Connecting to public wireless network

[aarondesk]

I'm trying to access the internet through a public wireless network here at my hotel. I have a laptop with Puppy 2.16 installed. At home I have a wireless router/dsl modem combo unit on a desktop that allows me to access the internet using the laptop.

For my home wireless I first load up the pcmcia wireless card driver using ndiswrapper. Then I click 'wlan0' from Puppy_Network_Setup, then 'Auto DHCP' and I'm good to go for surfing the net.

Right now I can't connect to the wireless network in my hotel. The driver loads fine through ndiswrapper. After clicking 'Wireless', then 'Scan', it lists the wireless network, and I click ok. It then fills in the Profile Name and ESSID. Mode is clicked on Managed. Encryption is open. Clicking on 'Use This Profile' returns 'Unable to connect to a wireless network'.

Is there something I'm missing? I know the network is fine because another windows machines connects with no problem. I spoke with the technical support and they told me the wifi is unencrypted (open), but they didn't know anything about connecting in linux.

Any suggestions? Is there some trick to connect to public wifi?

Thank you,

Aaron

[r__hughes]

You need to talk with the hotel reception for their SSID (network name) password & encryption-type if any.

Also ask whether their access needs javascript or a preferred browser (which might be the problem).

I use Rutilt with pup202 seamonkey with flash-9 (D-Link DWL610pcmcia card + ndiswrapper) at our local libraries -
One library has an unencrypted non-password access which gets me onto my home-webpage.
Another library has unencrypted and non-password for network access but immediately brings up a library start webpage asking for username & password.

[designengineer]

I have had the exact same problem with 2.14-2.17. I connect fine on my home system, but can never connect on an open public connection. I can boot into Windows and connect just fine. I have never figured it out and just figured it to be a problem linked to somethingI was doing. It is nice to see it was not me.

As far as asking for SSID info, that is not an option at most hotels, airports and any other public place I have been to. Besides, Windows will connect just fine not knowing any of this info. An open unencrypted connection should not need anything to simply connet. Java script or web browser questions have nothing to do with it.

[jonyo]

Sounds like this http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 897#106897

went to a Cafe that provides an open connection and couldn't connect, after investigating I saw that I had to disable the WEP key to connect.
Code:
iwconfig <device> key off
e.g.
iwconfig wlan0 key off

Dunno what came of it but there were upgrades for the net wiz along the way.

[raffy]

-quote deleted - Jonyo already quoted it, so please try it in your open connection.

[designengineer]

I will try it. Thanks. This forum is so handy.

[designengineer]

I can't remember how, but is there a way to make this script a simple icon I could click on to activate it when needed? I assume when I re-boot my original settings will be in place, so I just want a way to quickly click on an icon to disable the WEP key. If I don't do that, I will never remember what I needed to put in when I do need it.

[caomhim]

I had the same problem outlined. my observations were that it was to do with the type of encryption. I found that i could connect if I set the router wireless encryption to 64bit. Attempts to connect with encryption at 128bit or using WPA all failed. I found this to be the same with whatever wireless card used. Wireless cards used were Cisco Aironet 350, and belkin 5g wireless. I attempted to connect with a blekin 54g wireless router and with a netgear. I used a HP Armada E500 laptop and a HP NC1020v Evo and had similar results. Had to drop the security to 64 bit and hard code the MAC address of the wireless card into the router to beef up security.

[Béèm]

@aarondesk
Sometimes I have that message, can't find a network, also and then I click test connection and the network is found.
I can then continue configuring with dhcp f.e.

[don1500]

I'm trying to access the internet through a public wireless network here at my hotel. I have a laptop with Puppy 2.16 installed.
Any suggestions? Is there some trick to connect to public wifi?

Thank you,

Aaron

The only thing I did when I had the exact same problem was to download and install Puppy 3.01. After doing that I booted up and was on line in about 30 seconds, wifi from the hotel.

I had tried many things before that and nothing worked.

[raffy]

make this script a simple icon

Put the command in a file, right-click on the file for Permissions - Make executable, then drag the file and drop to your desktop. Right-click again on the icon to change the icon.

[designengineer]

Thanks so much. I will try it as soon as I can

[designengineer]

At long last I was able to try the suggested command and still no luck. I was at a hotel with free wi-fi, Puppy could see 6 separate available signals that the hotel provided, but I could never connect with any of them. The "Xautoconnect to wireless network" program would try for a while, but never succeeded. Same for the Pwireless wireless scanner and the Connect to wireless by network interface.

I am using Puppy 4.

Windows on the same laptop connects to the same wi-fi signals just fine.

I ended up borrowing a Wireless Bridge from the front desk which let me use my wired connection on my laptop to connect to their wi-fi, but that is not the way it should have to be done.

I have this same problem at every single free wi-fi signal I try to use, except for my own wireless router if it is set to use no encryption. I am using this same laptop right now using WEP encryption at my home with no connection problems at all.

As I stated earlier in this thread, this is not a java or browser problem as some have suggested. This is a connection issue unrelated to any browser issues.

Help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.