Glen Wiley Wilson wrote:

Interesting. I just installed Net Stumbler on my laptop. It picked
up a network in the marina with an SSID "Albin 42", so I guess it's
not exactly unknown.

Did you try to log onto the network? I was at a marine in Florida last
April and, with their permission (they had to give the the SSID, I used
their wireless network to get email and get some online support download
some docs for the equipment I was installing.

Later, in Baltimore, the marine there has a "cash and carry" wireless
network available. You logged in, made a payment with a credit card,
and got a certain amount of access time. I don't remember the specifics
of costs but I considered it reasonable. I have done some wireless
networking and realize that when someone puts you on an AP and a T1
network connection there are some costs that have to be paid.

I did not have Net Stumbler then but do now and won't go anywhere with
out it. It has been great for trouble shooting my home wireless too.

If you have a PCMCIA wireless card with an external antenna connector (I
like the Buffalo cards for that) you can add a higher gain external
antenna and it will make a big difference in finding AP's and staying
associated.

Jack

--
Jack Erbes in Ellsworth, Maine, USA - jacker at midmaine dot com