How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

This is my first portable WiFi gadget, and I'm wondering if it's doing what it's supposed to when trying to connect.

Just wandering around, I see lots of unencrypted routers, but am almost never able to connect to them. It gives either "Network connection error" or "Unable to obtain IP address". On some of these the signal strength is half a bar or better.

I have been able to connect to three out of the four legitimate WiFi hotspots I tried.

Is that normal, not to be able to connect to random unencrypted routers?

Is there anything I can learn from either of those error messages other than that the connection didn't work?

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

Depends if they are not secured. I run my router with limits on the MAC address, so it shows up as unsecured but unless you have a MAC address I've entered you can't connect.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

Also just because it's a wireless network doesn't mean there is a internet connection there. There can be wireless networks that are just for sharing files, media, whatever.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

....an ad-hoc network maybe?

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

Yes, it's perfectly normal that trial and error includes error. Don't worry, your world is still sane.

Unfortunately, the tablets are too user-friendly to provide much information. With special software you could learn some more but I don't know if anything useful was ported to maemo.

I can explain the "Unable to obtain IP address" error. It means: "The first step, connecting to the AP was probably successful, but the second step, obtaining an IP address from the DHCP server failed." or paraphrased "I think I'm online and a I started to talk but no one answered".

There are many ways to configure a wireless network and most of them require the AP and the client to be configured manually: Authentication, Encryption, IP addresses, routing. There is only one configuration which will work automagically (no security, IP addresses retrieved from DHCP). Bad practise defaults to this configuration.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

The biggest times I run into this is when there are ADHOC networks around. For some reason a Windows workstation appears to broadcast any SSID's it's connected to in the past as an adhoc network when no network is available.

Usually these SSID's are bad: Free Public Internet, HP Setup

Those are the big ones that fail.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

Yeah! Sorry, I forgot the name. :D

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

Worth repeating: Stay off those ones if you see them (search through the forum for earlier thread if you're interested).

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

Slightly off topic but when your connection icon shows a blue centre (as below) does that indicate that it's connected to an ad-hoc network?

http://i7.tinypic.com/6tpupgp.png

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

Affirmative.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

I am settting up my router and wanna limit on MAC address too
and how can i get my n800's MAC address?
I have Xterm on my device, but the xterm doesnt recognize "ifconfig" :(

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

Under OS2008, Settings|Control Panel|About Product lists the mac address and the Bluetooth address.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

I could use some help debugging this connection.

It's called "Free Public WiFi", and came up as an ad hoc network. I connected easily, and apparently data is going back and forth. But when I run the browser it gives "Server not found" for any web address. So it looks like I'm not getting DNS.

Is there a setting I need to tweak for ad hoc networks? Is there any other info I can gather that would help?

http://toolworks.com/temp/screenshot01.png

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

I don't believe you can access the internet while connected Ad hoc. You have to be connected to an actual wireless access point. I don't know, I guess I could be wrong...?

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

I believe when it says "link-local IP address" it means that there is no internet connection, just a local LAN.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

You can, technically, when someone on the ad hoc network has internet access and does the routing/NAT/IPMASQ business for you.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

This is what I also thought; thanks for clearing that up janozaurus.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

It's always a good idea to read the full thread.. as mykl99 posted earler, stay off that network. Google for it. Or search this forum. "Free Public WiFi" is a kind of SSID virus.

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

SSID Virus ?

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

I believe that they are referring to this

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

The "Free Public P0rn" is a really company in Ireland at least ;
My local pub has stickers up advertising it, so the last time I was in I tried to connect via by N800.

Turns out to be a Linksys WRT54GS running a custom {still Linksys branded with the same default setting i.e. User/password} firmware connected to a normal ADSL line.

I've seen a few articles showing that is SSID is using 99% by rouge Laptops or AP running Hotpot sniffing software logging also user/pass.


------

Have a search for the "Wall of Shame" ; it started at DefCon where they projected onto a huge screen listing all unencrypted User/Pass that people using over the Wifi at the conference.....

Re: How Should WiFi Work on Random Hotspots?
 

bilofsky, what city/country r you in?
For me in San Francisco, using my Nokia Tablet's Wi-fi means finding those very few wi-fi hotspots that are free, in a few cafes and buildings (in downtown SF). Even at these places it is sometimes hard to connect unless I am in the correct place.
So finding networks with my NIT is very easy anywhere; finding one I can use is much harder - but I have scoped out a few places near where I work, and I go there when I need to (one is a mall).