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Free Wi-Fi News
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"That's right, we blog!" (with thanks to RP and GW) News and information for free public access Wi-Fi location owners and users We call a hotspot that offers free Wi-Fi internet access a Wi-Fi-FreeSpot.
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Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Almost 200 more Free Wi-Fi locations Thanks again to the e-mailers the Wi-Fi FreeSpot Directory has added almost 200 more free Wi-Fi locations in the past nine days. Once again, that's just too many to list individually here at Free Wi-Fi News so have a look at your State's page and you'll probably find a new location to check out. Also, the first listings in Israel have been added recently. Panera Bread keeps adding Free Wi-Fi to their existing locations and including it in all new locations. Their site now says they have 360 locations across the country with Free Wi-Fi. It's hard to keep up with listing each location on their respective State's page so there's a link to Panera Bread's list on the Diectory Home page and at the top of some of the State pages like Missouri, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and other State's with many locations. Here's the link Panera Bread Monday, August 16, 2004
The Power of the Press and new additions to The Wi-Fi FreeSpot Directory A late July article in PC World magazine on Free Wi-Fi that included a link to the Wi-Fi FreeSpot Directory, was a Featured Article on the MSN/Hotmail login page last Thursday. In addition to the thousands of new visitors to the Directory web site I also got over 100 e-mails ( Thank you e-mailers ) telling me about new Free Wi-Fi locations. That's just too many to list individually so just assume that there just might be a new location near you to look for on your State's page. The Directory now has over 3000 individual listings! When you figure in the Hotel chains and the Apple stores, etc. with multiple locations the actual number is much higher. Because of the response to the PC World/MSN press I expect that there are still many more existing Free Wi-Fi locations to be found and added to the Directory and I'm equally as sure that there will be many more new locations to come. Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Wi-Fi FreeSpot Directory Additions Check the State pages for new locations in Houston, Addison, Garland, Austin, San Antonio, Irving and Arlington, Texas, Boston, Somerville, Chatham and Pittsfield, Masachusetts, Auburn and Gulf Shores, Alabama, Evansville, Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana, Atlanta, Marietta, Decatur and Woodstock, Georgia, Augusta and Blue Hill, Maine, Lake George, New York, Westminster, Maryland, Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario, and St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, Reedsburg and Green Bay, Wisconsin, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Columbus, Boardman and Wadsworth, Ohio, El Monte, Glendale, Cotati, Newport Beach, Stockton, Los Angeles, San Clemente and Los Gatos, California, University Place, Walla Walla, Fife, Spokane, Bellingham, Mount Vernon and Ellensburg, Washington, East Orange, New Jersey, Decatur, Illinois, Richmond, Virginia, Austin, Minnesota, Rapid City and Sturgis, South Dakota, Santa Fe, Roswell and Taos, New Mexico, Las Vegas, Nevada, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Lake Ozark, Missouri, La Pine, Oregon, Durango, Aurora, Lakewood, Boulder and North Glenn, Colorado, Tampa and Brandon, Florida, Rochester, New Hampshire, Franklin, Tennessee, Great Falls, Montana, Danbury, Connecticut, Sao Paolo, Brazil, Maxwell, Nebraska, and Biloxi, Mississippi. Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Wireless Traveler's Kit Glenn Fleishman's Wi-Fi Networking news ( via a link from Tom's Networking ) links to the SMC Media Center's web site for the details. "The new Wireless Traveler’s kit brings unparalleled flexibility to road warriors and SOHO users. Packing everything a traveler needs to convert a wired hotel broadband or visiting office connection for wireless connection in a convenient, easy-to-carry case, the new Traveler’s Kit includes a USB cable, a Cat5 Ethernet cable, a power cord and the industry’s first All-in-One networking device that can operate in any of five different modes: Access Point, Ethernet Bridge, Repeater, Point-to-Point Bridge or Point-to-Multipoint Bridge. At an MSRP of just $99.99, the new SMC EZ Connect g Wireless Traveler’s Kit makes wireless networking affordably easy on the road, at home and in the office." Read more here. What does Free Wi-Fi really mean? As the availability of Free Wi-Fi locations continues to spread I thought it might be good to review what Free might mean in different types of locations. The locations listed in the Wi-Fi FreeSpot Directory all offer some type of Free Wi-Fi access to the public, but sometimes there may be access requirements/restrictions that are unique to a particular type of location. In order to help people searching for Free Wi-Fi the following information should help to clarify what Free Wi-Fi really means in different locations. Most of the locations listed will not have any restrictions, but there will be some locations that may restrict access in one of several ways - through a login procedure to users with a registered account - some require you to be a registered guest of their facility - some may require you to be a customer and that implies that you will be making a purchase - and some may require a purchase to gain a password needed to login. Libraries Many cities and towns are now offering Free Wi-Fi in their public libraries. A few might require a library card to use the access but in public libraries free really means free for all. Academic Locations Many academic institutions that offer Free Wi-Fi on their campuses restrict the access to members of their academic community - students, staff, etc. - and require some kind of login procedure to control access, but, there are some that don't have any restrictions. So, in academic locations, free may not mean free for all. Hotels, Motels and Resorts If these locations offer Free Wi-Fi in their guest rooms then it's obvious you'd need to be a registered guest to use the access. If these locations offer Free Wi-Fi in common areas of the location - lobby, pool area, restaurant, bar/lounge, meeting rooms - they may make the access available to non-guests as well. Thus, free may not mean free to all. RV Parks and Campgrounds Most locations of this type will require users to be registered guests of the location. Be sure to check whether the Free Wi-Fi access is available only in or near a "clubhouse" type of building or whether the access reaches the RV pads and campsite areas of the property. Again, here, free may not mean free for all. Cafes, coffee shops, restaurants Some of these types of locations require a purchase to obtain a password while others have an explicit policy that requires you to be a customer and thus implies that you'll be making a purchase. So, once again, free may not mean free for all. Most of these types of locations do not require any purchase to access the Free Wi-Fi. But, I'm sure it would certainly be appreciated. Let your conscience be your guide. The access here is free for all but if you choose to make a purchase while you're there I don't think this would mean that free is no longer free. Miscellaneous If you're in a doctor's or dentist's office, or in a hospital waiting room you or your insurance company wiil be paying for services rendered to you while you're there. If you're in a car wash or an auto service center you'll be paying for the service you're there to purchase. So, yes, you'll be spending money while using the Free Wi-Fi. Free Wi-Fi signals carry The nature of Wi-Fi means that sometimes a Free Wi-Fi signal can be picked up outside the property "boundary" of the provider. It may be more comfortable for you to be sitting on a bench across the street or in your car or RV and have Free Wi-Fi access thanks to a nearby provider you found listed in the Wi-Fi FreeSpot Directory. If you can figure out a way to say "thanks" that would be nice. THANKS! The Wi-Fi Free-Spot Directory would like to say "thanks" to all the location owners listed in the Directory for providing Free Wi-Fi to the public. Very cool. |