Can't connect to any open networks, any ideas why ? (using atheros AGN card) T61

I'm unable to connect to any open wireless networks...

how do i troubleshoot it ?


I can connect to my network as long as its encrypted.

Any ideas what's going on ?


I'm running windows XP.


Thanks.



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Bump! ti bump.

 

SO i solved one aspects of this... but i can't explain it...

I disabled the internal windows XP firewall and not it lets me connect... how weird is that ?



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I have the same wireless card and when I was in some big hotel or starbucks with many open networks I couldn't connect--though I got the message that says "connection successful", 100% etc., but when I try to open the Internet it doesn't work. Does this sound the same problem like yours before? If so, how do I disable the internal XP firewall? I went to control panel -> security center ->firewall, and see I could disable ONE firewall, but I don't know if that's my comodo firewall or the internal XP firewall that you mention?

 

no mine doesn't connect at all. it doesn't aquire the IP.

But when i disable the firewall it freakin works.

go to the networks properties and firewall tab.



but this should'nt be i've never seen such a thing.

I'm afriad that if i call lenovo they are going to tell me that its a software issue... but this seems to be more like a driver issue or possibly hardware.






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Where to find the network properties? I clicked on Properties of "My Network Places" and there's no firewall tab.

 

you need to go to the properties of the actual network. so now you should see a list... one of them is the wireless network.




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I got to wireless network connection properties, and under the Advanced tab there's Windows Firewall, press settings, what I got was the same as directly from control panel (turning on/off of firewall).

 

So any crazy smart wireless gurus here?

I call lenovo they said they have no idea. and since its does connect to wep and open wireeleess with no firewall they can't support it. again WTF.



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I am able to connect now (as I'm posting this) to an open network in the neighborhood. I didn't do anything such as disabling firewall. Still don't know what's wrong at the hotel and starbucks (should we be able to connect at starbucks without paying any fee?).

 

If the Starbucks WiFi is unprotected then you should be able to connect otherwise it will notify you that it's a protected network.

 

When I was at a Starbucks, one of the available wireless network was T-mobile. I tried to connect, and got "Connection Successful", with blinking signals indicating 100% or 98%.... Then I tried to open the Internet browser (Firefox or IE), got a T-mobile page that requests me to pay. I asked someone who was using his laptop apparently online, he said 'you have to pay T-mobile for connection'. So I'm confuesd, since apparently I did get connected.

Similarly with a few other available networks, but those didn't have a homepage on the web--the browser simply shows a page "page not found".

 

Ahhh T-Mobile has a contract with Sbux for their Hotspot feature aka T-Mobile Hotspot!! When I took my thinkpad to my local sbux store they hadn't configured it and it was an open access therefore I could connect without any problems but im pretty sure you cannot connect since it's on the hotspot network i.e you gotta pay. Simply being connected doesn't mean you will get the service, it just means your wifi antenna is recieving the signal, just like whenever comcast craps out in my area it still shows that im connected to the router but im just not able to pull up any webpage.

 

I see! No wonder. So are all the hotspot listed in CNET website paid connection? Then what's the good of having a hotspot?

 

BTW connecting to any hotspot is against the law unless it's purposely left open to attract customers but you will still need to make sure with the hotspot service provider. Most businesses like sbux have contracts with t-mobile or any other wireless company so both companies make money.

 

So if I found a wireless network that says "open network", like the one I'm using now (linksys, from somewhere in my neighborhood), is it legal to use it?

 

According to some states (if not all) it is illegal to latch onto unprotected network. Case in point I live in CO and my friend who is a local cop took his laptop to work and was using the free wifi service at his station and his sergeant told him not to do that in the future since its illegal.

 

OK, thanks for the information! I wonder what penalty one would get for that

 

There have been few incidents where some people were caught by the police for using open networks like that guy who was arrested for wardriving and then there was this long thread on notebookforums about this guy getting in trouble with the law for using a business's open wifi access without permission. I mean I would make sure before using a business's open wifi network since I don't want to get a rude surprise.

 

I didn't know it's so serious (thought it's very common) Thanks for saving me from trouble

 

You're welcome.

 

I doubt anyone will get caught or prosecuted using an open wireless network on occasion.

It is my personal opinion that if you leave your wifi open, you are allowing people to use it (not abuse it)

If i'm not mistaken the guy that got arrested, got arrested not for using the open network but for other reasons.

Again, thats my personal opinion, i don't know the actual law.


But what about my problem? any idea ?





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I switched my card to the non-N card and viola... no problems.

I think the atheros draft-N is a piece of ****. Hangs up, looses connections all sorts of problems.



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