•A subscription-only network.Providers ranging from major cell
phone companies, other utilities, and local companies offer hot
spots in communities, airports, and other public areas. In most
cases you can sign on to a welcome page, which sometimes
includes advertisements for local companies and basic informa-
tion, and then purchase access (by the hour, day, or for longer
periods of time). As an example, the T-Mobile cell phone company
has hot spots for its customers in places including many Starbucks
coffee shops and FedEx Kinko’s stores.
•A free public network.Many libraries, some community organiza-
tions, and some commercial operations such as Panera sandwich
shops offer free wireless Internet access. All you need to do is show
up with a properly equipped machine and grab a seat. (They may
expect you to buy a sandwich or a cup of coffee.)You may also find that some private network owners do not restrict
access to their personal wireless routers. In fact, that may be the most
common setting for a wireless network in someone’s home; you may be
able to troll for networks by aimless wandering. Although I live deep in
the country, I find that from time to time a neighbor’s wireless router
pops up on my list of available networks; weather conditions seem to
make the signal stronger at some times. Be sure you ask your neighbor,
however; some users don’t know that they need to restrict access and
might not appreciate your tagging along and possibly slowing down
their operations a bit.No matter what kind of wireless network you are using, there is always the
risk that someone is eavesdropping. I suggest that you avoid conducting
banking and other financial matters over a public network; if you absolutely
must do so, change your password regularly and keep a close eye on your
accounts in search of any unusual activity and notify banks and credit card
companies immediately if you see anything out of the ordinary. Make certain
you have an antivirus program in place and scan your machine regularly.What happens if you’re a subscriber or an authorized user of a private net-
work or are attempting to sign on to a public network and have no success?
Check to make sure that the WiFi adapter is switched on. Then check to see if
the Device Manager under Windows shows a hardware failure or fails to note
the presence of a wireless adapter. Many laptop manufacturers also provide a
specialized WiFi control utility that may include a troubleshooting utility.If you determine that your WiFi system has failed, you may be able to replace
the module. However, some manufacturers require that this repair be done at
an authorized repair facility to comply with Federal Communications Commis-
sion rules to shield against unintended interference. One way around this
expensive solution is to use a PC Card WiFi system as a workaround; those
require nothing more than plugging in to the slot.312 Part VI: The Part of Tens