Where’s the Wi-Fi? Part 2
Continue from Where’s the Wi-Fi?
Although it’s unlikely you can have your pick of airports, a little planning can help you make the most of the Wi-Fi-friendly ones. Have a layover in Atlanta? Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport tops the Forbes Top 30 Most-Wired Airports report, with airport-wide Wi-Fi access via five providers.
Heading to Las Vegas, Denver, or Phoenix? Forbes’ No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 most Wi-Fi-friendly airports, respectively, all offer free hotspot access. If you have a layover in an airport that lacks Wi-Fi, you may
be able to get it through your airline. Delta’s Crown Room Clubs and American Airline’s Admirals Clubs, for instance, offer free T-Mobile Wi-Fi; many locations offer day passes for purchase for nonmembers.
If you want to surf wirelessly in the most locations, make sure your hotel offers Wi-Fi. According to JiWire, hotels top the list of hotspot locations, with over 48,000 worldwide. A few years ago, luxury and upscale convention hotels such as the Adam’s Mark Dallas and the Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi led the charge to wireless access, but today you’ll find Wi-Fi in more humble abodes, as well.
According to Wi-Fi Free Spot, nearly 50 hotel chains or groups offer Wi-Fi, although not all locations have it. Those that offer free Wi-Fi access in most locations range from the budget-priced (AmeriSuites, Staybridge Suites, La Quinta Inns, Homewood Suites, and others) to higher-end hotels. Some offer lobby and public-area access only; others offer guest room access only; a few offer both.
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If you prefer to head out with no plan for Wi-Fi access, a Wi-Fi locator tool will let you find a network without the hassle of setting up your notebook. The Canary Wireless digital hotspotter is one of the more expensive sniffers, and it is one of our favorites. It provides a useful, scroll-through information display including network ID, security (encrypted or open, locked or unlocked), encryption type, type (802.11b/g/n), and number of access points for all the networks within range.
Iogear’s Wi-Fi HotSpot Finder is more basic, with a lightup indicator that shows signal strength if it finds a network (802.11b/g only). Nevertheless, its one-button simplicity will appeal to on-the-go sniffers who don’t want to evaluate a lot of data. Kensington’s key fob-style Wi-Fi Finder Plus parallels Iogear’s in functionality but can also sniff out Bluetooth devices and includes a tiny flashlight.
One other product like, ZyXEL’s AG225H Wi-Fi Finder and USB Adapter, performs double duty. Away from your notebook, it sniffs out Wi-Fi signals (802.11 a/b/g/n) and provides a display similar to that of the Canary product. Plug it into your notebook, and it turns the PC into a Wi-Fi access point that can connect to 802.11 a/b/g (but not 802 .11n) networks.
Wi-Fi On The Go
Now that you know where and how to find Wi-Fi on the road, you should be set to go. However, although Wi-Fi security wasn’t the focus of this article, it is something to consider. Most free Wi-Fi is unsecured, and even networks that require login are not always encrypted. For that reason, a good firewall and with file sharing turned off is a must if you surf unsecured.
One last thing: If you see ads on a free Wi-Fi connection, don’t be concerned you’re being spammed or attacked. Ad-supported Wi-Fi, led by JiWire and its Ads For Access program, is catching on. It may soon enable companies to bring free, secure Wi-Fi to more locations than we ever dreamed possible.
Tags: Wi-Fi



