Finding free wi-fi

WandaLust · 03-21-2009, 12:31 AM

What are you folks doing for wifi when on the road? Which places would have access to it so we can check our email and keep in touch with family and friends while on the road? I notice not all CG websites even mention it. I really would like to have access to it this summer when we're away from home for more than a few days at a time. We're going to try and find CGs that have it but as I understand it, most do not.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas?

Steve Collins · 03-21-2009, 04:44 AM

Many public libraries now offer free WiFi. The ones I am familiar with are password protected, but the password is free for the asking at the main desk. Once you have the password, you may not even have to go in the building but simply park near it and you're good to go. The local sheriff's patrol here in town does that constantly.

Also, you may find unadvertised WiFi. We usually spend at least four weeks a year at a large SP in the northern Adirondacks. None of the SP's have WiFi, but there is a small general store right outside the park that began offering it last year. No ads, no notices, just word of mouth. We can just take the laptop in the boat over to the landing by the camp store or drive over there. There is a website for this particular park run by one of the regular patrons and he's got that info on there, but that's it. The state's website and reserveamerica.com have no mention of it.

Honda03842 · 03-21-2009, 05:58 AM

Many parks, particularly in the west have free wifi. Most libraries we've been in offer free wifi and all have computers travelers can use.

In Washington state many of the rest areas have free WiFi. In Canda we have found free WIFI outside their CAP (Community Access Program) locations, we just sit in our car beside the center and get on line.

In the US we have often just sat in the car outside the Libraary and gotten on line.

Last year we purchased Verizon Wireless and have been able to get on line most anywhere we've been including way out in the Badlands of SD.

Norm Milliard

Steve Collins · 03-21-2009, 07:11 AM

Oh yeah, forgot to mention the service centers on the NYS Thruway. Free Wif Fi there, too.

WandaLust · 03-21-2009, 08:43 PM

Thanks. Wouldn't it be something like $60 a month just for Verizon wireless while on the road? Or do you use it at home as well? You would think all the CGs would have it now, both state and private and just add a buck or two to the cost of camping.

Most of our camping will be in the eastern park to the US.

I knew about the Thruway wifi. It's once we're off the Thruway....

Honda03842 · 03-22-2009, 06:37 AM

We do pay $60 a month for Verizon and a similar amount for our Satellite TV. However we do travel 8 months of the year. In addition we use both at home so we have no cable TV or Internet charges when home.

Equally interesting when we are on the road our satellite still can be used at home when friends and relatives use our home.

Verizon also has a lower cost plan that I think sells for $39 for lighter users of the Internet.

It seems to work everywhere. We have yet to be without a signal though there are certainly places where I'm sure there's no signal.

I suspect that if you want to get on daily, just drive to your local library. Most seem to have it in the Northeast.

Norm

Mooney · 03-22-2009, 02:06 PM

As much as my political views differ from that of the Starbucks Corporation, if you get a Starbuck's card, and leave as little as $.25 on it, you can get a half hour of free wifi at any Starbucks.

Super 8 motels also have free wifi, and it works in their parking lots- no access codes needed, either

WandaLust · 03-22-2009, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honda03842

We do pay $60 a month for Verizon and a similar amount for our Satellite TV. However we do travel 8 months of the year. In addition we use both at home so we have no cable TV or Internet charges when home.

Equally interesting when we are on the road our satellite still can be used at home when friends and relatives use our home.

Verizon also has a lower cost plan that I think sells for $39 for lighter users of the Internet.

It seems to work everywhere. We have yet to be without a signal though there are certainly places where I'm sure there's no signal.

I suspect that if you want to get on daily, just drive to your local library. Most seem to have it in the Northeast.

Norm

We're most likely going to take that route when our contract with the Satellite Co. runs out this Fall. Carrying a dish with us to use our Sat service is not practical. We're not really into using the Library's service since we would like to have access at the CGs when it rains or there's not much doing of an evening. Some campgrounds are really dead at night. Nothing like the internet to help pass the time.

Rather than knock ourselves out looking for CGs with wifi, we'll go the Verizon route as soon as possible. The library would be fine during the day to pick up our email or send a few, but that's all.

Honda03842 · 03-23-2009, 06:29 AM

We often find ourselves parked between two huge fifth wheels that are easily able to fit our rig into one of their slide out areas. The one difference I see, among many obvious differences, is that we have a sat dish on our roof and fifth wheels rarely do.

When we started, we carried an external dish for our Sat network but this summer I added a rooftop, manually adjustable dish. It never takes me more than a minute to find a signal.

I must admit that this can be a problem in a forest setting where a moveable dish that can be placed anywhere is nice but most of the time the roof top is handier and faster.

It does cost a $200 but is very easy to install.

Norm and Ginny Milliard
1982 SUnline 15.5SB
2004 Honda CRV

larry818 · 03-23-2009, 09:46 PM

Here's what I'm using:

http://www.radiolabs.com/products/an...tical-yagi.php

I've been able to hit access points 5 miles away with about 80% signal.

**PTHutch** · 03-24-2009, 06:14 AM

Wanda~Lust

If you have a Garmin here's a link to a POI file for Campground with WiFI

Here's also a result of searching for WiFi, 3 pages of information on WiFi spots.

Hopefully these links work.

It's free download from the POI Factory, all you need to do is register as a member.

These POI files may work with other naviagtion units, not sure.
Most of these files are "csv" files so even if you don't have a Garmin, you can open up the files within Excel and get some information on WiFi spots.

Hope this helps.
Hutch

WandaLust · 03-24-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honda03842

It does cost a $200 but is very easy to install.

Norm and Ginny Milliard
1982 SUnline 15.5SB
2004 Honda CRV

Brevity snip!

We don't want to keep the Sat' service as we're not very happy with it anyway. We lose the signal whenever it rains or snows. Sometimes the box shows the 2 lights but we still have no signal. No data moves. My husband wants to try Verizon and see of the service is any better. And yes, we would rather park under trees and in shady places so a dish could be a problem as the trees block Sat' signals. That shouldn't be a problem with Verizon.... we hope. In any case we're stuck until fall with the Sat' service.

WandaLust · 03-24-2009, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larry818

Here's what I'm using:

http://www.radiolabs.com/products/an...tical-yagi.php

I've been able to hit access points 5 miles away with about 80% signal.

What Internet service are you using with it? Where are you getting a signal from? I don't understand.

WandaLust · 03-24-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PTHutch

Wanda~Lust

If you have a Garmin here's a link to a POI file for Campground with WiFI

Here's also a result of searching for WiFi, 3 pages of information on WiFi spots.

Hopefully these links work.

It's free download from the POI Factory, all you need to do is register as a member.

These POI files may work with other naviagtion units, not sure.
Most of these files are "csv" files so even if you don't have a Garmin, you can open up the files within Excel and get some information on WiFi spots.

Hope this helps.
Hutch

What is Excel? We don't have it on any of our PCs. I'll see if I can find anything there for the northeast that doesn't require Excel. Thanks.

larry818 · 03-24-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wanda~Lust

What Internet service are you using with it? Where are you getting a signal from? I don't understand.

The short answer is, any service I can find.

This is just a high gain antenna for a wifi adapter. A couple of the campgrounds I frequent have free wifi in one area, but typically you have to bring your 'puter there to get the signal. The built in antennas in lap tops and adapters assume you'll be close to the access point and lack any meaningful gain.

This antenna is like a telescope for radio waves. I can hit the access point from my trailer in my camp spot. Sometimes I can hit a starbucks or mcdonalds or something like that. From my house, I can hit a mcdonalds five miles away.

I should mention that you have to connect it to your computer's wifi adapter in some way. For my setup, I use one of these:

http://www.linksysbycisco.com/US/en/products/WET54G

With an adapter from here:

http://www.sky2web.net/rpsmam-adapter.html

The reason I do this is that, at wifi frequency, you lose a lot of signal in longer antenna cables. I have the linksys thing right up with the antenna and run ethernet cable to my computer.

But that's just me. I'm insanely picky. I'm sure a longer antenna wire hooked to any adapter with a connector would work just fine.

Steve Collins · 03-25-2009, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wanda~Lust

What is Excel? We don't have it on any of our PCs. I'll see if I can find anything there for the northeast that doesn't require Excel. Thanks.

Excel is a spreadsheet program from Microsoft. It's usually part of Microsoft Office.

Almost any good spreadsheet program for any platform should be able to read the POI files from Garmin. If you have a PC (as opposed to a Mac), and it has Windows installed on it, it also should have Microsoft Works which contains a spreadsheet program.

Failing that, try OpenOffice.org which offers a free suite of programs similar to and compatible with Microsoft Office, at least for the PC platform. It contains a good spreadsheet, too.

WandaLust · 03-27-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Collins

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wanda~Lust

What is Excel? We don't have it on any of our PCs. I'll see if I can find anything there for the northeast that doesn't require Excel. Thanks.

Excel is a spreadsheet program from Microsoft. It's usually part of Microsoft Office.

Almost any good spreadsheet program for any platform should be able to read the POI files from Garmin. If you have a PC (as opposed to a Mac), and it has Windows installed on it, it also should have Microsoft Works which contains a spreadsheet program.

Failing that, try OpenOffice.org which offers a free suite of programs similar to and compatible with Microsoft Office, at least for the PC platform. It contains a good spreadsheet, too.

Windows Vista Home Premium doesn't come with MSWorks or MSoffice so I can try downloading OpenOffice. I have no idea what a spreadsheet is. We have the Delorme GPS thing.

**Sunline Fan** · 03-27-2009, 08:28 PM

Here's what a MS Excel '07 looks like...this happens to be part of the Sunline Registry/Production Records:

Jon

WandaLust · 03-27-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

Here's what a MS Excel '07 looks like...this happens to be part of the Sunline Registry/Production Records:

Jon

Thanks. I never saw anything like that.

I couldn't find any POI files there for Delorme or any that said they work with a spreadsheet or what office apps they work with. I guess you have to know office applications/software to understand that site.

frank · 03-27-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

Here's what a MS Excel '07 looks like...this happens to be part of the Sunline Registry/Production Records:

Jon

Jon,

Ctrl + Shift + PrtScrn key will "copy" a screenshot of the window that you can paste into a document, paint, or whatever graphics program. Much easier to see than a picture of the monitor

- Frank