small.Another example — the 50mm 1.4 auto focus lens (that’s right f1.4!) sells for only $166 CAD (again, much less in American dollars). It’s actually an 80mm on your body. That means you have a prime lens at 80mm that can take pictures in the darkest settings. And, because Nikon has been perfecting its 50mm lenses since its inception as a company (Nikon used to include a 50mm on all its bodies until well into the late 1980s), it’s one of Nikon’s very best lenses. It’s cheap because 50mm on a 35mm camera is kind of pooey. But 80mm on a digial camera is marvelous.Lenses – Pros and ConsWhile I can’t tell you the right lenses to buy for your particular needs… I can give you some feedback/impressions about the particular lenses I am using or have used in the past.Nikkor 10.5mm f2.8 Fisheye: I never thought such a specialized lens could provide me with so much use. For more information, I’ve written a short article about how to use a fisheye lens in your nature photography athttp://www.naturestocklibrary.com/gallery/2472892Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom – This lens is all right. I bought it as a kit lens a long time ago and it’s served well for the wider range. I wish I had saved pennies and purchased a 2.8 that offered a wider range (like a 12mm to 25mm).Tamron 17-35mm f2.8: This is a great lens but, alas, I purchased it for a film camera and the magnification on my digital body means that it isn’t that useful in my photography right now. I’m planning on selling it (along with my other wide angle) and buying a 2.8 that has a wider range so I can do more with landscape photography.Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF – This is the same lens I discussed earlier. It’s small, has a low price tag, allows you to shoot in really dark situations and it’s an 80mm on a digital camera. You really can’t go wrong.Nikkor Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED AF Zoom – This is a fantastic lens that stays at 2.8 no matter if you are shooting at 80 or 200mm. Again, magnification means it’s actually a 300mm zoom. Zooms are great because you can adjust your focus distance depending on where your subject is located. Not so great with subjects that are always far away (like the macaws seen here), but really awesome for docile wildlife like deer. It also has a macro function that works beautifully.Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D AF Micro, or 105 Micro for short – This is probably Nikon’s most used macro lens, probably because the lens can serve triple duty. First of all, it is a macro photography lens and it allows you to take photographs at a 1:1 reproduction ratio (on a 35mm body), which means that a 24 by 36 mm subject will fill the entire frame. Second, it makes a very good general purpose short telephoto lens. Third, it is also at least a very reasonable portrait lens (although, with magnification it may be too much of a telephoto on a digital SLR). I really love this lens for macro photography.Nikkor 300mm f4 manual focus – While a “prime” lens doesn’t offer the flexibilty of a zoom… it’s still an ideal choice for getting the best results in your work. This is the same lens I discussed earlier and, considering it cost only $350, it’s light & the focusing is so smooth, it’s one of my favorite lenses. I never leave home without it.Nikkor 600mm f5.6 manual focus ED Glass – Again, I paid a lot less for this lens (which is actually a hefty 900mm on a digital body and also has the famous Nikon ED glass!!) because it’s an older model and it’s manual focus. I spent $1,599 USD – but consider that a newer model would go for at least $5,000 to $25,000, depending on the f stop. Some may argue that 5.6 is a bit too narrow of an f stop but I find the compression with telephoto lenses means that I wouldn’t want to shoot a 900mm subject with anything wider than 5.6 (2.8 would make the focus far too shallow on such a far away subject). Although… for closer subjects 2.8 is magic!In the past, I have also used the Sigma 70-300mm 3.5-5.6 and the Tamron 200-400mm 3.5-5.6 and both served well as affordable zooms while I was learning about photography. I have since sold them to pay for the lenses I currently use.Lenses – Pros and ConsWhile I can’t tell you the right lenses to buy for your particular needs… I can give you some feedback/impressions about the particular lenses I am using or have used in the past.
Nikkor 10.5mm f2.8 Fisheye: I never thought such a specialized lens could provide me with so much use. For more information, I’ve written a short article about how to use a fisheye lens in your nature photography at http://www.naturestocklibrary.com/gallery/2472892
Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom – This lens is all right. I bought it as a kit lens a long time ago and it’s served well for the wider range. I wish I had saved pennies and purchased a 2.8 that offered a wider range (like a 12mm to 25mm).
Tamron 17-35mm f2.8: This is a great lens but, alas, I purchased it for a film camera and the magnification on my digital body means that it isn’t that useful in my photography right now. I’m planning on selling it (along with my other wide angle) and buying a 2.8 that has a wider range so I can do more with landscape photography.
Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D AF – This is the same lens I discussed earlier. It’s small, has a low price tag, allows you to shoot in really dark situations and it’s an 80mm on a digital camera. You really can’t go wrong.
Nikkor Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED AF Zoom – This is a fantastic lens that stays at 2.8 no matter if you are shooting at 80 or 200mm. Again, magnification means it’s actually a 300mm zoom. Zooms are great because you can adjust your focus distance depending on where your subject is located. Not so great with subjects that are always far away (like the macaws seen here), but really awesome for docile wildlife like deer. It also has a macro function that works beautifully.
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D AF Micro, or 105 Micro for short – This is probably Nikon’s most used macro lens, probably because the lens can serve triple duty. First of all, it is a macro photography lens and it allows you to take photographs at a 1:1 reproduction ratio (on a 35mm body), which means that a 24 by 36 mm subject will fill the entire frame. Second, it makes a very good general purpose short telephoto lens. Third, it is also at least a very reasonable portrait lens (although, with magnification it may be too much of a telephoto on a digital SLR). I really love this lens for macro photography.
Nikkor 300mm f4 manual focus – While a “prime” lens doesn’t offer the flexibilty of a zoom… it’s still an ideal choice for getting the best results in your work. This is the same lens I discussed earlier and, considering it cost only $350, it’s light & the focusing is so smooth, it’s one of my favorite lenses. I never leave home without it.
Nikkor 600mm f5.6 manual focus ED Glass – Again, I paid a lot less for this lens (which is actually a hefty 900mm on a digital body and also has the famous Nikon ED glass!!) because it’s an older model and it’s manual focus. I spent $1,599 USD – but consider that a newer model would go for at least $5,000 to $25,000, depending on the f stop. Some may argue that 5.6 is a bit too narrow of an f stop but I find the compression with telephoto lenses means that I wouldn’t want to shoot a 900mm subject with anything wider than 5.6 (2.8 would make the focus far too shallow on such a far away subject). Although… for closer subjects 2.8 is magic!
In the past, I have also used the Sigma 70-300mm 3.5-5.6 and the Tamron 200-400mm 3.5-5.6 and both served well as affordable zooms while I was learning about photography. I have since sold them to pay for the lenses I currently use.
Why I LOVE and Highly Recommend Manual Focus I used to be terrified of focusing manually. On most auto focus lenses, the focus ring is small and more difficult to use… also there’s something really easy about just allowing your camera to do the focusing work for you. I was afraid I couldn’t react quickly enough to moving subjects and that I wouldn’t be as good as my camera’s auto focus. Now I see the errors of my ways.For wildlife (or people), you want to make sure the main subject’s eyes are in perfect focus. You won’t be able to sell any image if the eyes aren’t in focus. If you shoot a subject 10 feet away at 2.8 and use auto focus, the camera will choose the object closer to the camera (usually the nose, cheek, or eye brow… not the eye itself). A 2.8 aperture means that you will have such a soft depth of field that the eyes will appear out of focus. The older (and more affordable) manual focus lenses have the most beautiful focusing rings you’ve ever seen. I find it much easier to use manual focus on my 300mm f4 lens from the 1970s than my newer autofocus 80-200mm zoom (using the auto focus feature). Unfortuately, I find the focusing ring on the newer models a little bit pooey… but I did want to make the case for why I think manual focus lenses from the 1970s are the greatest things since sliced bread!
Rule of Thumb for Fast SubjectsYou may already be aware that your shutter speed should be at least the same as the distance of your lens. For instance, you need to shoot at least 1/300th of a second if you are using a 300mm lens or hand shake will make your picture look really blurry. And anything larger than 300mm should be put on a tripod (preferably one with a ball head for wildlife work). With magnification, you may be able to get away with shooting a 300mm (a 450mm on your digital) hand-held… at 1/450th of a second or higher…)in a pinch… but investing in a good ball head tripod will really improve your results if your lens is higher than 300mm.Back on the subject of pairing your shutter speed with lens distance… if you are currently shooting P or Auto it’s a good idea to change to shutter priority instead. If you’re shooting with a 200mm make sure your shutter is set at 1/300 because of the magnification. All modern digital cameras will then set the aperture to pair with the shutter speed. At the same time, practicing photography on manual settings is always a good idea because it will offer you greater control.I could write for days about shooting nature and wildlife photography with Nikon equipment but I’ll stop for now. You’re welcome to read more of my nature photography articles online at http://www.naturestocklibrary.com/Wildlife%20Photography%20Articles.