Finding Free Wi-Fi

How can you find free public Wi-Fi hotspots that provide wireless Internet access? "FREE Wi-Fi Finder" by JiWire, Inc. is a free app for Apple iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad that finds and maps free Wi-Fi hotspots. (Note: "Wi-Fi Finder" finds and maps both fee- and free Wi-Fi hotspots. See also JiWire Global Wi-Fi Finder.) Launch FREE Wi-Fi Finder and tap "Search Free Hotspots Near Me": the app requests permission to use your current location, searches its database, and displays a "Map View" of hotspots near your location; tap "List View" for an alternate display of the search results. Tap one of the green balloons for the name of the hotspot location, in this case, a nearby Starbucks Coffee shop; tap the arrow for "Hotspot Detail."

Tech Tips: Wi-Fi networks have a relatively small range, typically less than 100 meters. The following directions can be used to join a Wi-Fi network using an iPhone. From the "Home" screen, tap "Settings." On the "Settings" screen, tap "Wi-Fi Off." On the "Wi-Fi Networks" screen, tap "OFF"; "OFF" changes to "ON" and a list of available Wi-Fi networks is displayed. "Choose a Network..." by tapping the name of the network, in this case, "attwifi" (the generic SSID for all AT&T Wi-Fi Access points). What happens next varies from one Wi-Fi hotspot to another, but the process for joining a free public network is usually simple and straightforward. Tap "Wi-Fi ON" in order to disconnect from a network ("ON" changes to "OFF").