Why am I unable to connect to this signal I see?

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Signal strength may be too weak:
   Signal strength from the wireless access point may not be strong enough to allow reliable connections. The closer you are an the less obstructed your line of vision to the access point, the higher your chances of success will be. Watch the signal strength indicator at the bottom of the available signals window to tell you when the signal strength is at its strongest.    


It may not be a publicly available access point:
   The client "sniffs" local wireless signals, and finds not only Boingo Wireless signals, but other wireless networks, as well. Not every network detected by the software will be a publicly available network. Many companies will be using wireless networking within their corporate buildings or campuses, but will not grant public access. In this case you will not be able to successfully make a connection and must search for another network that does have public access.    
If you're using Windows XP, there may be some settings to check:
Sometimes other settings in Windows can complicate your connection unnecessarily. To help simplify your connection through your wireless adapter (Wi-Fi card) you can turn off components that aren't being used. To do this, follow these steps:

1.	Enter your Control Panel by clicking on Start, then Control Panel. On some computers, the path may be Start > Settings > Control Panel.

2.	Enter your Network Connections by clicking Network and Internet Connection, then Network Connections. If your Control Panel is set for Classic View, you will see Network Connections immediately after entering the Control Panel.

3.	Right-Click on the icon for your wireless card (this will most often be called Wireless Network Connection) and choose Properties.

4.	On the General tab, you will see an area labeled This connection uses the following items. Here, you will see all the components that your Wi-Fi card is tied to. You can remove the check marks from the boxes of the items you don't need.

The required components are:

·	Client for Microsoft Networks

·	Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

These components may be useful, but are not needed if to connect to Boingo hot-spots:

·	File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks (This is used to transfer files between computers on a network. If you connect to a home network or a work network wirelessly, you are likely to use this.)

·	Deterministic Network Enhancer

In particular, the QoS Packet Scheduler can cause instability on a wireless connection. If you are experiencing stability problems with your connection, including drops or the inability to connect at all, try disabling (removing the check mark from) QoS Packet Scheduler. Try this only if you are having trouble with your connection.