Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Saya menyambungkan laptop ke Wi‑Fi tamu dengan sandi baru. - I connect the laptop to the guest Wi‑Fi with a new password.

menyambungkan is meN- + sambung + -kan: “to cause to be connected,” i.e., “to connect (something).” It’s perfectly natural for connecting a device to a network.

Also common: menghubungkan (to link/connect). Either is fine for Wi‑Fi.
Less careful/colloquial: nyambungin (informal for menyambungkan).

Can I use menyambung instead of menyambungkan?

Usually no, not in careful speech.

menyambungkan is the causative “connect something (to something).”
menyambung tends to mean “to join/continue” (splicing cables, continuing a call), and sounds off for “connect a laptop to Wi‑Fi,” though colloquial nyambung (ke Wi‑Fi) is heard.

Why is ke used after menyambungkan? Could I use dengan or pada?

ke marks the destination/target: menyambungkan laptop ke Wi‑Fi.
dengan is used when linking two items with each other: menghubungkan A dengan B (“connect A with B”).
pada can appear in formal tech writing (e.g., terhubung pada server), but in everyday speech ke is the default.

What exactly does dengan sandi baru mean? Is it “using” the new password?

Yes. dengan here marks the means/instrument: “using a new password.” You could also say:

menggunakan (kata) sandi baru (more explicit)
pakai sandi baru (informal)

Is sandi the same as kata sandi (password)? Which is more natural?

kata sandi is the standard term for “password.”
sandi literally means “code/cipher,” but it’s widely used (especially in UI text) to mean “password.”
Borrowed password is common in casual/tech contexts.
All three are understood; for neutral/formal style, kata sandi is safest.

What does baru modify here, and where do adjectives go in Indonesian?

Adjectives follow the noun. So sandi baru = “new password.”
Note: baru can also mean “just (now)” when placed before a verb: Saya baru menyambungkan… = “I just connected…” That’s different from sandi baru.

Does the sentence imply it’s my laptop? How do I say “my laptop” explicitly?

Possession isn’t marked unless you add it, so laptop could be “a/the laptop,” often understood as yours from context. To be explicit:

laptop saya (neutral/formal)
laptopku (informal)

How can I say “I connected to the guest Wi‑Fi” without mentioning the device?

Use an intransitive/resultative form:

Saya terhubung ke Wi‑Fi tamu.
Saya sudah terhubung ke Wi‑Fi tamu. (adds “already”)
Informal: Saya udah nyambung ke Wi‑Fi tamu.

How do I say it in the passive?

Two common options:

di- passive: Laptop saya disambungkan ke Wi‑Fi tamu (dengan kata sandi baru) (oleh saya). The agent oleh saya is optional.
Object-fronting (colloquial/neutral): Laptop saya saya sambungkan ke Wi‑Fi tamu (dengan kata sandi baru).

Is Wi‑Fi tamu natural? What about Wi‑Fi untuk tamu or jaringan Wi‑Fi?

All are fine; choose based on context:

Wi‑Fi tamu = “guest Wi‑Fi” (very common on signs/labels).
Wi‑Fi untuk tamu = “Wi‑Fi for guests.”
jaringan Wi‑Fi tamu = explicitly “the guest Wi‑Fi network.”

Can I move the phrase dengan sandi baru elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes, Indonesian allows some flexibility:

Saya menyambungkan laptop ke Wi‑Fi tamu dengan sandi baru. (default)
Saya menyambungkan laptop dengan sandi baru ke Wi‑Fi tamu. (fine, a bit heavier)
Dengan sandi baru, saya menyambungkan laptop ke Wi‑Fi tamu. (topicalizes the means)

Should I use ke or kepada here?

Use ke. kepada is for recipients (typically people/animates). Networks take ke: ke Wi‑Fi tamu.

Is there a more informal way to say the whole sentence?

Yes, for casual speech (Jakarta-style):

Aku nyambungin laptop ke WiFi tamu pakai password baru. You can swap aku with gue/gua, and WiFi spelling is casual.

How do I say “the new password” (definite/specific), not just “a new password”?

Use a definiteness marker:

kata sandi yang baru (the one that’s new)
kata sandi baru itu (“that new password”)
kata sandi barunya (contextually “the new password”)

Is terhubung ke interchangeable with terhubung dengan?

Both are used:

terhubung ke emphasizes the destination/endpoint.
terhubung dengan emphasizes the relationship (“connected with”).
With networks, both are common and acceptable.

Do I need to write Wi‑Fi with a hyphen and caps?

Style varies. Wi‑Fi (hyphen, caps) is standard. WiFi/wifi also appear informally; all are understood. Use your target style guide if you have one.

Is kata kunci okay for “password”?

No. kata kunci means “keyword.” For “password,” use kata sandi/sandi/password.