Windows 8.1: The Missing Manual

Network

Now TileWorld has almost the same degree of networking sophistication as the desktop, as you’ll see:

• Connections shows your current WiFi network and lets you create VPN (virtual private networking) connections to your corporate office, as described on Virtual Private Networking.

• Airplane mode. As you’re probably aware, you’re not allowed to make cellphone calls on U.S. airplanes. According to legend (if not science), a cellphone’s radio can interfere with a plane’s navigational equipment.

  But come on. Are you supposed to deprive yourself of all the music, videos, movies, and email that you could be using in flight, just because wireless gadgets are forbidden?

  Nope. Just turn on Airplane Mode (so that this switch says On). Now an airplane icon appears wherever your WiFi signal-strength bars would appear, including on your desktop taskbar. (You can tap it to turn Airplane Mode off again.)

  Now the cellular and WiFi features are turned off completely. You can’t make calls or get online, but you can do anything else in the computer’s bag of noncellular tricks.

• WiFi, Bluetooth. Here are your PC’s on/off switches for these wireless features. You might, for example, turn Airplane Mode on—shutting off WiFi—but then turn WiFi back on, so that you can use your plane’s in-flight WiFi.

• Proxy. Now TileWorld has tweaky network settings, just like the Control Panel; see Indexing Options.

• HomeGroup. A HomeGroup is a quick, easy way to set up networking among several Windows machines in the same ...