This how to may help.

How to limit wireless connect to only one connection
http://www.wifimvp.com/

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com


"Jeff Johnson" wrote in message
news:13osf4o3ts4hb59@corp.supernews.com...
>I live in an apartment and there are at least two unsecured networks in
>range of my son's room. When the connection to my network fails, Windows
>happily tries to connect to the first network it can find. I don't want it
>to do this. Is there anything I can do (registry entries, local policies,
>etc.) to tell Windows "If you can't connect to network XXX then don't
>connect at all, EVER"?
>

"Robert L. (MS-MVP)" wrote in message
news:uKZaSTGWIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

>>I live in an apartment and there are at least two unsecured networks in
>>range of my son's room. When the connection to my network fails, Windows
>>happily tries to connect to the first network it can find. I don't want it
>>to do this. Is there anything I can do (registry entries, local policies,
>>etc.) to tell Windows "If you can't connect to network XXX then don't
>>connect at all, EVER"?

> This how to may help.
>
> How to limit wireless connect to only one connection
> http://www.wifimvp.com/

I'm pretty sure I'm already set up that way and it doesn't make a
difference. However, even if it DOES work then from what I read it only
stops Windows from connecting AUTOMATICALLY. I don't even want to be able to
connect to another network MANUALLY. Can this be controlled?

Jeff Johnson wrote:
> I live in an apartment and there are at least two unsecured networks in
> range of my son's room. When the connection to my network fails, Windows
> happily tries to connect to the first network it can find. I don't want it
> to do this. Is there anything I can do (registry entries, local policies,
> etc.) to tell Windows "If you can't connect to network XXX then don't
> connect at all, EVER"?
>
>

To add one point to the advice at the link Robert gave you -- if you are
using Windows to configure your wireless network settings, every time
you connect to a new wireless network, Windows adds that network to the
top of the list of preferred networks. Thus, assuming that you have
connected to some of these nearby unsecured networks, make sure to go
through the list of preferred networks and "remove" all of the ones that
you don't want to automatically connect to.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

Jeff Johnson wrote:
> "Robert L. (MS-MVP)" wrote in message
> news:uKZaSTGWIHA.4684@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
>>> I live in an apartment and there are at least two unsecured networks in
>>> range of my son's room. When the connection to my network fails, Windows
>>> happily tries to connect to the first network it can find. I don't want it
>>> to do this. Is there anything I can do (registry entries, local policies,
>>> etc.) to tell Windows "If you can't connect to network XXX then don't
>>> connect at all, EVER"?
>
>> This how to may help.
>>
>> How to limit wireless connect to only one connection
>> http://www.wifimvp.com/
>
> I'm pretty sure I'm already set up that way and it doesn't make a
> difference. However, even if it DOES work then from what I read it only
> stops Windows from connecting AUTOMATICALLY. I don't even want to be able to
> connect to another network MANUALLY. Can this be controlled?
>
>

If you mean can you prevent your son from deliberately connecting to
someone else's unsecured in-range network, the answer is, not easily.
See this thread:
http://www.velocityreviews.com/forum...-settings.html


--
Lem -- MS-MVP - Networking

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

Hi
If the Kids are not computer savvies then careful management of the Wireless
Zero Configuration setting (as mentioned by Lem) can help.
Otherwise you would need to disable Windows Native Firewall and install a
3rd party Firewall that allows to establish rules to the local and Internet
traffic.
Establish a rule that allow connection using only your IP range, most
Firewall let you protect the setting with password so that it can not be
changed even by savvy Kids.
I did something like this long time ago when my Grandson was young so I do
not remember the details.
It is possible that his free Firewall (compatible with Windows XP and Vista)
is capable for such configuration, http://www.pctools.com/firewall/
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"Jeff Johnson" wrote in message
news:13osf4o3ts4hb59@corp.supernews.com...
>I live in an apartment and there are at least two unsecured networks in
>range of my son's room. When the connection to my network fails, Windows
>happily tries to connect to the first network it can find. I don't want it
>to do this. Is there anything I can do (registry entries, local policies,
>etc.) to tell Windows "If you can't connect to network XXX then don't
>connect at all, EVER"?
>

"Lem" wrote in message
news:eSgCVBIWIHA.5348@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> If you mean can you prevent your son from deliberately connecting to
> someone else's unsecured in-range network, the answer is, not easily.
> See this thread:
> http://www.velocityreviews.com/forum...-settings.html

Do you get the feeling that the Windows team that designed wireless
networking just wanted to go home? I mean, I can use policies to restrict
the programs that can be run on a computer, I can keep people from using
task manager, registry editor, etc., but I can't do something as simple as
specify a restricted list of SSIDs that Windows can connect to. It just
seems...incomplete.

Thanks for the responses, guys. I'm going to take the basic answer as "No,
you cannot do exactly what you're looking to do."

I'll look into the utility that came with the network adapter. Maybe it's a
bit smarter, but I doubt it.