wireless laptop access

[doctor712]

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A friend of mine is interviewing for MD schools right now and is going to do a lot of traveling through airports etc. He is on a VERY tight budget, he just bought a netbook for 350$ and is wondering what might be an affordable wireless solution when he is at airports, hotels, coffee shops on the interview route. Have searched but haven't seen this covered here on SDN.

Any ideas as to what you guys are using? The T-mobile and ATT wireless bundles for 60$ per month aren't affordable for him, but neither is paying 10$/ hour every time he is logged on...

Thanks!
D712

 

[vpersan]

Most airports/coffee shops/bookstores/hotels/schools have free wifi and the netbook should have built in wireless capabilities. It's pretty easy to connect to free wifi hot spots.

 

[doctor712]

This is true to some extent, but many airports just don't offer free WIFI. I know that PHX does for example, but Vegas not. I know that JFK does, in certain terminals, others not. Miami 10$ per hour. Fort Lauderdale no I think. CLT yes, for students, with ID. Laguardia, good luck. This is current as of last year or two...could've changed.

Would love some other anecdotes...

THANKS!
D712

 

[Depakote]

hotels and coffee shops tend to offer wifi...

As for airports, you usually have to pay to use their wifi. I guess you could either shell out to do that or find another solution. I never found myself in a situation where I absolutely needed to check the internet in an airport so badly that I wound up paying for it.

 

[sleepy425]

When I was traveling for interviews last year, I mainly flew through the same two airports (ATL and MEM). Neither of those airports had free wireless, but instead had "Boingo" wireless service which you have to pay for. It's $9.99 per month for access as long as the airport has Boingo service. There are a couple of other airport wireless providers that have similar services.

The point is, if your friend knows where he/she will mainly be traveling through, it might make sense to see what service that airport provides or offers for purchase. If you fly through an airport 4 times a month, $10/month isn't bad. There were 2 months where I flew through atlanta or memphis at least 8 times, so that would've been $1.25 per visit to the airport.

Having said that, does your friend really need internet? I mean, I understand the frustration of not being able to check my email 60-70 times per hour, but your friend can probably live without it.

I'd say that half of the airports in the US have free wireless, and this is actually growing.

 

[nlax30]

Besides shelling out decent money for a wireless cell card and service there isn't really any good option for widespread wireless Internet access, it's gonna cost him.

Does he really need access that bad or can he wait until he gets to the hotel or a until he finds a local coffee shop with free wifi in whatever city he is in?

Someone already mentioned a service that would allow him to get certain wifi networks around they country. I think my father used the tmobile hotspot service when he travelled but it was still like $20-30/month.

 

[kami333]

AT&T and Qwest DSL customers get free wifi at McDonalds.

 

[JJMrK]

It's been my experience that most airports don't have free wireless, although there are a few that do.

As far as hotels, stay at cheaper places. They generally have free wireless, while big fancy places will charge you.

 

[jvesco22]

Does he have a cellphone with bluetooth capabilities and internet access? If so, tell him to tether the phone's internet connection to his laptop via bluetooth. If the laptop doesn't have bluetooth, you can buy a bluetooth dongle for like $15. If that doesn't work. Walk back 5' and punt!!