Can I piggyback off friends wifi connection?

[SycoSight]

I'm at a university right now but my PC cannot detect the wifi while my iPhone and my friends laptop can. Is there a way to piggyback off of my iPhone or my friends wifi connection so that I may use it as well? Thanks

 

[computertech82]

The pc will have to see a network in order to connect to it. It it doesn't see anything, possible your wireless is turned off on the computer (assuming it's a laptop).

 

[SycoSight]

I have a desktop with a net gear wifi adapter and I know it's turned on because I can detect a HP printer that is in one of my neighboring dorms. So I don't think that is the problem

 

[DeauteratedDog]

Does the adapter in your PC support the same 'flavor' of Wi-Fi as the school's network? That is, do you maybe have an 802.11b adapter while the school's network is 802.11n? For performance improvement, many organizations that have large networks are turning off compatibility with .11b.