internet problem

[derajfast]

ok i am at college now in my dorm room, and we have wireless internet here. my airport detects the connection (and several others), but i can never access the internet over them. i use airport all the time and it works fine, just not here. everyone else with PCs can access it, but my college is extremely mac friendly, so thats not it. when i click the airport icon on my menubar, i get this menu (attached)

when i connect at any other location via airport i get the signal strength icon with the 4 or 5 bars.....but now the icon is greyed out and there seems to be a small little computer icon in the middle of it.....every other network on campus has the same result of the airport icon when i try connecting to it as well.

Thanks!

 

[WildCowboy]

That icon means that you are connected to someone else's computer, not directly to the internet. Others here can probably give you more detailed info.

Notice how they're all listed under the "Computer-to-Computer Networks" heading...

 

[derajfast]

right so how can i connect to the wireless internet network.......

 

[WildCowboy]

I'm not an expert on this, but it just looks to me like you're not within range of a base station for the main network. With the crappy Airport range of the PB (I have one too), it's not entirely surprising. All you can see are other computers that are within range.

I've never directly dealt with computer-to-computer networks over Airport, so I'll have to bow out if you need help with trying to get on through sharing someone else's connection.

 

[derajfast]

well my roomate gets on, and the other people with pbooks on the floor get on as well..

 

[WildCowboy]

What's the name of the network they're connecting to?

 

[derajfast]

the AirOrange one

 

[WildCowboy]

I don't know why it's showing up as a computer-to-computer network. Have you done all of the steps outlined on the pages found here? Specifically, the "how-to guide" and "logging on." If you still have problems, your help desk should be able to address your issues...

 

[derajfast]

yep ive done everything....i just dont get it

 

[blackstone]

Go into System Preferences : Network and see if the little bubble next to "Airport" is yellow instead of green. If so, then you'll need to turn off your Airport card for a little while and then turn it back on so that it acquires a new IP address.

EDIT: Also, if this problem hasn't been going on for all that long (i.e. less than a day), your school may have more wireless users trying to get online than it has IP addresses. You'd need to address this with your school's help desk.

 

[derajfast]

the little bubble is red and it says "Airport is connected to the computer-to-computer network AirOrange"


i haven ever been able to connected wirelessly

 

[discoforce]

the little bubble is red and it says "Airport is connected to the computer-to-computer network AirOrange"


i haven ever been able to connected wirelessly

A RED bubble should mean that the port has not been configured. I would assume that means your airport can "see" the network, but can't use it because some settings aren't correct.

Some networks require that you run an authenticating program (my university requires Cisco's VPN) to access the internet. Also, some networks allow access only to registered computers. If your university is mac friendly you could probably jump on one of your friend's computers that works and go to their network site to see what you need to do. Or just compare your configuration pages to their computer's.

 

[wasimyaqoob]

Personally, i think you need to configure something - Maybe a proxy or something, I really do not know.

 

[Boelman]

I would check with your help desk and find out if you need to configure your airport card.