Atlanta Bread Company
1686 N. W. Chipman Road (one block east of Buffalo Wild Wings), Lee's Summit
802.11g
SSID: Atlanta Bread Co.
Three words-low signal strength.
I've got to wonder whether some hotspot operators ever try using their own networks. All of them should, because in some cases, it can be a very enlightening experience. For instance, why else would this location's signal strength be worst precisely where the only two sets of power outlets in the building are-along the west wall adjacent to the patio? And frankly, I'm not finding anywhere else that it's particularly good, either.
Indeed, if your laptop's only so-so as far as its wireless reception qualities are concerned, I'd pass on this one-at least without a USB adapter to save your bacon, as mine is doing right now.
Update: Just as I was getting ready to leave, the manager happened by and asked how I was faring. When I told (and showed) him, he disappeared into the kitchen to try and "tweak it a little bit," as he put it. I didn't see any change by the time I did leave, but management is now aware of the problem. Should any of you happen by and find things better than I did, please don't hesitate to let us know.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Wirelessly winging it on the wild side
Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar
1806 NW Chipman Road (north side of Chipman, two blocks west of U. S. 50), Lee's Summit
802.11g
SSID: harborlink
Surprisingly, although increasing numbers of these franchise operations are showing up in Wi-Fi directories all over, it appears no one's bothered to check out any of metro KC's five locations (the others are in Raytown, Independence, Overland Park and Olathe). Well, at least this one's unwired.
Bring at least one fully-charged battery with you, because there aren't any power outlets to be had as far as I can see. Signal strength is also rather on the low side (it's got me throttled down to 36 MBPS right now), and because there's an acceptable use policy page you've got to click through to get onto the 'Net, disconnecting due to signal loss can become a bit frustrating. (And if anyone on the network administration side at this outfit is reading this, your network really needs to lose its extremely annoying habit of taking users back to your homepage at inopportune moments. Take it from one of those users-that gets very old very fast.)
On the plus side, the shaded windows make for a very LCD-friendly lighting situation.
1806 NW Chipman Road (north side of Chipman, two blocks west of U. S. 50), Lee's Summit
802.11g
SSID: harborlink
Surprisingly, although increasing numbers of these franchise operations are showing up in Wi-Fi directories all over, it appears no one's bothered to check out any of metro KC's five locations (the others are in Raytown, Independence, Overland Park and Olathe). Well, at least this one's unwired.
Bring at least one fully-charged battery with you, because there aren't any power outlets to be had as far as I can see. Signal strength is also rather on the low side (it's got me throttled down to 36 MBPS right now), and because there's an acceptable use policy page you've got to click through to get onto the 'Net, disconnecting due to signal loss can become a bit frustrating. (And if anyone on the network administration side at this outfit is reading this, your network really needs to lose its extremely annoying habit of taking users back to your homepage at inopportune moments. Take it from one of those users-that gets very old very fast.)
On the plus side, the shaded windows make for a very LCD-friendly lighting situation.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Has Flash Network bitten the big one?
One can't help but wonder, given that their website is apparently kaput and none of the access points broadcasting their SSID that I've run across lately seem to be working. That includes those that used to provide connectivity for the free open-air hotspot at Ilus Davis Park downtown, where I headed after leaving Scooter's.
Anyone know for sure?
Anyone know for sure?
Now THIS is more like it!
Scooter's Coffeehouse
929 Walnut, Kansas City
802.11g
SSID: Linksys
Okay, I know-comparing this place with a skyscraper like the Town Pavilion is apples and oranges in the extreme, although there's nothing wrong with the bigger venue that a few well-placed repeaters and a little more attention to detail won't fix. Anyway, you shouldn't have problems finding a seat next to a power outlet here unless the joint's really crowded. There's even a padded bench beside a row of tables along the 10th Street side that has a couple of outlets on the front. My only concern is how dark this room would be in broad daylight (I'm here at about dusk) because I don't see any shades on any of these rather large windows. Then again, with all these tall buildings around, I might be anticipating a problem where there isn't one. Should any of you happen by earlier in the day sometime, feel free to let us know how you make out in this regard.
And I'm still waiting to hear if any of Scooter's other locations around town are lit up.
929 Walnut, Kansas City
802.11g
SSID: Linksys
Okay, I know-comparing this place with a skyscraper like the Town Pavilion is apples and oranges in the extreme, although there's nothing wrong with the bigger venue that a few well-placed repeaters and a little more attention to detail won't fix. Anyway, you shouldn't have problems finding a seat next to a power outlet here unless the joint's really crowded. There's even a padded bench beside a row of tables along the 10th Street side that has a couple of outlets on the front. My only concern is how dark this room would be in broad daylight (I'm here at about dusk) because I don't see any shades on any of these rather large windows. Then again, with all these tall buildings around, I might be anticipating a problem where there isn't one. Should any of you happen by earlier in the day sometime, feel free to let us know how you make out in this regard.
And I'm still waiting to hear if any of Scooter's other locations around town are lit up.
Afraid this one still needs a little work.
Town Pavilion
12th and Main, Kansas City
802.11g
SSID: TownPavilion
Well, where do I start? Oh, I don't know. How about the lousy signal strength? My built-in adapter isn't detecting a signal at all, and my USB finder/adapter is hanging onto it just barely enough to allow me to post this. Sitting in the third-floor food court, I'm poking along at a miserable 12 MBPS. Let's make that the north end of the food court; should you venture to the other end in search of one of the few power outlets in evidence, you'll probably lose the signal entirely, like I did.
And if anyone responsible for managing this network should happen across this, you really need to lose that unencrypted, nonfunctional login page. How is someone supposed to know they're just supposed to click through it without putting anything in (unless, of course, you're expecting them to be smart enough to know better than to enter sensitive data on a non-SSL protected page over an open wireless link, and thus deduce that the page has to be a dummy)? Better to just take them to your homepage to start with rather than confuse or alarm them unnecessarily.
One more thing: You and the landlord here really ought to get with your tenants and impress upon them the importance of securing their access points, lest someone who doesn't know an SSID from Shinola should happen along and hook up with them instead of you. Or perhaps I'm mistaken and all those open networks are really yours. If so, then here's a rule you and the nice folks out at the Johnson County Library should learn and live by: One network-one SSID. Makes life easier all around. Trust me.
Well, I'd better stop now. Just had to reconnect for the third time. I really hope these problems are just growing pains, and this location gets better with time.
12th and Main, Kansas City
802.11g
SSID: TownPavilion
Well, where do I start? Oh, I don't know. How about the lousy signal strength? My built-in adapter isn't detecting a signal at all, and my USB finder/adapter is hanging onto it just barely enough to allow me to post this. Sitting in the third-floor food court, I'm poking along at a miserable 12 MBPS. Let's make that the north end of the food court; should you venture to the other end in search of one of the few power outlets in evidence, you'll probably lose the signal entirely, like I did.
And if anyone responsible for managing this network should happen across this, you really need to lose that unencrypted, nonfunctional login page. How is someone supposed to know they're just supposed to click through it without putting anything in (unless, of course, you're expecting them to be smart enough to know better than to enter sensitive data on a non-SSL protected page over an open wireless link, and thus deduce that the page has to be a dummy)? Better to just take them to your homepage to start with rather than confuse or alarm them unnecessarily.
One more thing: You and the landlord here really ought to get with your tenants and impress upon them the importance of securing their access points, lest someone who doesn't know an SSID from Shinola should happen along and hook up with them instead of you. Or perhaps I'm mistaken and all those open networks are really yours. If so, then here's a rule you and the nice folks out at the Johnson County Library should learn and live by: One network-one SSID. Makes life easier all around. Trust me.
Well, I'd better stop now. Just had to reconnect for the third time. I really hope these problems are just growing pains, and this location gets better with time.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Hmmm...
...it seems that maybe the trend against library-filter overblocking is catching on around here.
I stopped in at KCMO's Southeast branch today and tried the most problematic of my overblocking test URLs, and it came right up. Granted, KCMO's Bess installation never went to the ridiculous extremes Johnson County did with their DansGuardian, but the fewer overblocks that get in your way, the better as far as I'm concerned.
One sad note, though. There's a lady here who's perhaps my age, equipped with a fairly nice Toshiba of recent vintage, who's deathly afraid of putting it out onto the 'Net. Nothing I can say will convince her that not only will she get more out of her laptop and whatever she's trying to do on it by going online, but it'll be better able to protect itself from malware and other threats if she'll just give it access to what it needs to do that.
I don't know which is more disheartening-her or another laptop user who's just arrived and gone through the ritual of pulling out her trusty old HP and plugging in (we're at the table near the back with the four power outlets in the floor next to it), only to announce that she needs to go across the street to vote, and ask me if I'll stand guard over her rig while she does!
At any rate, it's really nice to know that this long-awaited hotspot is starting to draw a crowd.
I stopped in at KCMO's Southeast branch today and tried the most problematic of my overblocking test URLs, and it came right up. Granted, KCMO's Bess installation never went to the ridiculous extremes Johnson County did with their DansGuardian, but the fewer overblocks that get in your way, the better as far as I'm concerned.
One sad note, though. There's a lady here who's perhaps my age, equipped with a fairly nice Toshiba of recent vintage, who's deathly afraid of putting it out onto the 'Net. Nothing I can say will convince her that not only will she get more out of her laptop and whatever she's trying to do on it by going online, but it'll be better able to protect itself from malware and other threats if she'll just give it access to what it needs to do that.
I don't know which is more disheartening-her or another laptop user who's just arrived and gone through the ritual of pulling out her trusty old HP and plugging in (we're at the table near the back with the four power outlets in the floor next to it), only to announce that she needs to go across the street to vote, and ask me if I'll stand guard over her rig while she does!
At any rate, it's really nice to know that this long-awaited hotspot is starting to draw a crowd.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
AGAIN!!!
I finally got a chance this afternoon to check out the Harry's Mug Coffee Bar on Blue Ridge Boulevard in Grandview, a location that has long been listed on wififreespot, but it turns out I needn't have bothered. There wasn't even a signal from an open access point. The counter attendant, a poster child for today's disaffected youth, acknowledged after a little prodding that the connection hadn't been available for maybe a couple of weeks-and when I inquired as to whether or when it would be again, it became apparent that he wasn't the only disaffected person in the chain of command.
You know, I've got half a mind to turn them in to wififreespot for removal, but I think I'll wait a bit. Maybe someone there will see this and decide that the disaffected approach isn't working. I hope so.
You know, I've got half a mind to turn them in to wififreespot for removal, but I think I'll wait a bit. Maybe someone there will see this and decide that the disaffected approach isn't working. I hope so.
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