Finding Internet Access on the Road - WiFi Finder

Submitted by Rick on December 17, 2006 - 11:15pm.

I recently returned from visiting my Dad in New Mexico. He lives in a small town that doesn't have tons of broadband connections. I tried firing up my wireless laptop at his house, but no luck...no neighbors to poach off of for a few minutes. My Treo 650 was non-functional because my carrier didn't service the town.

So where do you turn to when you are striking out with technology? The yellow pages and the library should be your first two options in smaller cities.

The yellow pages pointed me to a 'cyber café' on Main Street. I ended up using their single terminal to send an important email. Then I remembered that I had used the public library's Internet connection once before also. They have three computers there. When you are traveling, here are some important tips and sites to keep in mind to stay connected and find free WiFi or pay Hot Spots:

  1. If you will be staying in hotels, call ahead and see if they have Wi-Fi connections and what their cost might be. More and more hotels are adding this highly sought after amenity.
  2. Once at your destination, check for cyber café's and public libraries to gain access to the Internet.
  3. Remember that you can check your email from any computer, any where in the world using my tip found here.
  4. Finally, for those traveling with laptops, these sites can help you locate Wi-Fi hotspots where you can connect with your laptop:

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