Oct
12
At one time or another somewhere out there someone connected to a real ad-hoc WiFi network that had the SSID “Free Public WiFi”.
They added this network to their preferred network list. They then traveled to a location where this WiFi SSID didn’t exist (airport, airplane, and/or hotel).
They powered on their laptop with the wireless card on and Wireless Auto Configuration took over and starting searching for WiFi networks. After trying steps 1 through 3 above, Windows gave up and configured WiFi card to ad hoc mode with the SSID “Free Public WiFi” (since it was a preferred network).
How the SSID spreads virally.
A second person in close proximity to the user above also has a wireless enabled laptop and is looking to connect to a WiFi network.
They scan to see what is available and notice an SSID called “Free Public WiFi, They connect to it not knowing that it is an ad hoc network.
After a few seconds of wondering why they can’t surf the web they disconnect from the SSID, shrug their shoulders and move on with life.
Now they have the viral SSID in their preferred list too.
The next time they power on their laptop it starts to look for the “Free Public WiFi” SSID.
This process is repeated in many locations across the US and world again and again, Soon this SSID is in preferred wireless networks lists everywhere spreads like a virus.
So it really did start with a single person naming their ad hoc network “Free Public WiFi,” and it spread globally from there.