This sure sounds like an urban myth. Maybe? Maybe not? I've got a bunch of laptops in my house...most just sitting on my security cams or playing Radio Bartok. When I bring one up, I see only my own SSID and a couple of my neighbors but not "Free Public Wi-FI." Certainly, none have ever been visible from another. Come to think of it, I should hide my SSID...thanks.
However, I have seen variants of that name as an occasional ad-hoc computer-to-computer SSID in my travels but haven't seen anything resembling the levels reflected in the newspaper blog. During conferences, such as MuniWireless last month, there were typically 100++ laptops in each conference room all locked on to either the hotel Wi-Fi or the conference-provided Wi-Fi and that name didn't show up. And, from my office, there are about 20 SSIDs visible, about 1/3 unsecured, and none with that name. If there is something weakly resembling the phenomenon related in the linked blog, wouldn't it have become more well known? But, perhaps?....let's see if anyone can track it down. . . . j o n a t h a n -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of George Rogato Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 8:33 PM To: WISPA General List Subject: [WISPA] ESSID : Free Public WiFi Anyone see ESSID : Free Public WiFi popping up in your XP laptop in ad hoc mode? I was surprised today when I got three diferent ESSID : Free Public WiFi at the same time and one was on channel 56! It was out in the middle of nowhere. I've recently started seeing them around, but not in the middle of the woods. Googled ESSID : Free Public WiFi and got this: http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2006/09/free_public_wif.html -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
