How to find the best Wi-Fi hotspots near me.
Cellular Internet coverage is increasing and the price is regularly decreasing. But it is not available everywhere, and it is still expensive. Here in Canada, cellular data averages $ 12.55 per GB, according to Cable.co.uk, with no cellular available in 70% of Canada.
Yes, I am Canadian. I’m not sorry. It was rude, sorry. Anyway, which is why I always try to find the best Wi-Fi hotspots near me.
What Makes the Best WiFi Hotspot?
The best is a subjective term, so I have criteria to help me determine the best Wi-Fi hotspots around me. The criteria are in order of importance to me. Adjust to your preference.
- Free – my favorite flavor, size, and shape – free.
- Fast – at least fast enough to watch YouTube videos at the lowest quality.
- Security – is anything being done to secure my connection or am I using data mining?
- Unlimited – not unlimited bandwidth, but unlimited time and no content restrictions.
There is one more criterion, more subjective rather than technical. Will I be comfortable? If I have to sit outside in a Canadian winter or in a hard plastic chair, I don’t care how good the Wi-Fi hotspot is. I’m not there.
How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Free?
Are there other internet cafes? You used to pay for Internet access in a cafe. Today this is seen as the cost of doing business and providing added value for the client.
If they send a password, it’s probably free. If a credit card is requested when connecting, it is chargeable. Some places offer two-tiered Wi-Fi where the free connection is slow, but I can pay for high-speed access. Speed has never paid off, unless I am doing something that is data-intensive like uploading photos, etc.
How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Fast?
The more people connected to a Wi-Fi network, the slower the network. Therefore, I like to target places that are not popular or visit them during off-peak hours. Sometimes I connect and run a test with an Android WiFi analyzer app.
Make sure you check your Wi-Fi speed correctly. Small things can cause a false read, such as using your cellular data or other apps running in the background. The lower the signal strength value, the better. There is such a thing as too strong a signal.
An easier way is to ask someone. When it comes to business, don’t ask employees. They want you to stay and spend your money. It’s okay to ask another customer who is clearly on the Internet.
How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Secure?
I always assume that a WiFi hotspot is never secure. My safety is my job. I always use a VPN service on my phone or device. A place with free Wi-Fi is a multi-purpose environment for hackers. They’ll use things like impostor hotspots or packet sniffing tools to get your data off the air.
I am assuming that my data is also collected by the hotspot provider. If the product is free, then it is not a product, but me. They want to know if I am comparing prices elsewhere. They want to know my interests in order to tailor their marketing to me. This is usually legal, but not necessarily ethical. How do I know? I used to work in IT as a salesperson.
How Do I Know if a WiFi Hotspot is Unlimited?
Let’s say I’m working on my novel and I’m going to be there all day, and then I need Wi-Fi that won’t shut off the time or block my search for the perfect crime. Don’t laugh, we have serious publisher writers here. I’m just not one of them yet. So how do I know if the Wi-Fi hotspot allows it?
If I need to log in through an authorization portal, I know they are monitoring traffic, blocking certain content, and requiring frequent reconnections. The Responsive Portal is the first time you connect a website that requires you to sign in and accept terms before going online.
If there is no adaptive portal, the firewall can still monitor and restrict traffic. The simplest test I use is looking for what may be limited. Of course, I keep it legal and safe to work with. If it is blocked, then there is a firewall. But there are ways to bypass the firewall. VPN sometimes helps me bypass content restrictions, but it may also violate terms.
How Do I Find a WiFi Hotspot?
It’s nice to know how to check the criteria for a good Wi-Fi hotspot, but I still haven’t told you how to find Wi-Fi hotspots!
Most phones show an open Wi-Fi hotspot. I’ll check it out. You probably already knew this tip.
Wi-Fi will be available in most restaurant chains and large supermarkets. Hotels usually have Wi-Fi, but usually, a password is only required for guests. Other tourist destinations, such as airports, bus and train stations, often have free Wi-Fi. Again, you probably knew this.
Did you know that the McDonald’s app tells you if the location has Wi-Fi?
You can also filter Starbucks locations based on Wi-Fi availability using Location Finder. In Canada, you’re more likely to find Timmies, aka Tim Hortons, with Wi-Fi than Starbucks. Ask for 10 team bits and a double-double if you go.
Did you know that governments and schools often provide free Wi-Fi hotspots? If I know I’m going to be near a library, college, or any public building, I check their website, call or visit them to see what’s available.
I also check the website of my home Internet Service Provider (ISP). In the US, several ISPs like Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, and Optimum have open Wi-Fi hotspots for their customers. You may already be paying for this service, so why not use it?
If none of the above gave results, then I can use the app. But I’ve never had to do that. However, there are several apps to find the best free Wi-Fi hotspots for Android and iOS. Be wary of hotspots for which the app says it has saved a password. It could be fake.
How Do You Find the Best WiFi Hotspots Near You?
In the worst case, I connect my computer to my mobile phone as a mobile hotspot. Everyone has their own way of acting. My way works for me, and some of these ideas might work for you. You can do what I haven’t tried yet. Let us know how you find the best Wi-Fi hotspots while traveling. We would like to know.
–
How to find the best Wi-Fi hotspots near me
How to find the best Wi-Fi hotspots near me