As of July 1 2010, you can enjoy free unlimited Wi-Fi access in any Starbucks shop nationwide, no
username or password required.

The company also has plans to launch the Starbucks Digital Network in partnership with Yahoo this fall. It would give store customers access to premium pay websites such as the Wall Street Journal’s.

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McDonald Free Wi-FI

In this year, McDonald is began offering free Wi-Fi to its customers, doing away with the $2.95 fee it had been charging for two hours of wireless Internet access.

It’s the result of a new partnership between the restaurant chain and AT&T. The company’s decision to make the switch to free Wi-Fi comes as the chain tries to transform itself into a social hangout and not just a greasy burger joint. In addition to its wireless plans, McDonald’s will also begin selling frappes and smoothies in most of its stores by mid-2010.

Any Wi-Fi discovery tool can find a hot spot, but some network operators also provide connection managers for their Wi-Fi services, mainly to integrate account information easily on both ends of the link.

A good example is Wi-Fi aggregator Boingo Wireless. We installed its GoBoingo client on our Windows XP machine. Operating this application is a bit counter intuitive, it wakes up when near a Boingo hot spot, but otherwise remains invisible. So, while GoBoingo is frequently listed as a discovery tool, it is’nt really. It’s just a way to connect to Boingo, and only Boingo, and subsequently manage your Boingo account.

We also tested T-Mobile’s HotSpot Connection Manager 1.8, a fundamentally consumer oriented tool that unsurprisingly allows the selection of a skin during installation. Upon start-up, it rapidly produced a list of potentially conflicting applications, disabled them and subsequently fired itself up.

Selecting the “networks” button brought up the usual information such as Service Set Identifier, icons for ad-hoc and infrastructure-mode availability, Basic SSID, radio , details on encryption, and a bar graph depicting signal strength. While slower than our Intel manager, T-Mobile’s tool is very usable and suitable even for those who do not regularly use T-Mobile’s not spot service.

We should point out that neither the Boingo nor the T-Mobile services require a connection manager, but the whole point of these, apart from discovery, is to make network access simple, especially for the less than technically literate.

Interestingly, some wireless WAN operators also provide discovery and connection-management tools that are occasionally configured to support WI-FL For example, Smith Micro Software, whose QuickLink Mobile application is used by a number of carriers, is sometimes made available with basic WLAN connectivity.

The product, however, is sold only on an OEM basis, and the version we frequently use at Farpoint Group Verizon Wireless’ VZ Access Manager 6.7.3 has no WLAN capability. In WWAN mode, however, it functions in much the same way as a WLAN connection manager, discovering networks, letting users choose their connection, setting up links and gathering statistics. Similarly, T-Mobile’s manager is configured to enable the setup of T-Mobile GPRS and EDGE connections.

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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.

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.

Since 2006, when Wi-Fi information and services firm JiWire proclaimed Wi-Fi hotspots had topped the 100,000 mark globally, the list of hotspot locations has continued heading skyward. As of March, JiWire reports there were nearly 250,000 free and for-pay hotspot locations in 136 countries. (That number isn’t 100% all inclusive, but JiWire’s registry is likely the most comprehensive available.)

The good news for U.S. travelers is that more than a quarter of those hotspot locations are located stateside. Nevertheless, coverage is far from ubiquitous, even in densely populated urban areas where hotspots are most common. For example, Portland, Ore., the No. 1 hotspot city per capita, according to the Forbes 2008 America’s Most Wired Cities report, boasts only six hotspots per square mile, on average.

Factor in the realities that many hotspots have a range of 300 feet or less and that hotspots cluster where people congregate, and the picture turns into a surrealist landscape. Without advanced planning or the right tools, you can easily find yourself stranded in a Wi-Fi desert. The nearest Wi-Fi oasis might be only 1,000 feet away, but you’ll never know it’s there.

How can you prevent the grim scenario depicted above? One possibility is JiWire’s Wi-Fi Hotspot Helper for Windows XP. The device locates nearby Wi-Fi access points by cross-referencing your location against a database, stored offline on your PC, of more than 200,000 verified hotspots. Bonus features are a Wi-Fi mailer, which moves email through blocked hotspots, and enterprise-grade encryption and firewall security. The trial is free, but Vista users are out of luck. If you are a Skype or iPhone user, JiWire also offers a free finder utility without the security and email perks.

If you would rather map out hotspot locations before you leave home, or before leaving your last hotspot, JiWire’s searchable online database can assist. Other sites such as WiFinder, a good place for state-by-state searches; Wi-Fi Free Spot or Open WiFi Spots, each of which are great Web sites for dree Wi-Fi locations. Open WiFi Spots offers category guides, such as restaurants, public parks, and municipalities, and interactive mapping of Wi-Fi locations to get you going.

Several major restaurant and retail chains, including McDonald’s, Borders Books, and Barnes & Noble, offer fee-based Wi-Fi. At Panera Bread and hundreds of other cafés and fast-food restaurants, Wi-Fi is free. At Starbucks, a $5 Starbucks Card will soon give you two free hours per day of Internet usage. Companies such as Wayport and Boingo, which often power the Wi-Fi at hotels, restaurants, and retailers, offer prepaid cards or subscriptions that give you access at any of their locations.

To be continue tomorrow.

Another CES has come and gone, giving us more new-product announcements than an army of tech journalists could give their proper due. As usual, the big players grabbed the lion’s share of the pub, while smaller companies garnered less, including Canary Wireless and its second-gen Digital Hotspotter HS-20, a Wi-Fi detector/analyzer with a scrollable, backlit LCD (96 x 64) displaying network ID, encryption status, signal strength, and other details of 802.11b/g/n networks.

The 2-ounce HS-20 runs on two AAAs, doesn’t need additional software, and measures just 2 x 3 x 0.5 inches. Canary also says the use of a true 802.11 engine means there are no false Bluetooth readings. The HS-20 is expected to start singing in Q1 2008.

To set up your wireless router, follow the manufacturer instructions that are included with the product. Some vendors might have written guides, and some might want you to use a CD that will help with the wireless router setup. The installation instructions will most likely have you configure some initial settings, but you will need to keep in mind several things, as discussed in the following list. Do not worry if you are not prompted during the setup to configure all these items, because you will have a chance to change all the settings later.

• Do not use security or encryption methods.
• Use a service set identifier (SSID) that describes your business/organization or attentions. For example, a cafe might use “Free Hotspot at Bob’s Cafe.” If the hotspot is being put in just for the local youth club, you might want to use something such as “Youth Club Hotspot.”
• Configure a channel that is not being used by other nearby wireless networks. You should also try to use the non-overlapping channels of 1, 6, and 11. However, try to avoid channel 6, because it is the default channel that most wireless devices use; therefore, it is likely the most congested channel.
• Use mixed mode so that users who have either B or G wireless adapters can connect to your hotspot.

A free access hotspot solution is simple and inexpensive, but it does not provide any real “hotspot features,” such as user control and management. However, some small setup might not need these features. Your small free wireless hotspot might simply want to provide the public with wireless Internet access without the thrills. By offering a free hotspot, you might attract more customers to your business.

The simple free hotspot solution is set up just like any other simple wireless network, such as those uses in homes. A wireless router connects to the Internet via an Internet modem.

The hotspot users wirelessly connect to the wireless router. They are not prompted with a splash or redirection screen with this solution; therefore, the hotspot users have uncontrolled access to the Internet. Most wireless routers, however, let you set some restrictions and filters to help control users, but these functions are not as extensive as those offered by a “real hotspot gateway.

The overall steps to complete when setting up a simple free access solution are as follows:

Step 1. Get a Wireless Router

Step 2. Set up the wireless router.

Step 3. Configure additional settings.

Hosting a hotspot does not come cheap, yet the benefits usually outweigh the costs. Typical operating costs you should anticipate while deploying your Wi-Fi hotspot are as follows:

• Internet service
• Equipment
• Installation
• Ongoing support

Internet Service Provider

If you do not already have an Internet connection available for the hotspot, that will be one of your first expenses. Business-class Internet service prices and terms depend on the type of service and features among the various ISPs.

If you are deploying a small hotspot, as in a small cafe or office that will not have loads of users, you will likely get away with paying around $100 per month for an Internet connection. However, if you are setting up a hotspot in a large hotel or community center, you will probably have a great deal of users, which would require a higher-quality Internet connection that might cost more than $300 a month.

Equipment Cost

The cost of the equipment, or hardware, varies significantly depending on the size and type of hotspot you plan to install.

The simplest hotspot using the same type of wireless router that is used in homes will cost less than $100. This type of hotspot is simple because it has no hotspot features such as user redirection, usage limits, required login, and so on. However, you can use free software to get these hotspot features at no cost, making an affordable hotspot solution if you have an extra PC available. You still have to purchase some equipment to use in conjunction with the free software.

Installing a Wi-Fi hotspot to provide coverage for a large area, such as an entire library or hotel, might cost up to $1500 or more, depending on the number of access points that are needed to cover the area.

Installation

Although your time might not be a direct cost, your time is probably valuable. If it helps, you can assign a cost to the time you will spend installing and supporting your hotspot. Of course, you can always use outsource the work to IT contractor and install the hardware on off peak hours to avoid impacting your business.

The time involved in installing a hotspot also depends on the solution’s size and complexity. This could take just an hour for a simple setup of a single wireless router covering a small area or several days to cover an entire building.

Ongoing Maintenance

Keep in mind that you have to take time to support your hotspot. You never know when problems will pop up, whether someone will mistakenly unplug the wireless router or not know how to connect to the network. You might find yourself spending a few hours each month supporting your hotspot. In addition, you might need to spend some time upfront learning about how Wi-Fi works to effectively support your customers.

Otherwise, you can outsource this tasks to IT company, but it cost you money too.

The overall benefit or goal of hosting a Wi-Fi hotspot at your location is being able to offer high-speed wireless Internet access there. In addition to satisfying the needs of connectivity for your customers and visitors, you and your staff can take advantage of having the Internet readily available.

Other benefits of hosting a Wi-Fi hotspot include these:

• Attract people to your location
• Generate additional revenue
• Create a private network for your own use

Attract People to Your Location
Hosting a Wi-Fi hotspot, in any type of business, should attract new people to your location and entice them to return and stay longer. For retail stores such as cafés and bookstores, this access helps fill empty seats. For businesses such as hotels, having Wi-Fi Internet access available for guests might be essential to prevent losing potential customers.

Obviously, for people to find your hotspot in directories, you must submit your information. If you set up your hotspot to be part of a network, your information would likely be listed automatically in their directories. You can also submit your hotspot to universal directories that list any hotspot, free or fee-based, whether it is independent or part of a larger network.

The best way to attract users to your hotspot is to display signs advertising that you have a hotspot at your location. These signs could simply say “Wi-Fi Hotspot Here” or “Wireless Internet Access Available.”

Generate Additional Revenue

While you are providing a convenient service to your customers and visitors by hosting a Wi-Fi hotspot, you might also generate some additional revenue for your business or organization. Here are ways that you can create some revenue:

• Indirect sales of your products or services
• Hotspot network commissions
• Fees from an independent fee-based hotspot
• Advertising revenue

Increased Sales of Products or Services

As mentioned earlier, hosting a Wi-Fi hotspot will likely attract many new visitors to your location. Getting more people in a store and enticing them to stay longer usually means you will sell more of your products or services. Thus, you should see increased revenue while hosting a wireless hotspot.

Estimating this potential indirect revenue is difficult for any business or organization. To start, ask yourself a few questions based on your particular situation:

Are your current customers or visitors the type who would sit at your location with a laptop and check e-mail or browse the Internet? If your answer is yes or even maybe, the hotspot will likely attract people. If the answer is absolutely no, you probably should not be taking all this time to set up a hotspot that no one would likely use.

How many people do you think this hotspot would attract? You should estimate the number of people, per month, that you think would visit your location just because of your Wi-Fi hotspot. Start by thinking about how many customers or orders you currently receive, and then estimate additional numbers.

Will hotspot users buy products and services? You could rely on most of the hotspot users to purchase products or services. If your hotspot will be fee-based, you do not need to worry about this as much, because you will be paid through hotspot usage. When it comes to giving away free access, you probably want only paying customers or members of your organization to use your hotspot. For instance, in businesses such as cafés and restaurants, it is usually socially incorrect for non customers to use their restrooms. Therefore, people who use your free Wi-Fi hotspot will likely purchase your products or services.

How much will your revenue increase by hosting a hotspot? By using information about your business or organization, estimate how much revenue you can gain from having a hotspot at your location.

Hotspot Network Commissions

Keep in mind that when hosting a fee-based hotspot, you obviously have the potential to earn more direct revenue from the hotspot than if you were giving away free access. If you team up with a hotspot network providers, you will receive commissions. However, also consider that when hosting a fee-based hotspot, you typically will receive fewer users than if you were to host a free hotspot.

When you collaborate with a hotspot provider, it takes care of all the payments from users; you just sit back and wait for people to connect to your hotspot. The wireless providers should take care of everything.

Advertising Revenue

You can still make some direct revenue from hosting a free-access hotspot by selling advertising. The advertisements could be placed on the splash screen web page, which users would see at least the first time they connect, per session. Selling advertising is not recommended for everyone, because it can be time-consuming to make deals with local businesses and to set up the advertisements on your hotspot.

If you think you will be accepting advertisements, you need to think about pricing and terms for potential advertisers. Then come up with a ballpark figure of the potential revenue your business could generate from these advertisements.

Ability to Create a Private Network

After setting up a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can easily create a private wired or wireless network for use by you and your employees. The private and public networks can share the same Internet connection. Of course, this will not concern you if you already have a private network set up at the hotspot location. In this case, you can share the existing Internet connection between the private and public networks. If set up correctly, the private and public networks will be independent of each other, and your private network will be secured from the public.

Setting up your own private wireless network for your business or organization has the following benefits:

• Mobility
• Secure Internet browsing
• Shared files and printers
• Use of wireless devices, such as Wi-Fi video cams, print servers, Point of Sales terminal, etc

Just like Wi-Fi hotspots, having a wireless network for your business enables you to have mobility when using laptops and other Wi-Fi devices. You can access the Internet and print documents from anywhere within your facility. In addition, with Wi-Fi, you can move your desktop PCs anywhere within the coverage area, without the hassle of running ugly Ethernet cables throughout the office.

You could use your own Wi-Fi hotspot to browse the Internet and perform online tasks. However, unlike private networks, Wi-Fi hotspots must be left unencrypted and unsecured so that the public can effortlessly connect to the hotspot. Anyone who has the right software and tools can see what you and others are doing on the web. People can also see passwords for services like FTP and POP3 e-mail. If sharing services are set up on your computer, people might also be able to browse your files and get into your computer.

On the other hand, people cannot easily see information being passed to and from secured websites such as online online banking and shopping carts, which normally use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption.