Ad Hoc connection problem

**betterlife** · 01-04-2007, 06:03 PM

I use a usb adaptor for getting the unsecure wireless in my neighborhood and I always have a good signal. Recently there is a new very strong internet wireless getting into my list of unsecure wireless called "Free Public Wifi". It is a Computer to Computer connection. I could be able to connect to it but I couldn't open any IE page of Firefox page to surf internet.
Could it be something wrong on my setup?

**DarquePervert** · 01-04-2007, 08:27 PM

When you connected, did you obtain an IP address? Without an IP address, you're not going to connect to jack **** on the intertubes.

Typically, an ad-hoc network is computer-to-computer. MOST computers aren't going to issue IP addresses or share the connection to allow you to access the 'net through their PC acting as a gateway.

This isn't a forum for the hows and whys of wireless networking. There are far better informational resources that should help you figure out what's going on.

**max-o** · 01-04-2007, 10:09 PM

The broadcast of "Free Public Wifi" is a bug in WinXP which MS is supposedly fixing. If you go to a place where there are people with laptops you will see many entries of this. My suggestion is to never connect to ad-hoc networks unless you are familiar with it as it is a good way to get a virus.

**DarquePervert** · 01-04-2007, 11:05 PM

I have WinXP, and I have NEVER seen a SSID named "Free Public WiFi" in the connection manager.
The only way this would show up is if someone named their router's (or computer's) SSID FREE PUBLIC WIFI.

If someone is touting their comptuer as Free Public Wifi it could very well be a trap from someone with malicious intent...

And I'm calling you on the bull****, max-o.
There is nothing in the MS knowledgebase referencing "free public wifi".

**max-o** · 01-04-2007, 11:27 PM

Next time do a little research!

http://www.nmrc.org/pub/advise/20060114.txt

**DarquePervert** · 01-05-2007, 08:07 AM

And that has nothing to do with what the OP is experiencing.
He's seeing a new SSID for an ad-hoc network within range.
It's not a case of someone on an ad-hoc network broadcasting the SSID of that ad-hoc network out....

I still believe that anyone setting the SSID of their wireless card to FREE PUBLIC WIFI is bating other wireless users in an attempt to do something malicious.

And I do my research, son.
I went to the SOURCE, which is Microsoft.
You claimed there was a bug in XP that causes you to broadcast an adhoc network named FREE PUBLIC WIFI. That is incorrect. There is no such bug.
What you pointed out is completely different.