I finally made the plunge about a month ago and purchased a notebook computer. It comes in handier than I’d have ever imagined since we have satellite connection (the only thing near broadband when you live out in the boonies) and a wireless router for getting online. That means that I can take my laptop anywhere in the house or in the yard and productively work online. It helps that I also have a flash drive so I can work on the file and then simply plug it into my desktop to continue working if need be.However, the problem I’ve encountered as a new laptop owner is that I’m unsure of where to go outside of my home to find Wi-Fi connections. Wi-Fi allows my new laptop to connect to the Internet when I’m close enough to a hotspot. I like the idea of being able to work outside of the house (and yard of course) on occassion but I needed to find the places where I might be able to connect the Internet.
There are a lot of hotspot directory-type sites out there on the Internet, including WiFiMaps.com, where you can enter the city and be taken to a map with results from various Wi-Fi hotspot search sites listed in a line at the bottom to select from.
I was most successful with JiWire’s Hotspot Directory.
They listed three locations in the nearest city that offer wi-fi access,two of which were McDonald’s locations. I’d heard that most McDonald’s had wi-fi access and I find that to be pretty cool I guess, although I don’t know that I’d be able to resist the temptation of having a Big Mac instead of a salad. I guess that’s the point of them offering it though, right?!Starbucks is also notorious for offering Wi-Fi as are some of the bookstores they’re loated in. Unfortunately, most of those are located in larger cities.
By searching at the Wi-Fi Free Spot I found another loation that might be a good place to visit. A small coffee shop that I’d never even noticed before. I’ll definitely have to visit there the next day I’m out running errands. If it’s a nice place, perhaps I’ll come by more often to add a change of pace to my work-at-home life.
Otherwise I guess I’ll have to stop for lunch at McDonald’s if I want to check my email while I’m out. I wonder how long it will be before more restaurants and other gathering areas in rural communities begin to add Wi-Fi and are smart enough to post their locations all over the Internet to attract folks like me.