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Microsoft Tests Wi-Fi Connection Tool

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

August 22, 2006, 6:14 PM

Microsoft began sending invitations Tuesday for testers to sign up for a beta of a Wi-Fi connection manager that would assist users in finding, registering with and using public wireless hotspots.

Called Windows Live Connection Center Wi-Fi, the service is split into two parts, an application and Web site component.

The application will automatically discover and assist in connecting to available wireless networks within range. Additionally, the client provides security features and an integrated hotspot database.

The companion site features a Web-based interface for finding Wi-Fi network, searchable by city, state or zipcode. Microsoft said it would integrate the hotspot locator with Windows Live Local, allowing users to see the physical locations on a map and obtain directions.

The software requires wireless connectivity running on Windows XP. Support for Vista will be added with the first release candidate, currently scheduled for September.

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By DanFM

edited Sep 8, 2006 - 11:11 PM

"Win-Fi Connect" says all you have said with "Windows Live Connection Center Wi-Fi". Please consider it. -Dan Merrill

Score: 0

By Desides

posted Aug 23, 2006 - 4:35 PM

"Windows Live Connection Center Wi-Fi"

Yeah, that's a memorable name.

Score: 0

By IOMO

posted Aug 23, 2006 - 10:48 AM

Sounds useful, very similar to http://maps.fon.com/ but for any one's hotspot. I'm surprised Google hasn't done it (or bought it from someone else) yet for Google Maps.

Score: 0

By ZenWarrior

posted Aug 23, 2006 - 10:02 AM

Is there a single "Live" product's name that is less than 3 words? Microsoft has always been a mouthful with its myriad issues, but almost everything Live has been pretty hard to swallow.

More than half of the Live service/products I've beta-tested essentially arrived DOA. Regardless of what MS said, Live mail and Live Office were released as early alphas. There's no better way of turning beta testers into competitors' customers. That's exactly what they have done in my case.

Even with its Café MSN for "live" feedback, I have at least twice received invitations to an ongoing discussion, but then found no such space had even been set up!

I'm not a knee-jerk Microsoft basher, but it's getting very difficult to take anything MS does seriously anymore. Take the big deal it made about NotForNoobs.com. All of that over a freaking mouse?! Thanks for the laugh, Microsoft.

As for this product/service, I'll stick with NetStumbler. With it, I don't need access to the web to find access to the web. (To quote: "Called Windows Live Connection Center Wi-Fi, the service is split into ***two parts***, an application and ***Web site component***."

And urbanriot, I'm running XP and WPA2 without SSID broadcasting at this very moment. But, maybe I'm not understanding your comment.

Score: 0

By Sexbarril

edited Aug 23, 2006 - 6:57 PM

Well they are pushing a single branding for all their products, so they cant b blamed for sticking "Live" wherever they can.

That said, just hope they dont rename their existing products : "Window Internet Explorer 8 Vista Edition Live"

Latz, SB

Score: 0

By sld

posted Aug 23, 2006 - 1:10 PM

I found this eye-opening:

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/Ou/?p=43

Score: 0

By IOMO

edited Aug 23, 2006 - 10:59 AM

"I'll stick with NetStumbler. With it, I don't need access to the web to find access to the web"
How exactly?
Say, for example, you're sitting at home with a laptop are about to go into town. Do you a) "stumble" around town potentially for a long time until you happen to come accross an unsecured or public hotspot; or b) take two seconds at home to use an online service to find the exact location of a hotspot or multiple hotspots you can use when you are in town and go straight to them?

I choose b cos I'm lazy.

Score: 0

By ZenWarrior

posted Aug 23, 2006 - 4:53 PM

To date, all I've ever needed to do in any metro area is simply turn on my computer. I'm not certain if I've ever *not* found a link. In fact, I usually find 4-5 available.

Score: 0

By extremely well

edited Aug 24, 2006 - 12:30 PM

I second that notion. One day while driving, an urgent need arose to do videoconference (don't ask..) so I exited the highway on the first exit, drove to the first block of houses and the first attempt got me an unsecure wireless connection. I DOUBT MS dbase will contain such "jems" in its public database before year 2015... Further, had I not found that jem, I'd driven for a max of 2 mins at slow speed picking one up FOR SURE. And had I been stuck in tight-ass-land (secured networks), I'd try to crack me one open for 5 mins (64bits or dictionary attack). Failing that, I'd drive to the nearest block of non-frenchise restaurants and try my luck there. Failing that, I'd drive to the first frenchise restaurant (McDonalds?) and shell out the cash for "proper" connectivity (or buy the minimum to get online "free"). Knowing myself, I'd probably learn to hack those systems for free after the first incident this highly unlikely event would have occured. Now, did I mentioned I got online within 5 seconds of trying? ;)

Score: 0

By azimov

posted Aug 23, 2006 - 9:51 AM

It will soon be called Windows Dead? When no one can get it to work?

Score: 0

By urbanriot

posted Aug 22, 2006 - 10:07 PM

They should have a look at Intel's driver's connection manager. It's a dream and works as you'd expect the one in XP to work. It also supports configurations that XP does not - such as WPA2 without broadcasting SSID.

Score: 0

By Joe Dirt

posted Aug 22, 2006 - 6:23 PM

Windows Live Connection Center Wi-Fi?

Could they make the name longer? I really don't think it's long enough yet.

What the heck are they thinking? I would love to try it out but for now I'm happy with NetStumbler. ;)

Score: 0

By RobertM

posted Aug 22, 2006 - 7:31 PM

Well, at least they resisted the urge to stamp .NET on the end of it all (actually--my bad, that was *sooooo* 2003 ... and I'm sure all this crazy "Windows Live" everything will go out of style, too, hopefully very soon).

Score: 0

By AlanRivaldo

posted Aug 22, 2006 - 10:52 PM

WindowsI doubt.NET ItLive will2007 die.NET soonLive MSNenough.

Score: 0

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