Technology on the move: Finding Free WiFi 7.11.10

Growing hotspots are becoming more dense all over the world as we step into the information age. Get connected at broadband speeds at some unexpected places, for free. Find out how you can use these WiFi spots for free this month in technology.

Hotspots are internet access points over a wireless network that connects users to an internet service provider. In the late 90's this technology caught on primarily from cellular companies introducing a wireless connectivity concept for internet access. Typically, these are limited to less than a quarter mile coverage. Anyone outside of this area would have difficulty connecting to the access point wirelessly. Users must have 802.11 enabled hardware capabilities on their computer to experience WiFi. Check out these tips for finding and using Wifi hotspots near you!

Free vs. Paid
A number of WiFi spots are free with broadband connection speeds. Many of these access points are setup to accept any user without password protection. Any user can access the router without authenticating (non-secure access). Because access is "open" this creates potential security risks we will discuss later. Next, are one time fee or per day credit card access systems. These are sometimes used by hotels and airports where you pay via credit card for access to the wireless internet system based on purchasing a "day pass." Prices vary greatly from small fees to outrageous $30+ dollar a day access costs. One of the final types of access are hourly and "by the mb" rates. This last type is growing more common especially with airports and airlines. In fact, these are the most costly access points with some of the highest fees known. There is no overall advantage over paying more vs. paying less. Consumers may find it difficult or not worth paying by the hour or data chunk if they are in an airport waiting on a flight that departs in 10 minutes. In that case, purchasing an hour long or day long access pass for that particular airport may not be worth it at all. Buyers beware.

WiFi Attracts Customers
One of the best byproducts of businesses opening their access points to the public is the benefit of attracting more people. Places like Starbucks and Subway now offer WiFi [Wireless Fidelity] in nearly all of their locations. Access is free. Free internet access at public places encourages people to come together, ensures access is available for those who cannot afford it, and brings the people to the business location. People are more likely to revisit useful places especially if they offer free products or services.

Security Risks
Open networks are always subject to higher security risks. If you will be using a public free access point consider not accessing sensitive information such as email access, banking, etc. Sometimes login information is not encrypted automatically and is sent clearly over the network where hackers can see your data. In other cases secure encryption methods such as https which is secure http will ensure better protection. Always have your firewall turned on and use Antivirus software. It is generally not a good idea while on a public network to leave any sharing ports open on your system. Again, a firewall will take care of this for you. Read our article here on best free Firewalls! Last but not least, make sure you are connecting to the correct hotspot or access point. Sometimes hackers setup rogue hotspots for the sole purpose of capturing your login information and data. You can do this by viewing the name of the network or SSID "service set identifier." Ask the business what the name is, verify it matches, and then be sure to connect to that network only.

Finding WiFi
Locating free access is very easy. We've linked some great sites that will help you search for access points across the country. Remember there are two types of access points either free or fee based. Make sure you ask the business what their access policies are. Many larger companies such as Subway offer free access. It's always good to make sure ahead of time. You can find access points by searching zip codes, states, or by business names. Check out these links to find a hotspot near you: www.wi-fihotspotlist.com, www.wififreespot.com, www.wefi.com/maps.

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