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News and information for free public access Wi-Fi location owners and users

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Free Wi-Fi in the USA

Peter Cochrane has a great story about finding and using Free Wi-Fi on a recent Summer trip in Colorado and California. It's everywhere you want to be! ( OK, I think that's a Visa Card slogan but it fits here too. )

The best part of the story is pulling into a town late at night without an advance reservation and finding all the hotels with Free Wi-Fi all filled up. On a hunch he checked a hotel not offering Free Wi-Fi and sure enough they had vacancies.

Read the full story at

http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39150826,00.htm
posted by Jim at 6:02 AM

 
More Free Wi-Fi in Prague

When I checked my e-mail yesterday there was a submission of a Free Wi-Fi Spot in Prague. Well, I just happen to be in Prague.

There's Free Wi-Fi, and free wired access, at Modra Lavicka, a Czech/Thai restaurant at the corner of Opletalova and Ruzova, across from the park in front of the main train station and just a short walk from Wenceslas Square. I just had a delicious lunch and made this post from there.

Next week it's off to Sweden and Estonia in search of more Free Wi-Fi.
posted by Jim at 4:52 AM

 
More Free Wi-Fi in Prague

I checked my e-mail yesterday and there was a submission for a Free Wi-Fi location in Prague. Well, I just happen to be in Prague.

Free Wi-Fi, and wired access, is available at Modra Lavicka, a Czech/Thai restaurant at the corner Opletalova and Ružová, across from the park in front of the main train station and not far from Wenceslas Square. I'm having lunch there right now and using the Free Wi-Fi to make this post.

Next week I'm off to Sweden and Estonia to check out Free Wi-Fi availability there.
posted by Jim at 4:39 AM

 
Free Wi-Fi in Prague Update

In a previous post I mentioned a spot that said that it would offer 15 free minutes with a purchase. Here's the real story. Upstairs at Kava Kava Kava Coffee is the Cafe. Downstairs is an Internet room where you use their computers. Turns out if you make a purchase upstairs you get 15 minutes free downstairs, BUT, if you stay upstairs with your lapttop and make a purchase they'll give you the password for FREE WI-FI!!!and all you want.

They're located at Narodni 37, inside the courtyard, across from Tesco.
posted by Jim at 9:37 AM

 
Open Networks

By now you must have read one of the many stories about the guy who got arrested in Florida for using an open wireless network.

It involved a person sitting outside someone's house using a laptop computer to access the network that the home owner had left open, unknowingly I guess. I wonder why the owner just didn't close the network before calling the police? Probably had no idea it was an option.

A wide range of views are being expressed on several web sites as well. Theft seems to be the center of the discussion. Some of the analogies being made to prove a point are quite incredulous.


Almost every listing I have in the Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory is an Open Network ( some do require getting access info from a staff person, with or without a purchase ). The difference - they are all non-residential locations that are open to the public and the owners/network administrators are willingly leaving the network open. Their listing in the Directory is their invitation to use the network.

On http://www.nodedb.com there are many open network listings, many of which are residential, where the owner willingly leaves the network open and via the listing invites people to use the network.

If a cafe's open network is also being used by people living in nearby apartments do they care? If someone pulls up outside in an RV and quickly checks e-mail do they care?

Most people with open networks would have no idea if anyone was using it. The Florida guy just happened to be parked outside the owner's house, could be seen using a laptop and got caught.

I have used open networks whose owner was unknown to me. My computer saw the network and asked if I wanted to connect. It didn't warn me of possible "theft of service" consequences. I know I'm not alone.
posted by Jim at 2:56 AM

 
Free Wi-Fi in Prague

I read an ad in the local English language Prague Post that mentioned free Wi-Fi. Ah ha, at last I said. When I went there it said that in return for a purchase of a little more than the equivalent of $2 you would get 15 minutes free. Not a very good deal. Paying for access in an Internet Cafe costs anywhere from $1-4 per hour.

It seems that most places I've gone so far in Europe, paying for access in an Internet Cafe is not a bad deal. Free Wi-Fi would be better but availability is limited. I wouldn't mind making a purchase in a location to get Free access but 15 minutes is not enough.
posted by Jim at 2:50 AM

 
DAMN SPAM

The Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory has been growing consistently thanks to the e-mails I get from many people telling me about new locations, and telling me about the ones that should be removed. I publish an e-mail address on the web site so people can easily contact me with this info. Thank you to all who have e-mailed me.

Recently I changed that address because I was getting tons of SPAM e-mail that originated from a Russian ISP. My Junk filter would catch most of it but it was just plain annoying. Wouldn't you know it, it only took about two days for that address to start getting new SPAM. They're quick. It's not the Russians this time but they'll probably catch on soon enough.
posted by Jim at 8:21 AM

 
Travel update for Free Wi-Fi in Europe

Since my last post I have been to Amsterdam, Hamburg and am now in Prague.

Amsterdam Free Wi-Fi

I have a few places listed in my Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory and I tracked down a couple.

The American Book Center does have Free Wi-Fi on the top floor of the bookstore. They have one small round table for standing at and a small sofa as the only places where it would be convenient to pull out the laptop and connect. The Flying Pig Hostel requires an entry card to enter. I imagine you have to be a registered guest to get one so I can't report anything about the Free Wi-Fi there. The NEMO Science Center has Free Wi-Fi but I didn't get a chance to get there. The most convenient thing for me was to use paid access - 3 Euros per hour - about $3.60.

It is interesting that there is currently a discussion about using unprotected open networks going on at Wi-Fi Networking News. In a previous post I admitted to using an open network I found - or rather my computer found - at a B&B in Dublin. I'll admit to also using one I found in my Amsterdam Hotel. No nefarious activities on my part. I do find the arguments interesting.

Hamburg Free Wi-Fi

I chose to visit Hamburg because Hamburg was one of the first European cities I listed in the Directory when I first started. It seems that some Free Wi-Fi does exist but the web site is only in German, hence not traveler friendly. I did visit a Hotel near mine that was listed and inquired about access at the desk. I was told it was only available in the lobby and for guests only and it was in fact not working right then. I was only there two days and could have perhaps tracked down a few more but I chose to pay for access at 2 Euros per hour in a Coffeeshop not far from the train station.I did notice a phone booth that said it was a Spektrum Hotspot.

Prague Free Wi-Fi

Again, a site with listings but only in Czech. Because I plan to be here for three weeks I did e-mail them about access but haven't had a reply. I'm currently paying .40 Krowns per minute for access - about $1 per hour. It is a tram ride from the center, where most access costs 1.8 K per minute.

In all three cities there are plenty of Internet cafes to use that are reasonably priced, hence, at the current time I don't sense any great demand for Free Wi-Fi. The typical vacation traveler just wants to check and send e-mail and isn't likely to be carrying a laptop to do that. Myself, I'm working as I travel and do have my laptop and use available fee based ethernet cable connections.

A couple of travel asides.

How many of you USA residents remember when the stores were closed on Sundays? Well, they are in Hamburg.

Traveling by train across Germany I was amazed to see the number of wind turbines scattered throughout the countryside.

If you're traveling by train in Europe ALWAYS reserve a seat!
posted by Jim at 7:15 AM