WiFi

We offer WiFi access to visitors who bring their own equipment. Some things to note:

Availability during business hours

Monday-Thursday 9:00-9:00
Saturday-Friday 9:00-5:00
Sundays 1:00-5:00 September – May

Cost
Free – users provide their own equipment

Technical support from Library Staff
Our IT Librarian will be able to assist with setting up wireless Internet on your computer.  Please ask staff if you are having trouble.

Virus and security protection is the responsibility of the patron.

Logging On 
Once the laptop is on, a balloon message pops up in the lower right hand corner indicating that a wireless network is available. You can open an Internet browser and access one of our WiFi hotspots.  Your computer can automatically detect and connect to our wireless access point, West Chicago Library, without any authentication.

Time Out 
After fifteen minutes of inactivity, the session will close. The general session will end after eight hours.

Laptop Settings 
To access the network you should have your TCP/IP set to obtain an IP address automatically and obtain a DNS server automatically. To check the settings: in the lower right hand corner right click on the network icon and go to properties. Click on TCP/IP to highlight the line. Then click on properties. Our wireless is called West Chicago Library.

VPN Connections
If you are trying to access a private network using certain VPN software utilities, our firewall may prohibit you from doing this, or you may experience frequent disconnections.

Tech Talk
Our access point is 802.11ac 1.3 Gbps 5 GHz, and 450 Mbps 2.4 GHz. It is backward compatible with older tech which means the good news is that “ac” with talk to “b” devices which will talk with “g” stuff and vice versa. It supports up to 253 simultaneous users at speeds up to 100 Mbps at distances up to 100 meters (328 feet.)

Reality check: the farther away from the access point, the slower the packets move; the more people on the network, the slower the packet movement. Also the type of media in the packet affects the speed.  If you are having difficulty with a weak connection, try relocating to a different part of the library.

Security
The Internet is a public network. Be aware that information sent from your laptop can be intercepted by anyone else with a wireless device and the appropriate software. Transmitting any personal information such as passwords, credit card or Social Security numbers while using any wireless “hotspot” including the Library’s, is not recommended. If you choose to send personal information make sure you are connected to a Web site that encrypts data using Secure Socket Layering (SSL).