[sf-lug] Help! Can't connect to AT&T wireless

[jim]

    I'm replying separately to the sf-lug list and 
will also reply separately to the other lists-- it 
often creates problems to send mail to multiple 
lists because if a member of one list replies to all, 
that email goes to the other lists, and if the 
sender is not also a member of the other lists, the 
list administrators have to deal with a non-member's 
attempt to post. 

    The only sense I can make is that the AT&T device(s) 
expect to communicate with some client software that 
the users must install on their computers. I can't 
believe that's real--how would someone's guest use the 
wifi? and how about gran'ma and little billy? 
    It seems to me that her ubuntu laptop ought to see 
the wifi and work with it. what would disable the 
connect button? 

    oh, and speaking of gran'ma and little billy, my 
band, the nubs, is playing at the Retox Lounge on 20th 
at 3rd in San Francisco at 8:30 PM this Sunday, 2/20. 
KUSF had our CD as number one for SF local bands. we're 
punk rock, loud and brash, but kind of fun. we're trying 
to figure out how to use linux on a laptop as a midi 
controller. 



On Wed, 2011-02-16 at 20:57 +0000, Jackie Barshak wrote:
> I just moved into a new flat in San Francisco and called AT&T to
> deliver a wireless modem and router. But  since I set it up I haven't
> been able to connect the wifi.. The Linksys E1000 wireless-N Router
> has at its minimum system requirements internet explorer 6 Safari 3 or
> Firefox 2 and a running Windows XP SP3 for a PC.  I bought this
> computer in India without a genuine copy of Microsoft installed.  It's
> the practice there to install pirated copies of MS Windows,  While I
> was there I didn't have trouble with Windows but when I returned to
> San Francisco in the fall I was finally almost shut down by MS. That's
> when I learned about and installed Linux.   Now I have extremely
> limited use of MS and they don't allow me to run updates or save
> anything in memory.  I don't think I am even operating with Explorer
> 6.
> 
> The AT&T tech support person that came out said the problem is that I
> don't have a Microsoft Service pack higher than a 2 and that  I need
> at least a 3. And for that reason my wifi can't connect.  But I should
> have the wi-fi on my ubuntu program, right I asked.  He said that the
> Router is incompatable with Linux and that I need a dedicated Linux
> router.  One Linux user tells me that's nonsense.  
> 
> Let me tell you what happens when I open Ubuntu.    I click the wi-fi
> icon and find my wi-fi account name.  A dialog box appears requesting
> that I enter my password.  I use the password that AT&T gave me but
> the connect button is whited out so I can't click on it.  
> 
> Please call if you can help, 415.242.1307.
> 
> Jackie
> 
> 
>