Wireless Access
At the Berkeley Public Library you can use our wireless connection from your own laptop without a library card. For additional information, see our Wireless FAQ and Wireless Help. Wireless Internet access is available only when the Library is open and shuts down 10 minutes prior to closing time.
Introducing Wireless Printing
Our print management system is now able to accept a print job from your laptop computer. Simply click on the location where you want to pick up your print job, and follow the instructions. On most computer screens, you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page in order to click the "next" button, which is an arrowhead.
Select a location to print your job: Claremont | Central | North | South | West
How to Connect
If you have a newer laptop or wireless card, your computer may automatically find the wireless network. If you need to change its settings in order to use Wi-Fi, be sure to set up your computer to use:
| Network name or SSID: | BPL-Wireless |
| Wireless Mode or Network Type: | Access Point or Infrastructure (not "Ad Hoc") |
| Network properties: | Use DHCP (Obtain an IP address automatically) |
| WEP: | Off |
Once your computer finds the wireless network, you will have access to the internet.
Equipment
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.
Help and Troubleshooting
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:
| Network name or SSID: | BPL-Wireless |
| Wireless Mode or Network Type: | Access Point or Infrastructure (not "Ad Hoc") |
| Network properties: | Use DHCP (Obtain an IP address automatically) |
| WEP: | Disabled |
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.