Do people find it's happy with an ad hoc wifi hotspot, e.g. as set up in Ubuntu 12.04. http://www.howtogeek.com/116409/how-to-turn-your-ubuntu-lapt...
It doesn't work for me, the hotspot isn't listed on the Nexus among the many local networks, and without other wifi equipment I'm unsure where the fault may lie; so many possibilities.