Clueless About 802.11 Connections

[Carlos Jackal]

Ok, so I got this new notebook (HP Pavilion series, came with a Broadcom 54g MaxPerformance 802.11g wireless card installed and apparently ready-to-use via the antenna macro button...)

I'm way enthusiastic about taking advantage of the free wifi hotspots at coffeehouses and stuff around my town, but unfortuntely the baristas know less about gettng connected than I do!

I'm running WinXP SP2 connection wizard, and when I try to connect to the coffeehouse (no, not a starbucks, this place offers free access to any customer,) or at least attempt to, everything seems to be working like clockwork, except that Iexplorer sends me to this "https://www.localhost.com" every time I try to do anything. I don't have the verbatim for my error message on hand, but basically the localhost.com thing is a blank page that requests username and password, which I don't have and noone at the coffeehouse seems to have one for me to use...

Guest doesn't work, and I'm stumped.

So, what vital (yet probably simple) piece of the puzzle am I missing? Do I need some login from the coffeehouse to get through? Do I need a special subscription (ie t-mobile or something like I do at starbucks) to access any free wifi hotspot? Did I just put in the wrong setting somewhere and don't know where to look?

Please tell me what I need to do, or what references to check out, before I change some important setting and REALLY screw up my new notebook LOL!  

Thanks in advance,
"Treat Me Like Your Grandmother"

[Joleen]

Local Host sounds like your system is trying to connect to its own IIS server.  Will your connection work at home or any other location?

Now for the Grandmother explaination.. IIS is a web hosting service Microsoft puts on many computers (XP, Win2K, NT).  It allows you to make a website then store it on your own computer and allow others to view it.  This is a service you can turn on and off.

You mentioned using SP2.  Have you turned off the 'special' new features such as firewall?  You should also verify that their 'net service is indeed operational by checking for hotspots (wireless connectivity).

[Coyote]

Okay, I got to the heart of the problem today... Whatever kid I asked about it was just even less informed than I was!

The person I asked today whipped out a login and PW for me ASAP with my pot of tea, so I'm connecting right now from a wifi link.

Now, anyone know how I can temporarily disable the "work offline" prompt that keeps popping up every time I open an IExplorer window? It keeps trying to connect via my regular dialup connection, even though I'm connected via wireless currently..?

Here's to clueless kids at the coffee shop.. *cheers*