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Accessing Networks From PC Card Adapter

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Go to the Best Western lobby and ask them how much they charge for wireless access. I was amazed to discover that as long as you're willing to pay, some hotels, coffee shops, and book stores that offer for pay wireless will be more than happy to take you money. I always assumed that Boingo, T-Mobile, iPass, et al, had an exclusive on re-selling wireless service from these locations. Apparently not.

List of WISP (wireless ISP's) in Colorado:

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the directory for Boulder, I find:
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List of free wireless hot spots in Colorado:
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One problem with your DWL-650 is that the stock circuit board antenna doesn't really offer much in the way of range. Figure on 300ft max on a good day. If the signal is awful, you'll need a better antenna (or different radio). See:
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how to destroy your DWL-650 by adding a coax pigtail.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann
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I live in an apartment complex in Boulder, Colorado. I just bought a D-Link DWL-650 P1 802.11b Adapter in hopes of finding some networks or "hotpoints" around here especially the Best Western Boulder Inn which is just west of us & has Wi-Fi. (don't have my own network just looking for any others in range). The results were interesting, if not baffling. The card works fine in my hp/Compaq nx9020 laptop with Win Home XP. It shows several networks with peculiar names like Gangsta or Netgear as well as 3701 and Ediga. The first come and go (weak) but the last 2 are always there. 3701 is fairly weak, around 20-40% on D-Link's Site Survey. The card won't connect to it; highlight it, click Connect and the disk runs for a few seconds then nothing happens, the AOS (Acquisition Of Signal) LED on the card blinks and task bar icons show no connection. I wonder if this is the Best Western; anyway despite a measurable signal my card just won't connect to it. Wonder why? It will connect to Ediga which is very strong, 60-70%. Just now a Site Survey showed it down to 37% but it didn't drop lock though

3701 won't connect at that signal strength. Unfortunately I can't do anything with it. My card won't acquire a network or IP address; it shows "Status: Limited or no connection". Repair reacquires it, it looks for an address then gives up again. I don't know how to access it; I wonder if it's a LAN here, perhaps in the apt. office. I'd also like to try the elusive 3701, perhaps by bringing up the signal. I've looked at booster antennas on the net but they all require a coax connection (N type or maybe RG-58/U) to the card--which has no connectors on it. Earthlink says their Wi-Fi Laptop Service is "Coming Soon"; I hope it'll help. I'm also suggesting the apt. office get Wi-Fi for tenants. Any ideas: how to access Ediga or get 3701 to connect? Thanks, snipped-for-privacy@ix.netcom.com
Reply to
Roger AC Williams

(snip long post abuot trying to connect to various APs that show up in a site survey)

The ones you think are strong but can't connect to are possibly encrypted. Possibly the hotel won't want non-guests connecting.

Reply to
Mark McIntyre

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