Where to Find Free WiFi Hotspots in Your Neighborhood

These days, if you have a laptop with a wireless access card (and most modern laptops come with them standard-if yours doesn't, you can buy a cheap USB wireless adapter) and live in a typical suburban or urban environment, you rarely need to pay for Internet access: it's there for your free use, so long as you know where to find it. Here's how:

WiFi Restaurants
A lot of chains are starting to offer WiFi in most or all of their stores. For example, nearly all Krystal shops have free WiFi, as do a lot of What-a-Burger joints. Many McDonalds and Burger Kings are also getting in on the show, and I've found a handful of Dairy Queens with WiFi access as well. In fact, there's a good chance that any given fast-food place in America either offers WiFi or is in the process of trying to get it.

Check with the management if you aren't sure: sometimes, you'll have to get a security code (usually found at the bottom of a receipt) before you'll be able to access the net, and some might have time limits: one hour per purchase, for example. Buy something cheap, like a soda or a small bag of fries, and enjoy.

Coffee Shops
If one thing seems to have dominated the coffee shop world, it's the acquisition of free WiFi hotspots. Coffee shops are a great place to chill for a bit with your laptop: they usually have fairly comfortable environments, and if you look for local places instead of big chains, the owners are usually kind enough to let you crash there for as long as you like. Just be courteous and buy something now and again. Remember that these WiFi hotspots are offered as a courtesy and an incentive for your business: don't abuse them, or you might be asked to leave.

Oddly enough, Starbucks doesn't offer unlimited free WiFi like some of their competitors do. You have to buy a value card, which give you up to two hours of free access a day from then on. Still, it's not much if you happen to like Starbucks.

Business and Computer Supply Stores
It's rarely advertised, but a lot of places like Office Depot, Staples, and most Apple Stores offer free WiFi connections; that said, they aren't particularly comfortable places to chill out, but if you just need to fire off a quick e-mail or check a fact online, you can count on them to pop in and do something that doesn't take much time.

Public Libraries
More and more public libraries across the country are starting to get WiFi hotspots; in fact, I'm writing this article from the C.E. Weldon public library in Martin, TN. Libraries, of course, require good funding to provide features like WiFi, but be sure to ask your local library if they have access or plan to get it in the future. Libraries are one of the few places where you won't be expected to make a courtesy purchase.

City-Wide WiFi (MuniFi)
Some cities in the US, including St. Cloud, Florida and Corpus Christi, Texas, offer free WiFi access throughout the entire city; these cities use huge interlocking networks of WiFi access points to ensure that users have access to the net from nearly anywhere. If you live in one of these cities, or plan to visit, you shouldn't have any trouble.

Other Spots and Tips
Here's a few other spots to check: many mall food courts have WiFi, as do a lot of college campuses (though these may require a student ID of some sort). Familiarize yourself with various WiFi symbols: unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a standard, but some common ones include the black and white WiFi symbol: (looks a bit like a Yin Yang sign) or the antenna with waves radiating out to the left and right. Many WiFi hotspots advertise that they broadcast, but many do not; if you're really interested in finding every WiFi spot you can, you might consider purchasing a WiFi detector: you can find them on ThinkGeek.com for $25-50.