Ok, before we start I just need to set the scene - my device is an O2 Xda II (1.60 ROM, WM2003) with a pocketGEAR SDIO Wireless LAN card, my wireless connection is a D-Link DWL-2100AP access point which is connected to a 5 port switch which connects to my PCs and my ADSL modem.  Therefore, while I shall try to make this as generic as possible, everything here will be based on this setup and other information gleaned from elsewhere - in other words... a mish-mash of information!  It also doesn't cover all the various options available during configuration, some I don't know and some may not be used by anyone - post a query if you need help.

Right, back to basics.  First we need to prove to ourselves that we can connect the PDA to the network in its simplest form, unencrypted and with no authentication.  I will assume that you have installed the drivers for the SDIO card on the PDA and inserted the SDIO card in the SD slot.  I will also assume that you have connected the access point (AP) to your computer or modem or whatever that you wish to access and that you are able to access the AP's configuration screen.

First... the PDA (remember I'm using WM2003, not SE - some of the options may be in different places on your device). 

Go to Start | Settings | Connections | Connections | Advanced, you should see three buttons - Select Networks, Select Location and Network Card.  Choose Select Networks. 

If you wish to connect to the internet via a 'home' network you will need to choose New... by the first combo, for a 'work' network use the New... on the second one.  Now, whichever you choose, the resulting screen will have at least two tabs - enter a suitable name on the first tab and tick the "This network connects to the Internet" on the "Proxy Settings" tab.  If you use a proxy server (most ISPs don't, from this perpective) you will need to set that info.  Tap ok, make sure your new entry is selected in the relevant combo box and tap ok again.  For the sake of this document, I'll assume you're using the first ("Programs that automatically connect to the Internet should connect using:") network option.

Now tap the Network Card button.  The top combo box should match the choice of the previous selections.  So if you chose the 'home' network, the combo box should show "The Internet"; if you chose the 'work' network, the combo box should be set to "Work".  Now tap the first entry in the adaptor list "NE2000 Compatible Ethernet Driver".

Whether you use a dynamic or a static I.P. address depends as much on your access point as anything.  If it can allocate I.P. addresses (can act as a DHCP server) then you can use that.  Even though my AP is a DHCP server, I selected a static IP address myself - the rest of my network uses static.  You will need to enter the IP address, the subnet mask and the default gateway.  The Default Gateway is the I.P. address of the device or computer within your network which gives access to the internet - my ADSL modem is mine; once these are done tap the Name Servers tab and enter the DNS and ALT DNS IP addresses - all this information can be obtained by looking in the network settings of the IP protocol on your main computer you use to access the internet.  Tap ok a number of times to take you out to the Today screen.

Now the AP (or whatever).  This is a little harder for me to help with because each device will have different configuration software, however...

Many of these devices use a web browser based interface, so start your browser and enter the requisit IP address that the hardware requires for it to enter the config. utility. 

It might be valuable to set the SSID of the wireless network to something you can recognise when you connect (mine is mtb) - in my D-Link it is via the Wireless button on the Home tab - and enable its broadcasting.

You will need to find the screen which permits you to set the Default Gateway -  Home tab | LAN button - set this to the IP address previously used.

You also need to find the Encryption screen - mine is Advanced tab | Encryption button - you should set the options to Open System and Encryption:Disabled.

The First Test!  Look at the task bar of your device - you may see an icon like a set of stairs (if you don't see it, hunt throught the start menu for a WLAN entry and tap it).  If it is Blue, you're connected, if not, tap the icon and check the Radio | on option is selected.  Now tap the Open menu option - you should see a screen which shows various statistical and settings info. including your SSID , close the screen.  Now comes the big one - start Pocket IE and enter a website address - you should be able to access it just fine.

If you've got the internet connected - congratulations!  If not, go back and check all the settings and post a query in this tech. note's thread if necessary.

Assuming (yes,I know I'm doing it a lot!) you've successfully got this far, we now need to add some protection to the link to protect you from people accessing your data and using your internet connection.  You first need to come up with a 13 character encryption key, nice and hard to guess because you can write it down somewhere if necessary e.g. k48*2Ls#V^rsW - the nastier the better. 

On the PDA go to Start | Settings | Connections | Connections | Advanced | Network Card.  In networks tab tap the network name in the Wireless networks list which corresponds to your SSID and is shown as connected.

In the Authentication tab, tick Data Encryption and clear the remaining three checkboxes.  Enter your network key (exactly, case sensitive) in the Network Key box and choose one of the Key indexes (1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th).  Press ok lots of times - you will now lose your wifi connection.

On the AP go to the Encryption screen again and set it to Shared Key or OpenSystem/Shared Key and enable the encryption.  Set the encryption to 128 bit, the key type to ASCII, the key index to whatever you set on the PDA and enter the Network Key into the correcponding key entry - choose save.

If all has gone according to plan, when the AP reboots you should be able to use PIE to browse the internet, safe in the knowledge that you are encrypted and authenticated.  Woohoo!

My D-Link provides a number of other security measure to make it harder to break in like MAC address filtering - you can now play with these options if you wish.  You can always go back to basics and restart.

I have Clem at pocketGEAR to thank for the his PDF (which I will upload when Acuity decides to let me!) and his invaluable technical assistance, and kevin for finding this little gem (check the image in the 5th reply) too!

I will continue to update this guide as information becomes available and will add images too, please discuss this in the associated tech. note thread.