Best Places to Find Free Wi-Fi
Anyone who travels and wants to stay connected, will need to know the best places to find free wi-fi. Keep a few things in mind and you should have no trouble finding a hotspot the next time you need one while traveling.
McDonald’s
Image: wegotcoffee via Flickr
The day McDonald’s started offering Wi-Fi they became the most reliable way to find a hotspot while traveling. McDonald’s has more than 34,000 locations in more than 120 countries. You can find one almost anywhere you are, and at the time of this writing a third of them offer free Wi-Fi. McDonald’s might not be a company you want to support, and it may not be the atmosphere you need, but it certainly should be the first place you think of if you have trouble finding Wi-Fi.
Wherever You Can Find Books and/or Coffee
Bookstores, coffee shops, and libraries are next on the list. Most major bookstore chains like Barnes & Noble offer Wi-Fi, and in most cases it is free to at least some customers. The same goes for most of the major coffee shop chains like Starbucks and Panera Bread. Many “mom ‘n’ pop” coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi now too.
Wherever People Study
You might have thought of this one already, because these places usually have books, but don’t forget to check for local libraries and college and university buildings. Many now offer free Wi-Fi. These have the added benefit of being great places to work. If you need to get work done, this might be one of the best places to find free Wi-Fi.
Wherever People Might Hang Out
Image: Bob Cotter via Flickr
Upscale grocery store chains like Whole Foods encourage people to hang out, eat, study, work – even catch a movie. As a result, many have started to offer free Wi-Fi. Don’t forget to look for one of these the next time you need to find a free hotspot. Even some parks offer free Wi-Fi now. Check anywhere you might find a lot of people just hanging out.
Hunt Down a Spot
Image: Darren Kumasawa via Flickr
Sometimes one of the best places to find free Wi-Fi is where there is free Wi-Fi. If you can’t stumble onto a hotspot, perhaps you are not looking hard enough. Software tools like NetStumbler for Windows, or iStumbler for Mac, or websites like jiwire can help you find a spot you don’t notice with the tools you usually use.
Wherever Travelers Wait
If you travel a lot, you may not want to hang out at the airport or train station longer than you really have to, but in a real pinch this might work. Since travelers get stuck at these places for long periods of time, they can really be one of the best places to find Free Wi-Fi.
Resources:
http://v4.jiwire.com/search-hotspot-locations.htm
http://istumbler.net/index.html
http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/
http://www.wififreespot.com/index.html
McDonald’s has become such a reliable wifi spot for me on the road that I hate to admit it but I’m actually starting to enjoy the food these as well
It’s too bad not every McDonald’s does — I know in Thailand for example it’s rare, but internet is so cheap there and luckily there are plenty of other alternatives. Thanks for stopping by Samuel!