10 Tips For Finding WiFi On The Road

What modern laptop or desktop computer comes without WiFi connectivity? None. Even mobile phones, such as the iPhone, have WiFi built in. It’s a brilliantly simple technology that we’ve become all too familiar with and incredibly reliant upon.

If you are a telecommuter or road warrior then chances are you’ll be even more dependent on wireless internet access than most. How else can you get your job none? Without WiFi emails don’t get sent, clients are left in the dark, web conferences go unattended and phone calls don’t get made.

WiFi: whether you like it or not, you need it. But when you are on the road, how do you find it? You might know that the local train station has free WiFi or you are lucky enough to live in a city with municipal WiFi coverage, but do you know where to go to get online when on the road? Probably not.

So it’s important, even more than knowing how to boost a WiFi connection, to get a good connection when on the road. Here are some tips to get that life-giving WiFi connection!

• Use A WiFi Finder
  There are no shortage of WiFi finders available on the market. What these little devices do is scan the airwaves for WiFi signals and alert you to the presence of a signal even if it is really faint. Then it’s up to you to hone in on the source of the WiFi signal for a more reliable connection. These should be a part of every road warrior’s gadget collection. A non-software based WiFi finder also has the benefit of working off its own power supply; you don’t need to use your laptop to find a connection so when you do find a good network you’ll have some battery life left.
• Wear A WiFi Detector Shirt
  If you would like a more visual statement for the presence (or lack thereof) of a WiFi signal, then why not try out a WiFi detector Shirt. As you’d expect this will detect a wireless network and show the strength of the signal with the familiar bar system. Slightly geeky indeed, so it’s really not something you’d want to be wearing to a business meeting. As with WiFi finders, a shirt such as this means you don’t need to have your laptop working and consuming power as you search for a network to join.
• WiFi Scanning Software
  There is no shortage of applications available on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux that, once installed and running, will scan for a WiFi network. WiFi scanning software will pick up just about any open, locked or paid WiFi network there is in the area, which at least gives you a chance of connectivity. On the downside, it means consuming your battery life while conducting the search. And as any laptop-toting road warrior can testify, WiFi tends to drain batteries dry quite quickly. Unless you’re are fast, you can end up finding and joining a network with little juice left in the tank to make use of your connection.
• Hotspot Directories
  By now you’ll probably have encountered some of these directories. A hotspot directory will list all the WiFi hotspots in a certain geographical area, allowing you to plan ahead. If you are the type of person who does actually have time to research the location of hotspots where you are going, then these directories are particularly useful. They are also great for putting your mind at rest; if you know where to go then you have nothing to worry about, right?
• Mobile Broadband
  There are many mobile broadband services (not to be confused with mobile VoIP) available now at a reasonable monthly cost. These usually work with a USB dongle that you plug into your laptop, which then acquires and joins a high speed 3G network. If you are on the road frequently and spend most of your time travelling to built up urban areas, then mobile broadband is certainly a good option for you. Mobile broadband coverage tends to recede once outside main arterial routes and areas where mobile coverage is good. I do rather like mobile broadband and would recommend it.
• EDGE Dongles
  If a mobile broadband dongle isn’t an option, then have a look into an EDGE dongle instead. EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) is a 2G standard providing wireless internet access at rates more comparable to dialup. It has been used, famously, in the iPhone to provide wireless internet. EDGE dongles are widely available and while they offer slower downloads, coverage does tend to be a little better than rival 3G networks.
• Coffee Shops
  They’re everywhere, and increasingly they also have wireless internet access. Finding a coffee shop in any urban area shouldn’t take you any more 5 minutes, so don’t stress too much if you don’t find the magical combination of coffee and WiFi at first try! Just keep walking and let your WiFi detector do the hard work.
• Hotels
  Most hotels and especially hotels with a core business clientele will have WiFi. However, you’ll find that many hotels charge for access to their network either by the hour or day. Some will let you join their wireless network only if you are staying with them, which makes the daily rate look much more attractive.
• Libraries
  The good old library, harbinger of knowledge and tranquility, is also a place to get connected. Many will still have only wired connections but increasingly libraries have WiFi networks that allow users to get online while researching text. Clearly, these are a fallback when all else fails.
• Carry A CAT 5 Cable
  You might be addicted to communication via IM and email, but occasionally it is useful to verbally ask someone for a favour, which is in this case, hooking up with their computer. Taking that CAT 5 cable with you can be the difference between getting online and (perish the thought!) having to manage a day without internet. If, for whatever reason, you see someone else on a network that you just cannot access, ask them to share the love and hook up with their computer!