Whether you’re on the go, at a coffee shop, or just sitting outside to enjoy some fresh air, there’s always one thing that bugs us till we have it, and that is a working WiFi connection. It’s easier at home to be connected to the world wide web, but it can be hard to find internet access outside.
Free WiFi isn’t a common site since these days most businesses have protected networks with either WPA or WPA2 connections but if you know where to look, you can easily come across a good open network. There are a number of steps you can take or keep in mind in order to make sure you’re always settled in an area with free WiFi.
Some businesses such as coffee shops usually offer free WiFi along with big hotel chains that offer open networks to their guests. It’s helpful to keep in mind a list of all the places or chains that offer free WiFi. If you can’t find an open network in your area, then it may be hidden by the user.
There are a number of apps that you can use in order to find hidden networks in a surrounding area. Places such as electronic stores or airports sometimes have hidden networks. So always search for SSIDs that aren’t always commonly visible. Some places offer WiFi but with lesser accessibility for example local paid hotspots. You won’t be able to do a lot but it’s good for time pass and browsing local sites or paid content.
In other cases for tech savvy users, you could tether your smart phone’s 3G or 4G connection to your computer. But keep in mind that this process requires a little preparation beforehand. For example, iPhone users may be required to jail break the phone or android users may need to root the phone. But once this hassle is over, you can easily have a connection just about anywhere as long as you’ve got your phone.
In extreme cases where it’s an urgent matter, you could try to hack into a protected WiFi. You can do this through various apps and crack either WEP or WPA security keys. This usually isn’t recommended and you can do it to your own network first to see how it works. It usually takes time and doesn’t always work out. So make sure you don’t get caught in trouble for this. You could also try to find coupon codes or vouchers to use for connecting to a free WiFi. For example if a hotspot company has regular partners, by following these companies you could score points or codes which might provide you the desperately needed internet access at certain places.
Lastly, keep in mind that any public WiFi you connect to always come with a little risk since your data will be flowing through public networks. So when connecting to a public network, make sure your firewall is enabled, and that you aren’t allowing unnecessary access to either your device or your data.
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