StarHub Wireless Hubbing Service

[Kimi]

Would it be possible to connect to a private wireless network using your wireless broadband ID and pwd?
I just moved in to a new flat and the flat already has a wireless network subscribed to StarHub's MaxOnline if I'm not mistaken. I myself applied for the StarHub's wireless broadband account that can be used in Coffee Beans let's say and would like to use that account on the network in the flat, possible?
Cheers for any tips.

[DimWit Kid]

I don't think it works that way.
You need to subscribe to Maxonline plan for homes and set up your modem/wireless router. Otherwise, unless you have very kind neighbor who doesn't lock their wireless networking, you wouldn't be able to log onto anybody's network (aka hitchhiking) for free!

[Kimi]

Don't mean to hitchhike as it's my flat only at that time I didn't know the MaxOnline's acc and the flatmate who knows it was out so was thinking to use my wireless broadband's acc instead...

There is another problem though.
I bought this wireless card (SMC 802.11b) to be used in the new flat and when we looked at the setting, the connection was established only the laptop didn't receive any packets even though it was sending and it didn't pick up the right IP addy apparently, so any tips?
For the IP addy, let's say my flatmates' laptops had the IP addy started with 192.168.XX.XX, whereas mine was 169.XXX.XX.XX.
We tried to release the IP addy but somehow it's not refreshed.
For reference the OS is XP and the card model is SMC2635W 2.4G 11Mbps.
Cheers for any tips again.

[DimWit Kid]

So your flatmate has the cable modem and has an account with SCV for that cable modem? Yes then you can set up your wireless card to connect to the modem/router.

In case it's not very clear: you (or your friend, or anybody who will give you access to their cable modem cum wireless router) need to have an account with SCV on the cable modem. Having an account for wireless access anywhere else doesn't have anything to do with it.

Once you have an authorized cable modem from SCV (therefore a Maxonline account with it), then it comes the setting up.
One thing you need to know is that some Windows setting puts WEP on as a default (WEP is a secure protection for wireless connection). You need to check whether the router's WEP is on or off. If it's off, then you turn off the WEP setting in windows as well.
Next, the router might be "restricted" in giving access by whoever setting it up (if it's not, it means all the neighbors will get free hitchhike on the cyber space!). You need to add your MAC ID into the acceptable list in the router.
If all is well, you don't even need to have whatever other account (no need that account for wireless access at coffee bean) - anybody can just buy wireless card and connect to any router as long as the router admin authorize the connection.

From what you said, you can't even pick up IP address from the router, so it means you only detect the router broadcast but can't connect to it. It seems like your wireless card lacks authorization to do just that - so if your friend knows how to set up the gateway, he needs to authorize yours.

[Kimi]

Cheers for the tips DimWitKid.
However the problem we had yesterday night was after my card's MAC addy was already included by the admin, which is one of my flatmates who holds the MaxOnline acc.
One thing I noticed though that in my other flatmate's laptop on the browser IE's setting which can be seen from Tools->Internet Options->Connection->select for example [some name] Wireless VPN by double clicking it, and a password was set-up there even though without an ID and I thought it might be the MaxOnline pwd, do you reckon on my laptop the same pwd should be set-up too?

[DimWit Kid]

Kimi, the default setting of the wireless router access is not password-protected. I can't comment much without really knowing what he has done in setting up the router. But supposed he set up a password (I don't know how to do that, by the way - my modem/router I think doesn't have that), then yes, you need to ask him to set up your wireless card properly.

By the way, what wireless router do you guys use?

[Kimi]

DWK, it worked! YAY!
Really cheers for being nice with the tips.
It's so simple! Just had to re-install the driver and the software of my blimey network card!
I just hope I wouldn't have to do the same thing to use my wireless broadband acc. at Coffee Beans otherwise that would be a bugger