Introduction
We travel for all sorts of reasons. Some travel just to spend some time away from the urban jungles, while many have to make business trips. The need to access the internet remains the common denominator in most cases. There are times when we need internet access to communicate with our family and friends or upload pictures and videos when traveling. This post covers different ways to access the internet while traveling and backpacking, without having to pay a hefty price for the privilege.
Finding Free Wi-Fi When Away From Home
Paying for lattes and wasting a lot of time wandering from one café to another in search for a free Wi-Fi might not be the best strategy, especially when you are on a tight schedule. Since most data plans include limited data volume, staying connected to mobile data all the time might not work for all of us. That’s when we need access to a Wi-Fi the most, especially if we want to upload or download large files.
Instead of begging for Wi-Fi passwords there are many things you can do to get connected including:
Your Network Provider’s Hotspots
The easiest way to get connected while travelling is perhaps through your existing network providers. If you happen to be in the coverage area of your provider, chances are good you’ll be able to access its hotspots. You’d have to contact your network provider or check their hotspot maps to ensure you’ll get connected. Many cable companies also offer hotspot services in the US and in many other countries, allowing existing subscribers to use their hotspots.
Wi-Fi Finder Apps
There are a number of smartphone apps that provide access to free Wi-Fi networks around the world. While they might not work for all locations, these apps do provide a good starting point. There also exist country-specific versions of these apps such as Travel Japan Free Wi-Fi.
WiFox
This app for Android and iOS features an interactive map and gives you access to passwords for wi-fis at thousands of airports/lounges around the world. WiFox is especially helpful for people who frequently travel by air. The maps are updated regularly and available for offline viewing (after downloading, plan your trips and download Google Maps in advance). The app also allows you to rate hotspot information, which helps keep the database updated.
Wi-Fi Finder
Wi-Fi Finder (Android, iOS) offers the same functionality as WiFox and uses SpeedSpots crowdsourced database to find you free Wi-Fi hotspots. It rates Wi-Fi by hotspot speed so can connect to the fastest available network without having to speed-test each yourself. The app also allows you to download offline maps, but it comes at an additional cost (works well for frequent travelers @ $7.99/year).
FourSquare
FourSquare is among the leading location technology companies and can be a great source for finding Wi-Fi passwords. However, unlike WiFox, Wi-Fi finder and other apps, you need to dig deep to find what you are looking for. You can find Wi-Fi passwords in reviews users leave for different places such as restaurants and cafes. Just search for restaurants that have free Wi-Fi or simply Google “free wi-fi location/place foursquare, and you might find wi-fi password in user reviews.
However, you have to do this while you have an internet connection so do your homework and be prepared for the unknown. You can also try the same on Yelp and search ‘free wi-fi’, but it might take more time and effort to dig Wi-Fi passwords on Yelp.
Restaurant and Coffee Chains
Big-chain restaurants such as McDonalds and KFC and coffee shop chains like Starbucks have their branches spread all over the world. Although almost all their branches in the US offer free Wi-Fi, you might also be able to get connected in other regions without having to pay for the service. Sometimes you may have to purchase something to get connected, but there is no harm in having a nice cup of coffee and having a break.
It’s better to ask the shop in advance if they require you to make a purchase before connecting to their Wi-Fi. Some chains just require your phone number before giving the access code, while a small number of business charge a tiny amount for their services.
Public Libraries and Event Centers
Libraries are perhaps the best place to access free Wi-Fi while traveling. Not only it allows you to relax a bit, but libraries also usually have stable and fast internet connections so people can get work done. Most event centers also offer free wi-fi hotspots, which can even be accessed from outside the premises or the lobby. Some public parks also have a blanket coverage, but it’s usually slow and only suitable if you just want to answer a few emails.
Get Lucky
Not everyone keeps their Wi-Fi secured with a password. It does not hurt to open Wi- Fi settings and search for ‘open’ networks. Most smartphones automatically notify you when they find an open Wi-Fi network around. However, this can also be a risk as such networks might just be a bait for stealing your personal and financial information.
By-passing Time Limits
Many hotels, airports, hotels, restaurants and train stations allow you to access the internet for a limited time period. In most cases, changing or spoofing the MAC address of your wireless card would allow you to bypass such limitations. However, temporarily changing the MAC address might be illegal in some regions and requires a certain degree of technical know-how.
Temporarily changing the MAC address is much easier on laptops than mobile devices (you’ll need a rooted Android phone or a Jail broken iOS device to do this). Another simple way to bypass such time limitations is to connect one device at a time. If you want to connect both your laptop and smartphone, it’s better to connect one device at a time so you have a backup in case time on one device runs out.
Find ‘Hidden Networks’
Many businesses, stores and home users hide the SSID of their Wi-Fi networks so others cannot see it. However, it’s not that difficult to scan such hidden networks using software such as NetSpot. If you are lucky, you might be able to find a hidden network that isn’t protected by a password.
Security and Privacy Concerns
Public Wi-Fis are considered less safe than private and home networks and no one can guarantee privacy and security when using such networks. That’s why it’s recommended to only visit sites that encrypt information during transmission. One way of knowing whether connection to a site is encrypted or not is looking for ‘https’ at the beginning of a web address/URL. Avoid opening plain ‘html’ pages or at least make sure you don’t enter your personal/financial information on such sites.
Things are a little trickier when it comes to using mobile apps on public networks. You never know if an app is encrypting your data or not. You should consider using the browser version of an app, especially banking and money-related apps to make sure your data is encrypted and not accessible to hackers.
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember when connecting to a free or public Wi-Fi is that you are opening your personal and financial information to an unknown world. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Try not to log-in to banking sites unless absolutely necessary and make sure you only connect to ‘https’ sites through the browser. You need to do your homework before leaving for a trip (when you have internet access) to improve the chances of staying connected while on the go.