Wi-Fi Hotspots

[mrsurrey]

Does anyone have extensive experience of using wi-fi hotspots? I was browsing http://www.myhotspots.co.uk/ and am amazed by the massive number of providers these days. How cheap are they? Or are they even free? Can you rely on them as a permanent source of the internet for running a business?

The reason for asking is that I have a fantasy of running a web-business and travelling the world plugging into wi-fi hotspots now and again to check all's running tickety boo!

Thanks for your help :ok:

MrS

[Beatriz Fontana]

Not all of them are free, by a long way!!

I have an i-Phone so The Cloud is free, and by 'eck, does it make a difference. BT tried logging me on to its network, but I won't pay the extra. And there's a place near me that has T-Mobile wireless. Again, I refuse to pay ridiculous prices for a connection that by walking outside I can get for free.

You could probably surf for free in Central London by hanging around outside railway stations and branches of McDonalds, but I really wouldn't trust your business data to such links. Op Sec and all that...

Bea

[seacue]

Would a VPN back to his home base be adequate security?

[Saab Dastard]

There are lots of wifi hotspot providers, many of whom have formed affiliate groups - e.g. BT Openzone, T-Mobile and others. I also looked at BOZII, who have aggregated a lot of providers into a single account.

This means that coverage is reasonably good, both in the UK and abroad - but it is not particularly cheap.

Another problem I have encountered is that the local wifi hotspot provider (the hotel, restaurant, coffee shop) is responsible for the actual access, and some of them are cr@p. So you won't always find a working hotspot where you expected!

3G coverage is expanding, so is another solution to consider, and prices are falling.

Belt and braces springs to mind!

One point to consider if using public wifi hotspots - your security is entirely down to you, so a decent personal firewall is essential (better than the Windows firewall).

SD