If you bought the WiFi iPad, you do not have much of a decision to make here - you get your Internet access by jumping onto your nearest wireless network or spot. If you have your own WiFi network, say at home, you can pop your iPad about it with just a couple of taps. If you do not have your own network, you need to set one up or look for a nearby WiFi hot spot you can legally use if you wish to download email, web pages, and iTunes Store content from thin air.
But if you bought the 3G-enabled iPad, you have a choice of connections. You aren't limited to a WiFi network because you can use AT&T's mostly nationwide 3G data network - the same one iPhones use for email, web surfing, and telephone calls.
So if you have a choice, which should you use, and when? In general, stay with WiFi when you can. It's likely likely to be faster. And remember, AT&T bills you to use its 3G network. You may not care if you're paying $30 a month for unlimited access, but if you went for that budget $15-a-month plan for 250 megabytes of data, you may be surprised at how quickly you reach that 250 megs.
That said, if there is no WiFi hot spot in range, let 'er rip using the 3G. You now have a link towards the Internet pretty much anywhere you go - so long as you're under AT&T's network umbrella.
No matter which iPad you have, you can connect with the Internet over a working WiFi network, known to geeks as an 802.11 or Wireless Fidelity network. It's the same technology that lets laptops, handheld game consoles, and portable media players get online at high-speed.
When you first switch on your iPad and try to make use of an Internet-focused app like Safari, the iPad may appear a box having a bunch of network names and suggest you join one. Just find your network in the list and enter your password. If you're not prompted to join a network, here's how to set up the iPad on your home wireless network for the first time:
On the iPad's Home screen, tap Settings and then WiFi. This brings you to the wireless settings area. Next to WiFi, tap the On button. In the "Choose a Network" box, do just that. The iPad sniffs around the air and displays what they are called of all the WiFi networks it finds nearby. Locate the name of your home network in the list and tap its name to join it.
Type in the network's password if asked. Secure networks - those that require passwords to keep freeloaders and intruders from glomming onto them and sucking up bandwidth - are marked having a lock icon. You need to enter a password to get online from locked-up networks. Once you type in your network password, the WiFi icon in the iPad's top menu bar should bloom, indicating that yes, you are on the Internet. Fire up Safari or YouTube and enjoy the ride.
If you're to not get the happy WiFi icon, repeat the steps above and carefully retype your network password. You should also make sure that your home network is indeed up and running. You should only have to run through this setup process the first time you join a network. The iPad is savvy enough to consider your network password once you successfully connect once.
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