Without compromising your security.
Cafes aren't the only places where you can access a free Wi-Fi network.
We’ve all had that moment when we’re far from home and low on data, but still need to finish up some work (or catch up on some Netflix episodes or any of your best movies). Free Wi-Fi is everywhere, yet paradoxically, it’s hard to actually find a hotspot when you really need one. Even if you locate a network, you may not trust that it’s secure. Here’s how to find free Wi-Fi wherever you go, without
compromising your privacy.
If you subscribe
to cable or fiber or really any internet at home, you probably have free
access to thousands of Wi-Fi networks around the country. Internet
service providers (ISPs) like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Cox, Time
Warner, and others provide their customers with vast webs of hotspots.
You can access your ISP's networks for free just by logging in with your
subscriber account.
For example, I have Cox cable internet at home, so I downloaded the Cox Connect app. Through this, I can see all the Cox-owned hotspots around me. When I reach a hotspot, I just connect to CoxWiFi, log in with my account—the same one I use to pay my cable bill online—and I’m good to go. You can do the same with Comcast’s xfinitywifi hotspots, Time Warner’s tcwwifi ones, AT&T’s attwifi network, and so on. Just download your provider’s respective app to see its networks near you. When I checked the Cox Connect app in my hometown, I found locations everywhere.
Cafes aren't the only places where you can access a free Wi-Fi network.
We’ve all had that moment when we’re far from home and low on data, but still need to finish up some work (or catch up on some Netflix episodes or any of your best movies). Free Wi-Fi is everywhere, yet paradoxically, it’s hard to actually find a hotspot when you really need one. Even if you locate a network, you may not trust that it’s secure. Here’s how to find free Wi-Fi wherever you go, without
compromising your privacy.
Check a hotspot map
Big chains aren’t the only places that offer free Wi-Fi. You can also find it at local libraries, laundromats, parks, restaurants, and churches—though they don’t always advertise it. Even more annoyingly, some of them are protected with passwords so only customers can access the network. That’s where the app WiFi Map (for iOS and Android), comes in.
WiFi Map shows you a crowdsourced list of Wi-Fi hotspots all over the
world. When you launch the app, it detects your location and shows you a
list of hotspots near you. If the hotspot
has a password, WiFi Map will list it for you, letting you connect to
just about any business’ network. Occasionally you’ll find an old
listing that isn’t valid, but I found it to be pretty up-to-date here in
San Diego, where I live.
The app is free, but it’s crawling with ads, so I recommend paying the $1.99 in-app purchase fee to remove them. (If you’re traveling or worried about running out of data, you can also pay $4.99 for a pro version with more offline features.) If you prefer a less intrusive app, check out OpenSignal’s Wi-Fi Mapper (for iOS and Android)—it boasts a much better design, but in my testing, didn’t have as many networks and passwords. Depending where you are—a city versus a more rural area, for example—your mileage may vary.
If you’d rather not download a separate tool, Facebook’s mobile app has a built-in Wi-Fi finder—just open the menu and go to See More > Find Wi-Fi. However, it doesn’t contain passwords for closed networks, so it isn’t quite as useful as dedicated apps like WiFi Map or Wi-Fi Mapper.
Connect to networks run by your internet provider
If you subscribe
to cable or fiber or really any internet at home, you probably have free
access to thousands of Wi-Fi networks around the country. Internet
service providers (ISPs) like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, Cox, Time
Warner, and others provide their customers with vast webs of hotspots.
You can access your ISP's networks for free just by logging in with your
subscriber account.For example, I have Cox cable internet at home, so I downloaded the Cox Connect app. Through this, I can see all the Cox-owned hotspots around me. When I reach a hotspot, I just connect to CoxWiFi, log in with my account—the same one I use to pay my cable bill online—and I’m good to go. You can do the same with Comcast’s xfinitywifi hotspots, Time Warner’s tcwwifi ones, AT&T’s attwifi network, and so on. Just download your provider’s respective app to see its networks near you. When I checked the Cox Connect app in my hometown, I found locations everywhere.
