Wireless Access

If you have a newer laptop or wireless card, your computer may automatically find the wireless network but you will need to put in the Passcode (see below). If you need to change its settings in order to use Wi-Fi, be sure to set up your computer to use:

Once your computer finds the wireless network, you will have access to the internet.

Bring your own laptop and wireless card or wireless-enabled device. The Library does not check out wireless cards or PDAs. Bring a fully charged battery as public electric outlets, especially in the Branches where space is limited, may not be available.

Check your manual if you can't get your wireless card to work. The Library staff can provide some help depending on staff availability, but there is no guarantee we will be able to assist with your computer.

NOTE FOR Older Macs: The Encryption protocol may not be supported by your Mac. Please see the following sites for information to see if your computer is compatible: Discussions.apple.com and LowendMac. The Berkeley Public Library assumes no liability for inoperability of computers resulting from patrons making changes to their OS or system hardware.

NOTE FOR Older PCs: The Encryption protocol may not be supported by your version of Windows XP and older. Please see this About.com article if you are using Windows XP or older. The Berkeley Public Library assumes no liability for inoperability of computers resulting from patrons making changes to their OS or system hardware.

You can use this wireless connection from your laptop. If your computer doesn't find the wireless access point on its own, make sure your wireless settings are correct.

Correct settings:

If you normally use a different Wi-Fi network (with a different SSID) your computer may not find our network automatically. Try opening your wireless settings and starting a new network scan, or changing the settings by typing in the information above. You may also need to restart your computer after changing the settings.

Once your settings are correct and your computer finds the wireless access point, open up your web browser. You should be on the internet. For additional help, click here.

Special notes:

• If you normally use a different Wi-Fi network (with a different SSID) your computer may not find our network automatically.
• Only 802.11a, 802.11a/b/g are supported, Bluetooth, and other wireless protocols are not supported.
  
• Only HTTP and HTTPS communication to standard ports (80, 443) is supported. FTP, POP, and nonstandard HTTP and HTTPS ports cannot be used with the service.

Problem messages:

If you get "A valid IP address could not be determined" message, then there is most likely a problem with the wireless service. If you let a staff member know when this occurs, they can notify the technical staff.