A public wireless network has authorized wireless access points through which users connect to the network. Authentication software provided to a user prompts a user to enter a password that is provided over a secure link to an authentication server. The authentication server provides the password to each authorized access point, so that it may be provided to the user when accessing the network through located wireless access point. If the password is not provided to the user by the located access point, the user is alerted that the located access point may be unauthorized.