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Bad Connections Dog Google's Mountain View Wi-Fi Network

Posted by timothy on from the expensive-to-get-infrastructure-right dept.

itwbennett writes "Google launched its Mountain View, CA public public Wi-Fi network in August 2006. It was one of the first public wireless Internet services in the U.S. and was intended to provide free service across the city. But in 2012, one year after Google signed a 5-year agreement to continue the service, it started a slow decline to the point of being unusable. 'We started noticing it in very large files, things like operating system updates, but now it's on files as small as 500 kilobytes,' said Rajiv Bhushan, chief scientist of pharmaceutical startup Livionex and a long-time user of the network. A recent test by IDG News Service resulted in a total failure to get a working Internet connection at a dozen sites around Mountain View, including in the city's main downtown area and directly in front of Google's headquarters." I've had disappointing results trying to connect to several other public wireless nets around the U.S., both privately sponsored and municipal. Do you know of any that work especially well?

7 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. The solution by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just unplug it and plug it back in again.

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
    1. Re:The solution by Richard_at_work · · Score: 3, Funny

      No no no, they are holding it wrong!

  2. "Bad Connections Dog" by terminalhype · · Score: 4, Funny

    What is a "Bad Connections Dog" and why is it Googling Mountain View's wi-fi Network? Possibly it is looking for a Good Connections Cat?

    1. Re: "Bad Connections Dog" by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 3, Funny

      not to worry, its bark is worse than its byte.

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    2. Re: "Bad Connections Dog" by slashmydots · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yo dawg. I heard you like bad connections so we found you a dog that has a bad connection, dawg.

  3. What is a bad connections dog? by Arancaytar · · Score: 1, Funny

    And what's so bad about it googling the Mountain View Wi-Fi Network?

    1. Re:What is a bad connections dog? by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1, Funny

      Maybe it's sort of like a Fail Whale?