WIFI-USB

[Richard Henry]

After a cross-country trip in which I was unable to link up my laptop
because I had no wireless capability, and the hotels and airport lounges
(and even bookstores) all seemed to wireless-network-enabled, I am
considering the purchase of a wireless-network adaptor to plug into one of
my laptop's USB ports.

Any suggestions/warnings/stories?

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

After a cross-country trip in which I was unable to link up my laptop
because I had no wireless capability, and the hotels and airport lounges
(and even bookstores) all seemed to wireless-network-enabled, I am
considering the purchase of a wireless-network adaptor to plug into one of
my laptop's USB ports.

Any suggestions/warnings/stories?

I bought a dirt-cheap PCMCIA wireless adapter in HK in March for C.'s
older Win98 laptop and it has worked just fine everywhere we tried it.
The salesgeek recommended the PCMCIA version over the USB version
(identical price) because of lower power consumption (I don't remember
the numbers, but it was substantial, a watt or two IIRC). Nice and
fast in a Holiday Inn last week (you have to get an access code from
the desk). The card said the hotel would supply some kind of adapter
if you didn't have one (presumably with an ethernet plug). In a B&B a
couple of weeks ago, I didn't bother to connect to the in-house
wireless network, but was able to marginally connect to some other
network depending on which room I was in and the orientation of the
'puter.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Joerg]

Hello Spehro,

I bought a dirt-cheap PCMCIA wireless adapter in HK in March for C.'s
older Win98 laptop and it has worked just fine everywhere we tried it.
The salesgeek recommended the PCMCIA version over the USB version
(identical price) because of lower power consumption (I don't remember
the numbers, but it was substantial, a watt or two IIRC). ...

They also tend not to break so easily because they are about 80% tucked
inside when in the PCMCIA slot. Just imagine someone pushing a stack of
data books aside and into a USB stick. Ka-crunch.

Regards, Joerg

 

[Don Bowey]

After a cross-country trip in which I was unable to link up my laptop
because I had no wireless capability, and the hotels and airport lounges
(and even bookstores) all seemed to wireless-network-enabled, I am
considering the purchase of a wireless-network adaptor to plug into one of
my laptop's USB ports.

Any suggestions/warnings/stories?

I agree with Spehro; A wireless PCMCIA card is the way to go. I added one
to my wife's PC laptop, which was then able to interwork with my initial
Linksys wireless router, and currently with my Apple Wireless Base Station.
The PCMCIA card is so well supported that it is able to print, not only to
my wireless Print Server, but also to the USB printer connected to the Apple
Base Station (I'm Macintosh, she is PC).

After Market support is very important, and the PCMCIA cards are well
supported. I've always found the PC easier to set-up than the Mac, and I've
been Mac person for many years.

FWIW, Sitting in my car in the downtown Portland, Or area I can always find
a Wireless Net that will let me in without a password - Nice user-friendly
people abound. I logged into a Hotel's wireless net and discovered the
pirates want $6.00 per day to use it.

Don

 

[Jim Thompson]

I bought a dirt-cheap PCMCIA wireless adapter in HK in March for C.'s
older Win98 laptop and it has worked just fine everywhere we tried it.
The salesgeek recommended the PCMCIA version over the USB version
(identical price) because of lower power consumption (I don't remember
the numbers, but it was substantial, a watt or two IIRC). Nice and
fast in a Holiday Inn last week (you have to get an access code from
the desk). The card said the hotel would supply some kind of adapter
if you didn't have one (presumably with an ethernet plug). In a B&B a
couple of weeks ago, I didn't bother to connect to the in-house
wireless network, but was able to marginally connect to some other
network depending on which room I was in and the orientation of the
'puter.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

Spehro,

In WiFi in hotels, is your connection to the Internet still via a
browser, or do you have true network accessibility?

...Jim Thompson

 

[Jim Thompson]

I agree with Spehro; A wireless PCMCIA card is the way to go. I added one
to my wife's PC laptop, which was then able to interwork with my initial
Linksys wireless router, and currently with my Apple Wireless Base Station.
The PCMCIA card is so well supported that it is able to print, not only to
my wireless Print Server, but also to the USB printer connected to the Apple
Base Station (I'm Macintosh, she is PC).

After Market support is very important, and the PCMCIA cards are well
supported. I've always found the PC easier to set-up than the Mac, and I've
been Mac person for many years.

FWIW, Sitting in my car in the downtown Portland, Or area I can always find
a Wireless Net that will let me in without a password - Nice user-friendly
people abound. I logged into a Hotel's wireless net and discovered the
pirates want $6.00 per day to use it.

Don

$6 is CHEAP. Last hotel I was at wanted $9.95 per day for an ethernet
connection.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Chafik Hankour]

FWIW, Sitting in my car in the downtown Portland, Or area I can always find
a Wireless Net that will let me in without a password - Nice user-friendly
people abound. I logged into a Hotel's wireless net and discovered the
pirates want $6.00 per day to use it.

Don

You may want to rethink that:

http://www.geekcoffee.net/archives/2005/07/florida_man_arr.html

 

[Jim Thompson]

You may want to rethink that:

http://www.geekcoffee.net/archives/2005/07/florida_man_arr.html

It should've been Richard Dinon that was arrested for being such a
loser as to have an unsecured network. He probably regularly gets
viruses too ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[Chafik Hankour]

It should've been Richard Dinon that was arrested for being such a
loser as to have an unsecured network. He probably regularly gets
viruses too ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Agreed, as this article shows that there might be some liability for a
person leaving their network open, but still, 5 years in prison vs. $6-$10,
not really worth it....

 

[Chafik Hankour]

Agreed, as this article shows that there might be some liability for a
person leaving their network open, but still, 5 years in prison vs. $6-$10,
not really worth it....

Forgot to paste the URL:

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/...acking-May-Lead-to-Five-Years-in-Prison.xhtml

 

[Tim Wescott]

After a cross-country trip in which I was unable to link up my laptop
because I had no wireless capability, and the hotels and airport lounges
(and even bookstores) all seemed to wireless-network-enabled, I am
considering the purchase of a wireless-network adaptor to plug into one of
my laptop's USB ports.

Any suggestions/warnings/stories?

Story:

Went to a meeting with a friend. He had his laptop up and a stock
ticker running, in a resturant that does _not_ have wireless. On
cross-examination it turns out that he has a card and account from
Verizon -- he gets coverage anywhere there's Verizon digital. Probably
not at wideband rates, but hey...

 

[Don Bowey]

You may want to rethink that:

http://www.geekcoffee.net/archives/2005/07/florida_man_arr.html

--

Interesting link, but the results aren't in.

If the owner wants to keep the network private, all it takes is to require a
password, or access could be limited to certain DHCPs; he has *complete*
control of it In my opinion, an open wireless network (such as mine) is an
invitation to "come on in."

Don

 

[Keith Williams]

Interesting link, but the results aren't in.

If the owner wants to keep the network private, all it takes is to require a
password, or access could be limited to certain DHCPs; he has *complete*
control of it In my opinion, an open wireless network (such as mine) is an
invitation to "come on in."

I tend to agree, though using and open WiFi connection to the Internet
may be considered theft of services. I'm sure your cable company
wouldn't like you setting up such a network for the whole neighborhood.

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

Spehro,

In WiFi in hotels, is your connection to the Internet still via a
browser, or do you have true network accessibility?

...Jim Thompson

As well as browser stuff, such as webmail, I downloaded Free Agent and
read some newsgroups via a free Italian NNTP server, so I guess it's
pretty complete. I didn't try POP3 as the webmail was pretty snappy.

Not sure exactly what the sequence is when you are authenticated-- I
assume it limits when you can send/receive to a local login page until
it verfies your password, and then it opens up the network to your IP
address. I didn't have to type any Holiday Inn URL, yet the login page
came up by itself, so maybe it sent the page in response to a request
to look at another (Google, in this case) page.

Of course you do have to go in and select the network (this one
installs an icon in the Control Panel for settings) before anything
happens.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Don Bowey]

I tend to agree, though using and open WiFi connection to the Internet
may be considered theft of services. I'm sure your cable company
wouldn't like you setting up such a network for the whole neighborhood.

They might not, but it is a good chance for some people to try high-rate
service, so maybe I should bill comcast for advertising their service.

I occasionally check to see if anyone is on my LAN, and have never found a
neighbor. The other half of the story is.... My home is on the south bank
of a river which has a small park on the north bank, with a large lounging
deck. My "open" network is for the laptoppers who are enjoying the big
outdoors while they work/play.

Don

 

[JeffM]

http://www.geekcoffee.net/archives/2005/07/florida_man_arr.htmlThe charge laveled against Benjamin Smith was akin to theft of services
but what got his arrested was acting creepy:
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/07/06/0217252&threshold=5&mode=nested#12991996
..
..

It should've been Richard Dinon that was arrested
for being such a loser as to have an unsecured network.
Jim Thompson

Yup.
Before they go making laws about unauthorized access,
they should require manufacturers of wireless gear
to make their install procedures include a mandatory screen
that specifies legit users via Media Access Control filtering.

You can't proceed with the install until a box has been clicked
to specify a finite level of security
**OR** a box has been clicked that says
YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT I'M LEAVING MY NETWORK OPEN
TO ANY BOZO WHO WANTS TO ACCESS IT--AND THAT'S OK BY ME.