WiFi question

[Figger_Eight]

I just got an Airport card for the Powerbook, but I can't connect to the internet at the coffee shop.

 

It's a free hotspot and I can get a signal, but I can't pull anything up on my browser.

 

Anybody got any ideas?

[iain]

check your tcp/ip settings. most likely they need to be set to "dhcp" to aquire an ip address and router address. Make sure the device selected is "airport" in the network settings panel.

[eternalX]

ask a barista, unless you're at starbucks where they don't know what computers are. i had one tell me that i had to already have an account to use the service and i'd have to set it up on the web before coming in.

 

He was basically telling me i'd need to use the web to get to it.

 

[lummox]

that wifi is some cool shit. ima hafta get toys like that someday.

 

but how can ya make money setting up a wifi node?

[iain]

Charge ridiculous amounts for coffee, that's how. Just kidding, you can limit access to specific users a number of ways. Usernames and passwords work, or you can even limit access based on the number hardcoded into the network device, like a vin number on a car.

[murraysovereign]

The Howe Sound Inn has installed a "fat port", which this luddite assumes is just a different term for WiFi. They're not charging anything, just offering it as a customer service feature. It also would appeal to people planning conferences and such, so presumably they're hoping to see an overall increase in business, rather than making money by charging for the service itself. Similarly, I would guess the coffee shops are hoping you'll chose their shop rather than the one across the street, so they'll make more money in that way. From talking to the folks at the Brew Pub, it sounds like it doesn't cost much to set up, and once it's in place it's basically free, so they don't really have to charge people for access.