I have a mac G4 laptop. One day I decided to see if I could get free wireless internet from my home. Don't worry, I am 99.9% sure it is from a public space rather than a neighbor. Nevertheless, it worked and I have been using it for a year now with only a few problems. I am trying to figure out if the problem is caused by something I am doing, or if maybe the wireless provider is 'down', say after a storm or something. I can't find a pattern to when or why this happens, but every now and then I get a strong signal from the airport, but the internet will not connect. Doesn't matter if I use Safari, Explorer or Firefox. I have tried different web pages, and internet connect and all that other so called troubleshooting crap. I have tried unplugging my power cord, restarting, shutting down, in every combo imaginable. I have moved to other rooms and rescanned for available wireless thinking that might shake something up. Whatever, it's all voodoo to me. In the past, after about a day, it comes back. But this time it's been two days. Regardless, it seems retarded that I should even have to deal with this stupid of a problem, but then again I'm getting it for free so I guess I don't have the right to complain. Does anyone out there have the same problem or an idea of how to fix and prevent this in future? :mad:

Does anyone out there have ... an idea of how to fix and prevent this in future?

Given the nature of 802.11 wireless, potential sources of interference, and likely distance to an airport's access point, I'm completely amazed you're getting a signal at all without a special antenna.

Also why are you so positive you'll be able to connect to this netowrk? Just because it says unsecure?

If they use MAC Filtering as their security, then it will still show up as non-secured but you won't be able to connect.

Maybe they stumbled upon their network sharing center and realized they weren' the only ones using the signal. LOL

Just a thought.

Rick

P.S. I use MAC filtering and when a friend comes over or anything, their PC will recognize my LAN as unsecure but will not be able to connect it.

I actually wrote the above part before I finished reading. Since it comes and goes and the signal is that of an Airport then I assume it's on your end the problem is deriving from. I would say a short in your WNIC, but I am not for sure.