Patent ID: 7512081

Claim:
A method for connecting a computing device of a computer user to at least one network of a type selected from a group comprising a wireless telephone network, a wired infrastructure computer network, a wireless infrastructure computer network, and a wireless ad hoc computer network, the method comprising: checking user preferences for network connectivity, wherein checking user preferences comprises the step of checking for an authentication mode setting and a default mode setting, the default mode setting including an infrastructure mode allowing connectivity only with wireless infrastructure computer networks, an ad hoc mode allowing connectivity only with wireless ad hoc computer networks, an auto infrastructure preferred mode allowing connectivity with wireless infrastructure computer networks and wireless ad hoc computer networks with a preference for the wireless infrastructure computer networks, and an auto ad hoc preferred mode allowing connectivity with wireless infrastructure computer networks and wireless ad hoc computer networks with a preference for wireless ad hoc computer networks; scanning for network presence of the at least one network; connecting the computing device to the at least one network based on the user preferences, wherein connecting to the at least one network comprises the steps of associating with a wireless infrastructure computer network, and connecting as a valid user with credentials; if connecting the computing device to the at least one network fails, selecting an ad hoc mode of operation when the default mode setting is set to auto mode; and operating the computing device in an off-line mode when network connectivity is not available.