Not enough range to pick up free internet

The range on your wireless is maybe half a block. Most people that are getting free Internet are actually stealing it from someone that is paying for it by connecting by wireless. In the same time people have started securing their wireless routers by using security like WEP and WPA which require that your wireless device has the proper key to use the network, even the coffee shops and motels that offer free wireless are starting to use this method. If you have internet at your house and a wireless router and can't connect to it then that is because you don't have to correct key installed or your device isn't on the authorized list of MAC addresses. You will have to contact your provider to resolve that.