Question about a wired network

[Bulmer22]

Okay after being tired about the unreliability of wireless i decided to run an ethernet cable from my router to my computer, my wireless connection was really messed up up and it usually crawls at terrible speed and disconnects a lot.

Im running Vista but my laptop keeps connecting automatically to various wireless networks, the only way I can get a connection through my cable is by disconnecting from a network and then plugging the cable in. Is there a way I can make sure my computer is connecting through my ethernet connection every time instead of wireless?, and also how to properly configure everything for ethernet?.
I was thinking that I could turn off my wireless adapter through device manager however im unsure if this would mess anything else up - also im not sure which it is, under network adapters I have 'Atheros Wireless Network Adater' and 'SiS Ethernet controller'.

If anybody has any ideas how I can set everything up so my ethernet connection works properly it would be greatly appreciated, thanks!.

 

[JohnWill]

Just disable the wireless connection, either in Device Manager or in Network Connections, that won't upset anything else.

 

[Rich-M]

Most laptops have an on off switch readily visible for wireless access near the keyboard.

 

[JohnWill]

Or a function key sequence if they don't have the physical switch.