Sunday, June 10, 2007
Finding reliable Internet access in unfamiliar areas can add to the complexity and stress of traveling. Fortunately, there are many ways to resolve the problem --- free or paid, hardware or software, stationary or m obile. We asked Daniel Greenberg to survey the field of solutions in the traveler's quest to go online on the road.
· WiFiFreeSpotWhat it does best: Why pay for WiFi in a chain coffee shop when the quaint cafe around the corner offers access for free?
This Web site catalogues free WiFi hot spots in the United States and overseas. It lists the usual coffee shops, hotels and libraries along with some surprises, such as vacation rental properties and travel plazas on the New York State Thruway. The site is more useful in big cities with many free hot spots (more than 50 in the District) than smaller towns (though finding the only free hot spot in Liverpool could prove invaluable).
Where it falls short: The hot spots are listed by state and city, but not by neighborhood or area code. This makes it hard to know for sure which free hot spots are closer to you. International listings are sparse, with some broken down by city (Scotland) but others not (Ireland).
The biggest drawback is that you have to use it before you actually need it. If you don't have WiFi access, how can you use the site to locate WiFi access?
Bottom line: The site has many limitations, but it works and it's free. It's good for travelers who plan ahead and stick to their itinerary.
Our grade: B-
· JiWireWhat it does best: JiWire has solved the riddle of how to find WiFi access when you have no WiFi access. Just download the free Hotspot Finder, an offline database of more than 140,000 free and paid hot spots. Search it wherever you roam to find wireless access. Each time you connect to a new hot spot, you can update its listings.
JiWire is available for Windows XP and 2000 (no Vista support yet), Mac OS X and as a browser toolbar. It even runs on some handhelds and phone handsets. The free service comes bundled with a 10-day free trial of WiFi security software that costs $25 a year. The JiWire Web site contains many other useful tools and articles for travelers.
Where it falls short: Though JiWire's list is extensive, not every available hot spot is catalogued. Most likely to be missing are those in out-of-the-way places where a listing would be most useful. The generally excellent JiWire Web site can be somewhat confusing about what is free and what costs extra.
Bottom line: An ingenious solution that lets travelers without Internet access locate WiFi hot spots.
Our grade: A-
· Kensington WiFi Finder PlusWhat it does best: A WiFi laptop tells you when it is entering an area with wireless service, but walking while searching for broadband is unwieldy, and searching while driving is downright dangerous. Fortunately, this small, keychain-size gadget can find WiFi without opening your laptop.
Just push the button on the Kensington WiFi Finder Plus ($30) to see if there is WiFi nearby. It also shows the signal strength and has a separate indicator light to show nearby Bluetooth networks.
Where it falls short: Does not find all nearby hot spots. Just because you can find a WiFi hot spot doesn't mean you could or should tap into it. If the network uses WiFi security, you won't be able to connect. And you could run afoul of the law if you tap into a network without permission.
Bottom line: Useful in limited circumstances. Best for finding the strongest signal in an area where you already have permission to use the WiFi.
Our grade: C+
· Sprint Mobile BroadbandWhat it does best: Travelers can now get online anywhere they can make a wireless call. Insert the Sprint Mobile Broadband PC card into a laptop and you can surf using Sprint's high-speed EV-DO network.
It works in a moving car or train and doubles as a GPS device, complete with directions when used with a service such as Google Maps. You can check e-mail, listen to Web radio and watch YouTube videos.
The card costs $50; unlimited access is $60 a month. In our tests, download speeds varied from 400 kbps to more than 1000 kbps, making it a worthy (if pricey) portable replacement for wired DSL or cable.
You can share broadband access with other travelers via a WiFi network by using D-Link's 3G Mobile Router ($299 but available for substantially less, http://www.dlink.com), which can create a secure wireless hot spot that works in hotels, trains, etc.
Where it falls short: Though the connection is surprisingly solid even when moving, it can abruptly lose connection like a mobile phone call. You need to change its default software settings to enable automatic reconnection. It costs more than DSL or cable but less than many monthly mobile phone bills.
Bottom line: The most useful advance since WiFi.
Our grade: A
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