Free Internet - USA ?

[jimmalenko]

Hello all,


I am fortunate enough to be travelling across the US for the next 30 days and I'm trying to find a pain-free method for connecting to the net solely for the purpose of retrieving emails and perhaps a little surfing. I don't mind a minimal fee but the key is that I need to be able to walk away in a month's time.

I remember a while back that someone mentioned that there were a number of free dialup providers and I would be keen for anyone to share their knowledge on the subject.

Alternatively I have noticed that Starbucks seems to offer T-Mobile wireless, and I'm sure that there's a number of similar providers at similar retail outlets. However my tour takes us to remote areas such as National Parks and Deserts, so I thought that a landline-based connection was the most sustainable. I have already signed up for NetZero, which offers 10 hours free per month and I think that this will probably do the job.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[MJA]

you have to pay for Starbucks/T-Mobile wireless hotspot.book stores aren't free too(they use T-mobile too).but you can get free wireless at Panera Bread bakery-cafes.some hotels/motels offer free net .netzero I think offers 10 hours a month of free internet only.

[jimmalenko]

Thanks.

My fallback option was to just sign up to NetZero multiple times if I exceed the 10 hours.

[redwudz]

For dial-up in the US, Netzero is still around. It's free and fine for email and slow internet connections. Just DL the program and just about anywhere in the US you should find a local dialup. You may have to dig about a bit on their site to find it, but here's one link to the free version: http://account.netzero.net/s/landing?action=viewProduct&productId=free

What info you give them is up to you.

If your home ISP has webmail access for email, that's the easiest way to access it through NZ. I've used it with hotel phones across the country.

And quite a few motels and hotels have high speed internet access and some with WI-FI in the room. But it usually costs, so you might want to check when you are at the front desk for how much.

[freebird73717]

Hey Jim enjoy your time in the states! What states are you planning on visiting?

Found this on a google search
http://www.emailaddresses.com/email_internetusa.htm
Its a small list of free or small charge isp access.

Side note I have visited videohelp for years and have learned alot from your guides and posts.

[liquid217]

If you can get a motel/hotel that has free internet, that would be the best solution. Otherwise, see if you can get free long distance. If you can get that, dial up with one of these access numbers: http://www.nocharge.com/

I have a cell phone that I can use to make standard dial up connections with my phone. Although using a cell phone is painfully slow, I connect with one of the numbers from nocharge.com to get my email.

[jimmalenko]

Hey Jim enjoy your time in the states! What states are you planning on visiting?

We're currently in New York City but on Friday we get on a Contiki tour that takes us to Boston, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Chicago, Madison, Sioux Falls, Mt Rushmore, Cody, Yellowstone, Salt Lake City, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and finishes in Los Angeles. We also go to Hawaii on the way home.

Found this on a google search
http://www.emailaddresses.com/email_internetusa.htm
Its a small list of free or small charge isp access.

Thanks. I'd already come across that and that's where I got NetZero from.

Side note I have visited videohelp for years and have learned alot from your guides and posts.

awww shucks.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Have fun in the states,don't lose all of your money in Las Vegas.

[jimmalenko]

Have fun in the states,don't blow all of your money in Las Vegas.

Probably a good thing that it's our 3rd last stop

[budz]

jimmalenko wrote:

We're currently in New York City but on Friday we get on a Contiki tour that takes us to Boston, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Chicago, Madison, Sioux Falls, Mt Rushmore, Cody, Yellowstone, Salt Lake City, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and finishes in Los Angeles. We also go to Hawaii on the way home.

Have fun in "Loss Wages"!
What island are you going to? Oahu? Maui? I'm assuming you're probably going to go through the Honolulu International Airport. Or you could fly directly to Maui. Enjoy your stay in the islands. Big Aloha to you!

[jimmalenko]

We're staying in Honolulu near Waikiki beach.

[BJ_M]

see here http://www.wififreespot.com/

The Wi-Fi-FreeSpot™ Directory is a listing of locations that offer Free Wi-Fi. USA State-by-State listings come first with Europe and other regions of the World listed further down the page.

or here

http://anchorfree.com/

or

just about every electronics store (here all "TheSource" and sony stores) have open wifi

[tekkieman]

Hell, I'll open my wi-fi for you if you're in this area....

[jimmalenko]

see here http://www.wififreespot.com/

The Wi-Fi-FreeSpot™ Directory is a listing of locations that offer Free Wi-Fi. USA State-by-State listings come first with Europe and other regions of the World listed further down the page.

or here

http://anchorfree.com/

Wow! that's a great help. Thanks BJ_M !

Upon further research, it turns out that at least 5 of the places I'm staying at offer free wireless to guests, and another 5 offer paid access, whilst the rest offer modem ports (I'm guessing phone points). So I reckon I could probably find my way through OK. Obviously I'd prefer to be able to hook up from the comfort of my own room (because I'm lazy). But it probably depends on what we've got on and how desperately I want to read my emails I guess.

Hell, I'll open my wi-fi for you if you're in this area....

Thanks for the offer. Where exactly is "this area" ?

[edDV]

Be careful about hotel phone charges. The higher priced hotels are the worst.

[tekkieman]

Hell, I'll open my wi-fi for you if you're in this area....

Thanks for the offer. Where exactly is "this area" ?

If I told you that, you might take me up on the offer! :P

I'm in northern California, less than 100 miles west of Reno, NV

[mats.hogberg]

Also, check the FON map (www.fon.com) - Even if you're not a member, a 1-day pass cost $3 - but make sure there are FON access points available at your location...

/Mats

[budz]

here's a few links you can check out when you get to waikiki.
i'm not sure how many hotels in waikiki offer free wifi. when my relatives come to visit and stay at a hotel in waikiki they're usually lucky to connect on someone elses wireless or use one of the freebies like shakanet.

http://www.wififreespot.com/ha.html

http://www.shaka.net/locations.php

[jimmalenko]

Thanks for all suggestions so far. Of the 17 hotels we stay in, 6 have free wireless, 7 have pay wireless and the other 4 have dialup through NetZero so I reckon I will get by.

[Lucifers_Ghost]

Hey Jim enjoy your time in the states! What states are you planning on visiting?

We're currently in New York City but on Friday we get on a Contiki tour that takes us to Boston, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Chicago, Madison, Sioux Falls, Mt Rushmore, Cody, Yellowstone, Salt Lake City, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and finishes in Los Angeles. We also go to Hawaii on the way home.

Found this on a google search
http://www.emailaddresses.com/email_internetusa.htm
Its a small list of free or small charge isp access.

Thanks. I'd already come across that and that's where I got NetZero from.

Side note I have visited videohelp for years and have learned alot from your guides and posts.

awww shucks.

You are aware that Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls arent in the USA right? :P

[zzyzzx]

You can check your email at most libraries (at least last time I tried).

[RabidDog]

Advice !forget email forget the web...enjoy your holiday

[AlanHK]

Also, check the FON map (www.fon.com) - Even if you're not a member, a 1-day pass cost $3 - but make sure there are FON access points available at your location...

/Mats

The (Google) FON map is at http://maps.fon.com/

[dun4cheap]

That is to funny.

Anyhow, many McDonalds offer fre wifi. If you go to their webpage you can look up areas.

Last time I went to NYC, I tried dial up, and after 5 minutes of slowness I just plugged my wifi in and found 22 hot spots, over half were open with no security. Needless to say, thanks to public Air Waves internet was smooth sailing.

By the way, when you get back home you may want to secure your personal wifi hehe...

[Nelson37]

I'm pretty sure its Hampton Inn that has company policy they do not care if you sit in the parking lot and use their WiFi. No passwords or anything.

This from the manager of one under construction, Major national chain, probably one close to every major tourist destination.

[jimmalenko]

thanks guys.

Mcdonalds is a good one as they seem to be everywhere

You are aware that Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls arent in the USA right? :P

of course. A little birdie told me that Canadians are not entirely happy with being "lumped" with Americans ...

[tekkieman]

thanks guys.

Mcdonalds is a good one as they seem to be everywhere

You are aware that Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls arent in the USA right? :P

of course. A little birdie told me that Canadians are not entirely happy with being "lumped" with Americans ...

Hell, even some Americans...

[gadgetguy]

Open and free wireless internet access is available at many hospitals. All of the major hospitals in Grand Rapids, MI provide it for their patients and guests.

[j1d10t]

We're currently in New York City but on Friday we get on a Contiki tour that takes us to Boston, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Chicago, Madison, Sioux Falls, Mt Rushmore, Cody, Yellowstone, Salt Lake City, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and finishes in Los Angeles. We also go to Hawaii on the way home.

I hope you brought shorts - last weekend we broke 2 heat records; one on Saturday and one on Sunday.... officially we hit 98 on Saturday, but the thermometer in my back yard said 105.

you have to pay for Starbucks/T-Mobile wireless hotspot.

Most of the Starbucks here offer free wireless internet. As do the McDonald's, and a bunch of the smaller fast food places. There are so many places here in Vegas that offer free internet, it's funny.

[ZippyP.]

I found free wireless from my hotel balcony in Waikiki two weeks ago. It wouldn't work inside the room though.