Picking up free Wi-Fi (couple of Qs)

[Psythik]

The laptop I purchased came with a free integrated 802.11b/g wireless network card, and I've so happened to get lucky enough to be picking up a signal from a seemingly unknown source. Moreover since the signal I'm picking up isn't secured, I've been getting free internet without needing a network key.

Now comes my two questions: First off, is there any way to figure out more details about the signal I'm picking up, such as type of signal (b or g), internet connection, and router; and exact location the signal's coming from? Some info I have on the signal is that it's name is "default" (I dunno if that helps), and that the network speed varies from 1.0 to 11.0 Mbps (actual download/upload benchmarks are around 360kbps/260kbps).

Secondly, is there any way to increase the reception of a internal wireless card? (I've tried sticking a satellite dish made out of foil out the window in the general direction the signal's coming from and running a wire from it down to next to where the wireless card is located... but that didn't work too well...) Right now the signal strength averages around -87dBm to -82dBm, but that's only strong enough to browse and not nearly stable enought to listen to SHOUTcast or play games online. Any suggestions? Atmo?

[dlinkwit27]

I think a better question would be is wether or not what your doing leagle

[DuaneJeffers]

Well, the playing games on WiFi and listening to SHOUTcast on it is fine and you should have no problem with it ... hell, I have listened to SHOUTcast streams on Dialup. It would be recommended to listen to the dialup streams on the wifi unless you are extremely close to the base station.

Finding out what the specs are on the wifi ... well, I don't know. I haven't been able to find that out.

But ... living where I live now, I have 6 open WiFi connections in my own room ... if I were to wardrive, I could possibly find like 300 more ... San Francisco Rocks!!!

-Duane

[protegechris]

What is wi-fi?

[S-uper_T-oast]

wireless networking

wi-fi is a smartysmart term for it.

[DuaneJeffers]

Wireless Networking ... I don't know what the Fi means.

-Duane

[eleet-2k2]

Wi-Fi = WIreless FIdelity (i think they chose that name 'cause they wanted to follow the patter of Lo-Fi and Hi-Fi.)

Okay, about finding where the signal comes from, that requires some in-depth physics and more than one b/g accessible laptop. If you want to find where it's coming from, try walking around the area where you can pick it up to see where it gets strong, and then keep going from where it's stronger.

Net stumbler can tell you the signal strength and such, but as far as the kind of network, b or g, it may tell you that or not, but does it really matter since you can use it anyway?

Based on the benchmark, it's probably DSL.

"default" as the SSID name indicates the person clearly didnt change the factory default settings, hence why you can use it.

Network speed varis from 1.0 Mbps to 11 Mpbs and up to 54 Mbps because that's the theoretical speeds of the specific (b and g respectively). You will never see those speeds in actuality even when right next to the router, because even in wired networks you rarely see more than 3-4 Mbps.

You can tell the router make and model by going to the default router setup page. Lacking that, you can tell by the gateway IP and default SSID.

You can't increase signal reception unless you're able to attach an external antenna.

[dlichterman]

noting the name "default", try 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.0 etc and see if you can get a login. usually they give a brand name, which then you should be able to find the default password

[zootm]

Originally posted by eleet-2k2
Wi-Fi = WIreless FIdelity (i think they chose that name 'cause they wanted to follow the patter of Lo-Fi and Hi-Fi.)

Better is the 802.16 MAN wireless stuff that's in development - WiMax. Which allegedly means Wireless Metropolitan Access or something equally contrived.