Free WIFI hotspots

What are your favorites? I’ll kick this off with mine:

1. Libraries (Top pick!) – Most have fast, free wifi in a clean, quiet, comfortable setting. No obligation to make a purchase. Electricity is free, too. Many leave the wifi on after hours and it can be accessed in the parking lot.
2. Chase Banks – only when you are there anyway. Loitering in the lot after hours not recommended.
3. Racetrac gas stations – Can be accessed from the parking lot if you get a spot that is close to the source and not blocked by too many walls.

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If I only need to do a quick search there’s a Starbucks on almost every corner....and you can usually hook onto their wi-fi from the parking lot.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

And not just Starbucks, Coffee Bean, and most other coffee/tea joints.

In my neck of the woods, grocery stores have lounges and free offer both wi-fi and electricity.

Every McDonald's offers free-wifi. In some areas, they care about loiterers but where I am based, a $1 coke gets one many hours of internet access.

Sometimes, I enjoy the lobby or meeting floor of a high-end hotel.

And then, of course, there are the airports.

If you have Comcast you have access to millions of Xfinity hotspots. Some credit cards also offer a free Boingo subscription.

Starbucks/coffee houses. Whole Foods, Library's. Panera Bread, Mc'D's to name a few.

Live consciously....

There is a coffee shop in midtown that does not have wifi but there is a hotel in the same building with lobby wifi. It's a good spot and not many other people use it for work.

I called a chipotle to find out if they had wi-fi and they said no !? I thought they would have it.

So Starbucks is free now? Last time I was in one, probably on a shop (yeah - that long ago), you had to pay for it.

Oh, and some Wendy's have it free. I'm not sure if it's all of them. The funny thing is, the one I went to was in a truck stop and the truck stop wanted you to pay for their Wi-Fi. T/A, Loves and Petro all want pay.

That’s 12 years or so? Yeah, there’s free wifi in all Starbucks now.

@sestrahelena wrote:

So Starbucks is free now? Last time I was in one, probably on a shop (yeah - that long ago), you had to pay for it.

Walmart has free wifi

Kim

I know where all the local free WiFi is. I agree with you OP. Libraries tend to have the fastest WiFi. And I can use their computer most of the time too. Faster than my phone or tablet.

Are these free wi-fi safe though ? I always wondered. Maybe as long as we don't do personal banking or email ?

Where I live the library wifi is not fast. McDonalds is much faster.

All public wifi carries some risk. You can encrypt your laptop with a VPN to minimize this risk.

I wasn't clear in my question. I was thinking about using wi-fi on my cell. I am very cautious about that given how much important data is on my phone. I'll probably just use data only instead of wi-fi.

There's an Android app called WhatsVPN. I use it on phone and tablet and it works great. And it's free.

@7star wrote:

I wasn't clear in my question. I was thinking about using wi-fi on my cell. I am very cautious about that given how much important data is on my phone. I'll probably just use data only instead of wi-fi.

If you have a really good phone plan with lots of data you can use your phone as a hotspot (providing, of course, you have service in the area).

Just discovered a new coffee house, so much better than the typical Starbucks. Comfortable leather chairs, great coffee, nice outdoor area shady and not facing parking lot....found it on a grocery job.

Live consciously....

I use a free VPN for my Android phone. It's called Thunder VPN. I use it when I'm in places with free wifi, but I'm never comfortable with the level of security. I've used it in hospitals, doctor's offices and retail establishments.

I discovered recently that some Hedgehog locations have wifi!

WaWa has free wifi. The signal is very strong.

What's a WaWa: a Philadelphia-based convenience store that offers great, authentic hoagies.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2019 02:37AM by HonnyBrown.

I don't like using public WiFi but in my area Lowe's has the fastest strongest signal I found. McDonald's is worthless. May as well use dial up.

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