Wi-Fi Directory Shows You Where to Stay Connected–for Free
Now that we finally have mobile devices and laptops, we’re constantly on a quest to locate good (and free) wi-fi spots. While more and more cafes and other private locations are offering wi-fi options, free service can still be tricky to find. An article published last September in USA Today told how some cities are rolling back plans for wi-fi: “Houston, San Francisco, Chicago and other cities are putting proposed Wi-Fi networks on hold.”
So how do we know where to go as we stroll around cities on a quest for cybercafes? There are a bunch of hotspot directories, but I finally found one, WiFi411.com, that allows you to specify:
- Standard features that other directories have, like country, zip, and radius
- Consumer friendly features, like whether you want free or commercial wifi service
- Unique features, like whether you want to spend the afternoon in a coffee shop, convention center, or even a bowling alley
You can even find out which apartment complexes offer wi-fi. For example, I discovered that several MacDonald’s here in Manhattan offer wifi. Who knew?
WiFi411.com claims that they’ve weeded out incorrect, old, and duplicate results. According to the site:
The “database of Wi-Fi HotSpots is one of the most accurate available with all locations having been verified with each provider. Roaming agreements are also confirmed and integrated into our directory to ensure that locations are not being duplicated, and thus artificially inflating the total number of HotSpots within our database, as you will find on most other directories.”
So why not mix it up and try a new free wifi spot in your neighborhood?
(And if you’re looking for free wi-fi in an old faithful spot, Starbucks just announced that it will now offer free wi-fi. Read the article in Fortune Magazine.)
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Sounds useful! will check it out:) thanks for the info!
-Mansi