[tlug] WiFi roaming and open networks

[Dave M G <dave@example.com>]

TLUG,

I'm frequently out and about with my laptop.

I used to always check to see if there's a WiFi connection available for 
use. But, when I connect to a non-password protected WiFi network, I 
can't get access to the internet. Even if the network status icon 
indicates a strong signal, FireFox takes forever to search for the page, 
and then comes back with a "problem connecting to server" error.

I had assumed that recently people were becoming more protective of 
their networks, and even though there was no password setting, there was 
probably some other firewall or setting that prevented me from getting 
access. So in recent weeks I had basically given up on looking for open 
networks nearby.

Then, the other day, I'm sitting with my laptop in a Starbucks, and a 
dude sits beside me with his Mac and starts surfing the net. I first 
noticed out of the corner of my eye that he's snappily going around the 
BBC web site. And then, being as nosy as I am, I see that he doesn't 
seem to have any kind of cellular network connection device or anything.

So I strike up a conversation and he tells me he's just connecting to 
some random open WiFi in the area. He even shows me the name of the 
network he's connected to. I look at my list of available connections 
and the same one is there. I connect, and the signal strength bars in 
the status icon indicate a healthy connection.

But, as usual, I can't connect to any web pages.

Just like many other problems in my life, it now seems that the issue 
isn't everyone else, it's me.

But I'm at a loss to know what other setting could be the problem. The 
Ubuntu wireless interface doesn't really present many options. I have it 
set to "roaming mode", because any other option asks me to specify 
server addresses and WEP keys which I wouldn't know in an open WiFi 
situation.

I can get a WiFi connection through my account with M-Zone, so I know 
the WiFi works. But M-Zone isn't everywhere I want to be...

Is there something that anyone can think of that would account for why 
Mac dude can get some bandwidth and I can't?

Any advice would be much appreciated.