20 Crazy Things People Do to Get Wi-Fi

[Lewis]

20 Crazy Things People Do to Get Wi-Fi

In their quest to get Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, people have done some pretty desperate things over the years.

Driving around in sheer panic looking for a Starbucks (but hoping for a Panera, which offers free Wi-Fi) or hopping on a neighbor's unsecured signal has become commonplace. (To read about the Wi-Fi strategies at Starbucks, Panera, McDonald's and Borders, see "Should Retailers Offer Free Wi-Fi to Customers?")

But then there's a whole other level of desperation that comes while some people are searching for the almighty Wi-Fi access point. The evidence: an August 2008 survey of 300 remote employees who work on company-issued laptops. (The survey was commissioned by mobility vendor Fiberlink.)http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/150224/20_crazy_things_people_do_to_get_wifi.html

The survey asked these road warriors: "What interesting or out of the ordinary things have you ever done to get connected to the Internet and/or company network, when working remotely?" Of the open-ended responses, here are the most noteworthy:

"Stolen Wi-Fi from a neighbor." Editor's note: Nothing says "Howdy, Neighbor!" more than "I'm stealing your Wi-Fi!"

"Had to climb on my mother's roof once. It was so fun. I actually saw a naked neighbor girl." Editor's note: Is that considered a two-for-one?

"Drove 15 miles away from Old Faithful Geyser to achieve a complete Internet connection, due to static from Geyser emissions energy." Editor's note: I hate it when that happens.

"Driven to the local coffee shop and purchased a muffin to use their wireless." Editor's note: That seems reasonable.

"Gone to coffee shop without buying coffee." Editor's note: Cheapskate!

"Had to 'hack' into a phone line at a hotel to get dial-up to work (many years ago)." Editor's note: Easy does it, Mitnick.

"I have plugged my laptop into a hospital Ethernet line because the wireless was down." Editor's note: Glad it wasn't the oxygen line.

"I have researched hotels that do not provide Internet but are nearby wireless hubs to get connection freely." Editor's note: A little too much time on your hands, sir?

"Plugged into the back of a cash register." Editor's note: Really? You can do that?

"I went up to the top of a mountain and worked for a week from a tent." Editor's note: Grizzly Adams meets Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame).

"Turned someone's TV antenna into a wireless internet antenna." Editor's note: Now that's talent.

"Logged into hotel conference rooms to get the connection for free." Editor's note: Who hasn't done that?!

"Paid for a cab ride while I worked on the Internet." Editor's note: That seems a bit "unfare."

"Plugged into electricity from the city of Seattle that was on a pole on the sidewalk, but only for a few minutes." Editor's note: Well, as long as it was just for a few minutes.

"Held my laptop out a window to get the Wi-Fi next door so I could send an important email." Editor's note: Hope it was one of those rugged notebooks.

"Sat outside an airport for 4 hours so I could use the free wireless across the street." Editor's note: Good thing her flight was delayed.

"I've done a lot of crazy things but I'll never be able to admit it or I'd lose my dignity." Editor's note: Tease.

"Moved throughout my home because of connection problems, I found myself sitting in a ducky chair in my toddler's room because that is where I got the best connection." Editor's note: That's just quackers.

"Using dial up." Editor's note: That's desperate.

"I think a laundromat is the strangest one I ever hooked up to." Editor's note: We agree.

* Sponsored Resource:Are you ready for virtualization? Try the sever assessment tool.
* Sponsored Resource:Learn more about ultra light notebooks from Asus and the best warranty in the industry.
* Sponsored Resource:Thinking about a new Laptop? Lenovo has models to meet everyone's needs.
* Sponsored Resource:Get the truth about remanufactured ink. Learn more from HP.
* Sponsored Resource:Six smart ways to grow small business IT

Buzz up!

 

[Lewis]

I am using Wi Fi.

 

[Photosmith]

Threads like this make me wonder how many people secure their wireless devices. I never had a reason to set up a wireless network until I got married and wanted to put a PC in the livingroom for our son. I of course am paranoid, and set the new switch up with WPA2 and a 60-character key before even setting the switch to turn on the wireless capability.

I then install the wireless card in the PC in the livingroom and after installing the driver it "helpfully" automatically connects to the nearest unsecured network, with the rather obvious name of my neighbor's last name. It didn't even ask me what network to connect to, it just figured it would help out by stealing my neighbor's connection first. A few minutes of playing with the software later, and I figure out how to set my own hub as the preferred connection and after entering my maximum paranoia 60-character WPA2 key, it now connects to my own secure network by default and should ignore all others.

Separately, when we got a wireless keyboard for the same computer, I checked the reviews for which ones are supposed to have the latest and greatest keyboard encryption, and purchased that model. After installing it, I again went into the software and went through the process to set the keyboard encryption key so everything from my wireless keyboard is encrypted too.

Stories like this one only help make me feel justified in going to such lengths to have some security on my home network, I guess. Oh, and for the record, my neighborhood is probably typical in that of the 4 other wireless networks I've been able to scan from my livingroom, only two of them are secure, the other two are wide open. Makes you wonder.

 

[Entropic_Prodigy]

About two years ago, comcast shut off my internet due to a payment issue. I set up camp with my laptop in the bathroom, using the toliet as a chair and an upside-down laundry basket as a desk. This was the only room in the house that would give me enough signal to be able to connect and access one of my neighbor's unsecured networks. I still sometimes take my laptop into the bathroom and set up camp there...only room in the house with a lock on the door and complete privacy! I read books in there, too... :D

 

[carbon]

We wanted to look up where a nearby tack shop was. I was at a college campus - so there were a lot of wireless networks around but all secured. So we went to a Starbucks because we knew they had wireless...then we realized we had to pay for it...but while they were figuring all that out, I got on the bookstore's free wireless XD

For awhile when my wireless was shaky at home, I'd go on an unsecured wireless network named "Wireless" (albeit weak signal). It was my friend for quite awhile. Sadly, they must've secured it because I can't get on it anymore. But my home wireless is more stable now.

OH! My most interesting desperate act to get online. So the power goes out and for some reason the wired network *and* the wireless network closest by my dorm aren't working. Well...it wasn't out at the science quad. So I went to my lab to get wireless (and power...I think...) :P Stayed there midnight or later IIRC :P

Also...the lab had to suffice when we didn't have internet in the housing when I was researching at a University over the summer...

And my home network is secured...shorter than 60 character security but that's because we've had issues with road runner and road runner had to reset it a few times and they (and my parents) won't let me change stuff to secure it more :P