Find Library Books & More

Online Resources

How to Obtain a Card

Your Library Account
Renew Online | How to Place A Hold

Library Services/Programs

Friends of the Library

Job Opportunities

About the Grand County Library District

GCLD Wireless Hotspot Access Information

Instructions and Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is Wireless Internet Access? It is the ability to access the Internet using a portable computing device equipped with wireless networking capabilities. This library service allows users to connect to the Internet using their own computer or PDA.
  
• Who Can Use This Library Service? Anyone visiting the library may access the wireless network with their own wireless device. You do not need to have a library card. Please read our Internet Use Guidelines at http://www.gcld.org/services.htm.
  
• What Equipment Do I Need? To utilize the wireless network you will need a laptop or PDA with an IEEE 802.11b or 802.11g (802.11a and Bluetooth devices will not work) compatible wireless network card. The library does not loan wireless network cards, and the library staff are not permitted to provide direct assistance or troubleshoot problems in configuring the wireless card on your portable device. The library cannot guarantee that your device will work with the library's wireless access points.
  
• How Do I Begin? To access our wireless network, you will need to get a username and password from the receipt printer located at the circulation desk. After opening a web browser, you will be prompted to enter your username and password.
  
• How Do I Configure My Wireless Network Card? If your portable device does not initially connect to the library's wireless access point, you may need to configure the network settings of your wireless network card.
  
  The SSID for the access point is library.
  
  There is no encryption of the data being passed.
  The network mode should be set to infrastructure instead of ad-hoc.
  
  Before changing your TCP/IP properties on the Local Area Connection, write down your current settings.
  
  To access the wireless network, set your Wireless Network Connection's TCP/IP settings to DHCP, or in a Windows environment to Obtain IP Address Automatically and Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically.
  
  You may neet to reboot for your network configuration changes to take effect.
  
• How Secure is a Wireless Internet Connection? The Internet is a public communications network, and wireless Internet access poses the same risks as wired Internet access plus some new risks. As with most public wireless "hotspots", this connection is not secure. Potentially, any information being sent or received could be intercepted by another wireless user.
  
  Cautious and informed wireless users should not transmit private information, such as a credit card number, over a wireless connection. Wireless users are advised to use SSL to connect to web pages and mail hosts, SSH instead of telnet, and VPNs for all other data to ensure privacy and security.
  
  The library will not be responsible for any information (i.e. credit card) that is compromised nor any damage to your devise that might result from using it within the library.
  
  Utilizing virus protection, personal firewall software, and other measures is highly recommended and is the sole responsiblility of the portable device user.
  
• How Do I Print When Using the Wireless Internet Connection? Printing is not available from the wireless connection. You can save your document to a floppy disk or email it to yourself and print from one of the wired library computers.