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WiFi Hotspots...newbie how does it work

Hi Wireless people,

This summer I will make a six week trip from Las Vegas to Vancouver (BC). I would like to be connected to the (rest of the) world every now and then, so I decided to take my notebook with me, and to make use of the WiFi possibilities.

But how does that work? I go to a WiFi hotspot, and then....?

  1. do I need a subscription of any sort?
  2. What are the costs?
  3. What did I forget to ask?

Any reference to faqs or earlier discussions will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Carlo

Reply to
Quintsys
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Your question indicates that you already own a laptop computer.

Where I live we have several places with free WIFI including coffee shops, a Laundromat , a pizza joint, and the town plaza. I live in a small college town.

I would suggest that you take your laptop with you and try to find free hotspots and familiarize yourself on how to connect. Netstumbler is a program to show available networks.

Reply to
Curly Bill

Thanks, I'll check out the Netstumbler as well.

Carlo

Reply to
Quintsys

If you have an SBC/AT&T DSL at home, a subscription to their brand of WiFi is $1.99 per month, and is available at a lot of "UPS Stores".

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T-Mobile is available in lots of places, Barnes&Noble Bookstores, Starbucks coffee houses and such, $19.95.
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KOA campgrounds offer subscription WiFi.
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Many hotels offer WiFi for free to guests.

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Truckstops have subscription or free WiFi.
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Boingo has a subscription, and cooperative listings.
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If you know where you are going to be, you might plot according to the availability of one of these services along the route.

I wouldn't go strictly on the basis of shopping for free WiFi spots, unless access really isn't important.

Newer cellular phones offer "tethering", the ability to connect a PC to the internet at speeds ranging from fast dialup to DSL, and the connection is available almost anywhere a cellular signal is available. That's $20-$60 per month. For a six week trip, it might be a good backup to attempts to find free WiFi.

Reply to
dold

Netstumbler doesn't seem to have been updated in a very long time. Many current wireless devices do not work with Netstumbler, or do not work with complete functions. I know that it does not correctly work with my new Zydas and Ralink wireless cards.

Also, a lot of retail places with WiFi for customers do not supply=20 it for free, and it can be _very_ pricey.

-=- This message was sent via two or more anonymous remailing services.

Reply to
Fyodor Golodkin

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Thanks Clarence,

that is a nice list, which I could check out before. And I am thoroughly aware that there is no such thing as a free lunch (or even a free Starbucks coffee :-) ).

And since planning is the best part of a trip, I will be having a lot of fun the next four weeks.

Carlo

Reply to
Quintsys

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