Latte Land
Country Club Plaza, 4771 Jefferson, Kansas City
802.11g
SSID: Latteland
Well, I'm gratified that here, as opposed to their sister location to the east, they've taken to heart my advice to change the default SSID on their router. That and the shaded windows facing Jefferson to the west are the good news. The could-be-better news is that those shades don't do an awful lot when there's direct sunlight coming through them, as there is right now (just before 5 p. m.), at least until you give your eyes a while to adapt. Also, this place is much cozier (read smaller) than the other one, and there is one-count 'em, one!-pair of power outlets, near the floor to the left of the southernmost window. That's why I suggest having read up on how to win friends and influence people before paying a visit, because one of those pair will be in use by whoever beat you here, and you'll have to turn on the charm to get them to agree to share, since that'll mean running your cord in front of them.
Or you could do like the lady to my right obviously did and charge your battery first, but how much fun would that be?
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
You're kidding-right, Mac?
Not about your not being able to connect to the NKC Library's printer-I believe that-but that other thing. I mean, actually taking a printer along with you? Who'd do that in this day and age? Really, when you think about it, printers are so twentieth-century. So what if you can't commit something before your very eyes to paper right at that very moment? Just save it to your hard drive or bookmark the webpage it's on, then if you still feel the need to help boost the stock price of the inkjet/laser toner manufacturers once you get home, have at it.
Dollars to doughnuts says that's what virtually all Wi-Fi users are doing now. And I'll lay odds that outside of a few curious geeks like you and me, not enough people will miss being able to use that library printer to justify their fixing the connection if it is broken, or maintaining it for very long if it isn't.
Still, your suggestion does have a rather romantic appeal to it. Sort of takes me back a decade or so to the days of my first laptop, and the outrageously expensive mobile printer I bought myself as a birthday present to complement it. I left home with it a grand total of twice in all that time. But, of course, it's not actually making use of a capability like mobile printing that's important. It's knowing that you can, even if today's desktop printers aren't much bigger or heavier than yesteryear's portables, and...gee, you know, I'll bet that this little desktop inkjet I use nowadays, if I folded the tray up, just might fit into that old tote bag of mine.
Dollars to doughnuts says that's what virtually all Wi-Fi users are doing now. And I'll lay odds that outside of a few curious geeks like you and me, not enough people will miss being able to use that library printer to justify their fixing the connection if it is broken, or maintaining it for very long if it isn't.
Still, your suggestion does have a rather romantic appeal to it. Sort of takes me back a decade or so to the days of my first laptop, and the outrageously expensive mobile printer I bought myself as a birthday present to complement it. I left home with it a grand total of twice in all that time. But, of course, it's not actually making use of a capability like mobile printing that's important. It's knowing that you can, even if today's desktop printers aren't much bigger or heavier than yesteryear's portables, and...gee, you know, I'll bet that this little desktop inkjet I use nowadays, if I folded the tray up, just might fit into that old tote bag of mine.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
We stand corrected...
...or more correctly ath64 does, at least in part, with regard to whether a computer can find and automatically install printers on a network. Windows boxes since at least Windows 2000 can be configured to do this provided that both they and the printers are members of a domain or Active Directory, although since printers were put on this earth to sit and eat money-and remember that the more users a printer has, the more money it eats-it's not universally considered a best practice. It isn't done in my workplace, and I wouldn't think it is where ath64 works, either.
That, however, isn't the situation with the purported availability of a Wi-Fi printer at the North Kansas City Public Library. Nonetheless, I'm not having any luck playing around on the Windows side of my MacBook Pro trying to connect to it. The printer, by the way, is an HP Laser Jet 4250n that shouldn't present any problem to either a Mac or Windows user once they're connected and have the driver installed. It's that first step that's the problem. I know I'm connected to the network properly because I can hit websites. But when I go in and have Windows search for any printers on the network...nada.
The nice folks behind the main desk are of the impression that the Wi-Fi printing capability hasn't been set up yet, but someone else they've asked insists it has been and is readlily being used. (He's also rather adamant that, as the announcement on the library's website implies, no configuration is necessary to use the printer, but we've been over that already.) At any rate, I haven't seen anyone but the desktop workstation users printing anything since I've been here. So, either the printer really isn't on the wireless network yet, or you can't use it running Vista Business virtually on a Mac.
And without further information-in particular, either the IP address or hostname of the printer-that's about as far as I'll get this evening. (Memo to the library: Either publish a handout with this info or put it on a small sign attached to the printer. Anyone running anything other than Windows might need it.)
Of course, this has all just been an intellectual exercise to satisfy everyone's curiosity as to this setup. Any laptop users who really needed to print anything before getting home would bring a printer with them. No, I'm serious. Pick up one of the many sub-$40 inkjets readily available at discount stores these days, along with a cheap tote bag to stuff it into, maybe a ream of the least expensive paper you can find, and-if you don't have one already-an AC power inverter to provide 120-volt house current in your car. One that puts out 100 watts should be plenty powerful enough to run both your laptop and the printer, although to plug both in you'll probably also want to add a multi-outlet power strip unless your inverter has more than one outlet. Now bag up the whole nine yards and toss it into your trunk. When the urge to print strikes, find a nice quiet place to park, unpack and connect everything, plug in and boot up, and go to town.
Not that I've actually done anything like the above, of course. But I could.
That, however, isn't the situation with the purported availability of a Wi-Fi printer at the North Kansas City Public Library. Nonetheless, I'm not having any luck playing around on the Windows side of my MacBook Pro trying to connect to it. The printer, by the way, is an HP Laser Jet 4250n that shouldn't present any problem to either a Mac or Windows user once they're connected and have the driver installed. It's that first step that's the problem. I know I'm connected to the network properly because I can hit websites. But when I go in and have Windows search for any printers on the network...nada.
The nice folks behind the main desk are of the impression that the Wi-Fi printing capability hasn't been set up yet, but someone else they've asked insists it has been and is readlily being used. (He's also rather adamant that, as the announcement on the library's website implies, no configuration is necessary to use the printer, but we've been over that already.) At any rate, I haven't seen anyone but the desktop workstation users printing anything since I've been here. So, either the printer really isn't on the wireless network yet, or you can't use it running Vista Business virtually on a Mac.
And without further information-in particular, either the IP address or hostname of the printer-that's about as far as I'll get this evening. (Memo to the library: Either publish a handout with this info or put it on a small sign attached to the printer. Anyone running anything other than Windows might need it.)
Of course, this has all just been an intellectual exercise to satisfy everyone's curiosity as to this setup. Any laptop users who really needed to print anything before getting home would bring a printer with them. No, I'm serious. Pick up one of the many sub-$40 inkjets readily available at discount stores these days, along with a cheap tote bag to stuff it into, maybe a ream of the least expensive paper you can find, and-if you don't have one already-an AC power inverter to provide 120-volt house current in your car. One that puts out 100 watts should be plenty powerful enough to run both your laptop and the printer, although to plug both in you'll probably also want to add a multi-outlet power strip unless your inverter has more than one outlet. Now bag up the whole nine yards and toss it into your trunk. When the urge to print strikes, find a nice quiet place to park, unpack and connect everything, plug in and boot up, and go to town.
Not that I've actually done anything like the above, of course. But I could.
Well, you knew it had to happen sooner or later...
Associated Press: Chrysler to make cars into wireless hotspots.
They'll use cellular for backhaul-hooray, another hole in your pocket for money to dribble out of-and be equippped with 30-gigabyte hard drives for onboard storage. Hmmm...only 30? Kinda small these days, don't you think?
As if drivers these days needed any more distractions.
Oh, by the way-I stopped in at the North Kansas City Public Library this afternoon, and there's no mention on their acceptable use policy clickthrough page of the new wireless printing feature ath64 noted on their website. In fact, the clickthrough page still says printing isn't available via Wi-Fi. If it's for real and anyone's using it, there has to be someone or something here able to provide the particulars (IP address, how to load the driver, etc.). I'll ask around and see if anyone has more info. If they do, I'll update this post later with it.
Update: See next post.
They'll use cellular for backhaul-hooray, another hole in your pocket for money to dribble out of-and be equippped with 30-gigabyte hard drives for onboard storage. Hmmm...only 30? Kinda small these days, don't you think?
As if drivers these days needed any more distractions.
Oh, by the way-I stopped in at the North Kansas City Public Library this afternoon, and there's no mention on their acceptable use policy clickthrough page of the new wireless printing feature ath64 noted on their website. In fact, the clickthrough page still says printing isn't available via Wi-Fi. If it's for real and anyone's using it, there has to be someone or something here able to provide the particulars (IP address, how to load the driver, etc.). I'll ask around and see if anyone has more info. If they do, I'll update this post later with it.
Update: See next post.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Oh-and with regard to that other network on the Plaza...
...sorry, ath64, but it looks like your bet of a year ago that Time Warner would either free up or fold its play-for-pay offering down here is going to wind up a loser.
Just out of curiosity, I took up temporary residence on a sidewalk bench not far from the coffeehouse I'd just left and suffered through trying to read my screen well enough in broad daylight-and people, you haven't suffered unless you've tried that with a Mac-to see whether Time Warner had come to its senses and joined the free world, as they did right from the jump out at the Legends over in KCK. No such luck; they still expect someone to be so hard up for the Internet that they'll jump through the hoops of registering and paying for it, instead of popping into some place offering it for free, as I just did. Not only that, but the signal from their access points penetrates indoors so poorly that the only customers it can hope to attract are those few who can manage to find sufficiently shaded areas outdoors where they can sit and surf, or those even fewer who'd dare to pull out a laptop outdoors on the Plaza after dark.
How's about double or nothing that Time Warner throws in the towel between now and Christmas?
Just out of curiosity, I took up temporary residence on a sidewalk bench not far from the coffeehouse I'd just left and suffered through trying to read my screen well enough in broad daylight-and people, you haven't suffered unless you've tried that with a Mac-to see whether Time Warner had come to its senses and joined the free world, as they did right from the jump out at the Legends over in KCK. No such luck; they still expect someone to be so hard up for the Internet that they'll jump through the hoops of registering and paying for it, instead of popping into some place offering it for free, as I just did. Not only that, but the signal from their access points penetrates indoors so poorly that the only customers it can hope to attract are those few who can manage to find sufficiently shaded areas outdoors where they can sit and surf, or those even fewer who'd dare to pull out a laptop outdoors on the Plaza after dark.
How's about double or nothing that Time Warner throws in the towel between now and Christmas?
Well, I guess you COULD wear kneepads...
Latte Land
Country Club Plaza, 318 West 47th Street, Kansas City
802.11g
SSID: linksys
If you're battery-challenged, hope that one of the eight booths along the east wall is available. However, you'd better be lithe and limber enough to bend or squat down far enough to plug your charger into one of the outlets under each seat-or be lucky enough to be enjoying the company of someone who is. Not wanting to embarrass myself by kneeling-sorry, but my lithe and limber bending and squatting days are somewhat behind me, I'm afraid-I made do by feeling my way as best I could-something I really don't recommend. I'm probably lucky I didn't shock myself-or worse.
It'd be better if the seat cushions didn't overhang so much in front. Maybe the management here should bear that in mind for the next remodeling. Also, I don't like to grumble about such things-especially in an establishment nice enough to not only offer free Wi-Fi, but power to boot-but it'd be better if all hotspot operators endeavored to change the SSID on their routers to anything other than the default. Customers shouldn't have to wonder whether that default network name is yours or belongs to some clueless party nearby. It's also a chance to get some free advertising. Can't afford to pass that up these days, can you?
Well, on the positive side, the place is dark enough inside in the afternoon to be LCD-friendly, and the signal is nice and steady.
And it's worth noting that Latte Land has a second location on the Plaza, at 4771 Jefferson. I didn't have time to stop there as well so I can't speak as to whether it's unwired. Anyone who can is welcome to do so.
Country Club Plaza, 318 West 47th Street, Kansas City
802.11g
SSID: linksys
If you're battery-challenged, hope that one of the eight booths along the east wall is available. However, you'd better be lithe and limber enough to bend or squat down far enough to plug your charger into one of the outlets under each seat-or be lucky enough to be enjoying the company of someone who is. Not wanting to embarrass myself by kneeling-sorry, but my lithe and limber bending and squatting days are somewhat behind me, I'm afraid-I made do by feeling my way as best I could-something I really don't recommend. I'm probably lucky I didn't shock myself-or worse.
It'd be better if the seat cushions didn't overhang so much in front. Maybe the management here should bear that in mind for the next remodeling. Also, I don't like to grumble about such things-especially in an establishment nice enough to not only offer free Wi-Fi, but power to boot-but it'd be better if all hotspot operators endeavored to change the SSID on their routers to anything other than the default. Customers shouldn't have to wonder whether that default network name is yours or belongs to some clueless party nearby. It's also a chance to get some free advertising. Can't afford to pass that up these days, can you?
Well, on the positive side, the place is dark enough inside in the afternoon to be LCD-friendly, and the signal is nice and steady.
And it's worth noting that Latte Land has a second location on the Plaza, at 4771 Jefferson. I didn't have time to stop there as well so I can't speak as to whether it's unwired. Anyone who can is welcome to do so.
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