September 2, 2004
Okay, no more excuses. Don't even try telling your boss that your report is late because you couldn't find an Internet connection. Wireless hotspots are proliferating faster than, well, Starbucks cafés in the suburbs. The state of Texas is even planning to install Wi-Fi connections at highway rest stops, figuring that if you turn off the road every so often to check your e-mail, you'll be less likely to fall asleep behind the wheel.
But as Wi-Fi goes mainstream and the number of players increases, it's a good idea to take a critical look at some of the current service plans. Here's how to find the most reliable, affordable, and secure way to get online when you're beyond the reach of your ethernet cable.
Nothing's more affordable than free, and free Wi-Fi service exists. But you might have to do some snooping to find it. At least two national restaurant chains--Schlotzsky's Deli and Panera/St. Louis Bread Co.--offer free service at many of their franchises, with expanded availability in the works. Many local cafés offer Wi-Fi for free to draw customers away from the Starbucks next door, where the grande low-fat macchiato crowd ponies up about 10 cents per minute to surf and sip. As Candy Liu, owner of the Java Room café in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, says, "We have the connection for business anyway; why not share it?"
Go to the Wi-Fi-Freespot Directory for a list of locations with free hotspots. It's tough to knock free Wi-Fi, but, remember, if there's a problem with your connection you're out of luck--unless the guy who steams milk moonlights as a support rep.
Have a Plan
A free hotspot at your corner café is great, but it doesn't cover all the times when you may need a connection--in an airport, at a hotel, or just in between appointments. For connections in those situations, you'll likely have to pay a wireless Internet service provider to tap into a commercial public hotspot.
WISPs generally charge by the hour, day, or month. Rates vary by provider and region; but typically, you can expect to pay between $4 and $8 per hour or between $7 and $12 per day for using a public hotspot (daily service generally expires at midnight of the day it's activated).
Your other option is to sign up for a monthly rate plan. A monthly contract with a major national provider such as SBC or T-Mobile, or with an aggregator such as Boingo or Wayport that expands its geographic reach by joining many WISPs into one network, will give you unlimited access to any hotspot within range in the company's system. Worldwide, Boingo has partnerships with 75 wireless service companies and offers about 3400 active hotspots, 2400 of them located within the United States.
Many WISPs offer discounted monthly rates if you commit to a long-term contract. For example, Wayport charges $30 per month with a one-year contract, but a hefty $50 per month with no contract. And as in the case of wireless phone contracts, penalties are steep--as much as $200--if you bug out early. If you're considering signing a long-term contract, make certain that the service provides a fast, reliable connection in all the areas where you'll need one, and that its customer support is responsive. Many services, including T-Mobile, offer a free "day pass" that lets you test-drive the system before you commit to a plan. If you can't get a freebie test, pay by the day at the places you frequent to make sure the network will work for you.
If the places you frequent happen to be airports, you're in a bind. So far, no single service dominates U.S. airports, which means you're probably stuck paying for a more-expensive daily pass.
Which WISP?
if you decide that you want a monthly wireless plan, research WISP candidates as you would cell phone companies. Focus on services that offer hotspots in the areas where you need them most.
If you just want to get out of your home office and work at the corner café every so often, go with the café's service provider. If you're on a budget and don't need access to a lot of different hotspots, consider a smaller WISP that offers unlimited monthly connection time (prices can be less than $9 a month)--but keep in mind that your access is limited to the locations that the WISP serves. If you travel frequently to different parts of the country, a larger, national WISP such as T-Mobile or Wayport may be your best bet.
One warning: Remember that security is even more of a concern at a public hotspot than in your own home or office. Maximize security by disabling your Wi-Fi card's peer-to-peer mode and by turning on data encryption if it's available (for tips on how to do this, see "Are Hot Spots Safe?"). Avoid working in public settings on financial transactions that require sensitive information. And if you must enter a credit card or account number at a Web site, look for "https" in the URL or for a closed lock symbol at the bottom of your browser.
Finally, always run a firewall and an antivirus application, and be sure to update your operating system and other applications with security patches when they're available.
No doubt about it--hotspots are hot. But if you do a little homework and know how to use them wisely, they don't have to burn a hole in your pocket.
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