Hotspot finders help you find a wireless Internet signal. WiFi is the technology that enables a 802.11 network signal to be broadcast into the air. Short for wireless fidelity, the signal has relatively short range, covering a small business or store location unless WiFi repeaters are used to boost the signal over a wider range, such as a hotel building or airport.
Locations where WiFi signals can be received are called WiFi hotspots. Many businesses advertise this service in order to attract customers. National chains such as Starbucks or McDonald's may have WiFi; also check your local coffee shops. Online WiFi hotspot finder websites help you find hotspots in advance.
What you need to take advantage of public WiFi:
1. A portable computing device that surfs the Internet: most likely, a laptop computer, though some phones, PDAs, and handheld gaming devices also use WiFi.
2. An Internet browser and an email client if you want to access your messages.
3. An optional membership to a pay WiFi provider gives you more choices when there are no free WiFi hotspots available.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Use a free WiFi hotspot finder from your home or office computer
Plan ahead when using free WiFi finders on the Internet. Search for WiFi hotspots in the locations you'll be travelling to before you leave your office.
I recommend: Use the wireless hotspot finder from
USA Today to find both free and pay WiFi hotspots. Find free hotspots with
Wi-Fi Free Spot.
AnchorFree has a WiFi searchable database to download to your iPod. Find WiFi hotspots worldwide by location with
WiFinder.
Buy a pocket hotspot finder device
If you're not the plan-ahead type, you may not know where the nearest hotspot is located. Consider purchasing one of these small gadgets to let you know if you happen to be within range of a WiFi signal.
I recommend: Choose from a variety of hotspot Finders at
TigerDirect. Purchase a WiFi detecting watch at
ThinkGeek.com.
Download free hotspot finder software to make wireless connection easy
Conveniently install hotspot locator on your laptop to find a WiFi signal. These applications also make connecting to various WiFi networks much easier.
I recommend: Download the
JiWire Hotspot Helper or Easy WiFi Radar from
Makayama, software that helps you find and connect to WiFi hotspots on the road.
Make your own hotspot with wireless hotspot software
If your business serves the public and having a WiFi hotspot in your location would attract more customers, consider setting up your own hotspot. Software helps you do that, including pay and free options, though you may also need to purchase wireless hardware.
I recommend: Create a WiFi hotspot for your customers with
HotSpotSystem.com or
FirstSpot for hotspot finder software.
Sign up for a pay service that is hotspot locator and provider all in one
If you frequently travel to locations where WiFi is not free, you can save one-time use fee by purchasing a membership plan. Connect to pay WiFi hotspots in various locations, including restaurants, hotels and airports.
I recommend: Pay a monthly fee to get reliable high-speed Internet access from
Boingo Wireless. Choose from several rate plans, including prepaid, to be able to access WiFi from any
T-Mobile HotSpot.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Use an antivirus software and a firewall to keep your computer secure when using public WiFi. Consider getting a special program to protect your passwords if you use your browser's password saver to store them.
- If you connect to a network at work or at home and your workgroup name is "MSHOME" (the default workgroup name in Windows), change the workgroup name to something less common so other WiFi users won't be able to share your files when you're using public WiFi.
- If your device is relatively new, it already has WiFi built in; for older laptops, you can purchase a wireless networking card.
The official source of HotSpot Finders is the HotSpot Finders page at Business.com
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