CoastWave Wireless Help

Selecting the CoastWave Wireless Network

There are many different types of wireless devices available. We are providing instructions for selecting a wireless network for Windows XP and Mac OS X. If you are using a different operating system or your wireless device requires special software please consult your equipment documentation.

We have also provided a few basic Troubleshooting Tips which you can review if you are having problems connecting to the CoastWave network.

WINDOWS XP

1. Open the Start Menu, select "All Programs," "Accessories," "Communications," then "Network Connections." This will open a folder which displays your network connections.
   
   
2. Locate your wireless connection (the name of the connection may vary) and click once on the icon to select it.
   
   
3. Click "View available wireless networks" from the "Network Tasks" list on the left side of the window. This will open a new window and display wireless networks available in the area. View Screen Shot
   
   
4. CoastWave should be present in the list of available networks. If CoastWave is not listed, try clicking the "Refresh network list" link on the left side of the window. Double-click the CoastWave name to connect to the network. View Screen Shot
   
   
5. If another box opens, click the "Connect Anyway" button. This box may appear the first time you connect to the CoastWave network. View Screen Shot
   
   
6. You should now be connected to the CoastWave wireless network. Your signal strength is displayed on the right side of the window (more green bars means stronger signal). View Screen Shot
   
   
7. Launch your favorite web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc). You should automatically be redirected to the CoastWave sign-in page. If the sign-in page does not appear, type www.coastwave.net into the address bar and hit enter.

MAC OS X

1. Open the Wireless Network menu at the top right of your Desktop. View Screen Shot
   
   
2. If your Airport card is not currently active select "Turn AirPort On" to activate it.
   
   
3. Once the AirPort is active you should see a list of available networks. Select "CoastWave" to connect. View Screen Shot
   
   
4. Launch your favorite web browser (Internet Explorer, Safari, etc). You should automatically be redirected to the CoastWave sign-in page. If the sign-in page does not appear type www.coastwave.net into the address bar and hit enter.

TROUBLESHOOTING

CoastWave does not appear in the list of available networks.
Make sure you are within the Hot Zone area. You can refer to our Hot Zones map for approximate coverage area.

My signal strength is very low.
Many factors can affect wireless signal strength. If you are indoors try moving closer to the street and, if possible, position yourself in front of a window. Solid objects, especially metal, can block a signifigant amount of the wireless signal. Sometimes you may have to move around a little to find an optimal signal location.

The CoastWave sign-in page does not appear when I open my browser.
You should be automatically redirected to the sign-in page when you try to access any web site. You may need to force your browser to load a web page first to get redirected. Try typing "www.coastwave.net" into the address bar and press Enter.