Need information about starting a charity computer support business?

I want to help financially struggling small businesses and low income people with their computer needs by offering free service. My purpose is not do this free all my life of course, couldn't do it for too long. I want to be able to make money off of it at some point since it will take my whole day doing this and I will have no other source of income. I want to know how I can do something like this and at the same time being able to survive financially.

Career change from Management Consulting to IT?

Hi. I am seriously considering changing careers from management consulting to a job in IT; preferably to do with hardware as an engineer or support services. I have a first degree in Business Economics & Finance. I am very technical with PCs and I more or less sort out all of my current office's problems. I have more than 7 years experience working with PCs and regularly upgrade and install parts on my system. I am very confortable with computers and networking and would like to pursue a career where I can improve my skills in the IT sector; does anyone have any tips that can get me started? Do I have get a degree for a career in this sector? All answers welcome.

How do you connect to a "computer to computer" wireless network?

I have noticed that whenever I search for wireless signals with my netbook, I get 2 or 3 wireless signals that say "Computer to Computer" wireless networks. It even lets you connect to it. But the internet still doesn't work. How, exactly, do these types of wireless signals work? The ones I always see are "Secretaria SEJ", "neolanusers", and "TEC"....at least at the place I work at there are those signals. So, how do I actually get internet from these signals?