Is there a way to connect to our network using an ipad? Not remotely but using an ipad instead of using a laptop or desktop. This network requires a user name and password. We have wireless so it wouldn't have to be a wired connection.
Well, your iPad (don't know which model you own?) has Wi-Fi wireless and I'm assuming the network you are talking about is broadcasting Wi-Fi - correct or am I misunderstanding your description above?
If indeed you are talking about a 'wireless' network, your iPad w/ Wi-Fi turned ON should see the network and the name shown, which is the SSID - the exception is that the router creating the wireless network can be setup to NOT broadcast the name, so you would need to enter it into the iPad's Wi-Fi settings.
As you state above, entry into the network requires a login name & password, so some type of security is being used (my router @ home uses WPA2) - wireless networks can also be setup to use MAC filtering, i.e. in which the MAC (Media Access Control) address of your iPad (kind of like its ID #) has to be put into a table in the router's configuration software.
Let us know if this makes sense and if I'm guessing right regarding 'what' you want to do; and I agree w/
TP, i.e. why not just ask the IT people who manage the network? Dave