I have a wireless networking CARD. I have bought and tried other cards and run into the same problem. There is a network in a nearby city park which is available and free. My computer should automatically connect to it.

That being said my computer connects and registers that it is being sent packages but it doesn't register as recieving them.

Consequently I don't have access.

I have CONSULTED friends in the computer industry with no luck

any help someone could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Have you check the IP address of the computer?

Tell us, if you will, what kind of SCREENS you get when you try to access the public network. For example, in my area, I can go to PANERA Bread restaurants or Caribou Coffee "restaurants" and use their local wi-fi access for free. (The bastiges at McDonald's, Barnes & NOBLE, and Starbucks consider this a "service" for which they gladly charge, but I digress...) In either case, I get a Panera page or a Caribou page in the browser. Once I signed up for the service (no charge) I was able to surf the 'net from their respective home pages. Is there a similar setup for the service which you're trying to access?