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Can Someone Help Me Understand Wi-fi?

citykid09

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TJones

TJones

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Can Someone Help Me Understand Wi-Fi? Is It Free?

So if I buy a new laptop and if I don't buy internet access, can I just go to a WI-FI area like a Starbucks, and get free internet?

Here's a novel idea, look it up on the internet access that you have currently. <_<:P

(PING ! a light goes on over citykid's head.)

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citykid09

citykid09

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Here's a novel idea, look it up on the internet access that you have currently. <_<:P

(PING ! a light goes on over citykid's head.)

I did, I just wanted to here what you guys had to say about it. Yeah, I know you don't have to pay a place like Starbucks to use it, but do you have to pay people like Verizon just to get access in places like Starbucks? Or do you just buy something that has a wi-fi card in it and use it at places like starbucks for free?

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citykid09

citykid09

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This website has a list of places where you can go for free wi-fi access.

Free wi-fi sites

Of course, if you are expected to buy a coffee or a meal, I guess it's not really "free". Check out the Harris County Public libraries for free free access!

But what I am asking is if I buy a laptop or someother gadget with wifi in it, Is there a bill for that every month? Or is it free for good?

The reason I want to know is because my sister has a new laptop and she had DSL at here old Apartment, but when we went to here new apartment the other day we turned on the computer and noticed that the internet worked without her even having here internet connection, meaning that here new apartment gives her free Wi-Fi. So this got me interested in Wi-Fi, because who wouldn't like free internet access?

So some one tell me this if I buy a computer with Wi-fi built in, and I want to use that at places like Starbucks, do I have to pay something to some company to get access to these places?

Come to think of, I don't think so, I forgot that you get it free at most colleges.

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sevfiv

sevfiv

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it just depends on where you go and what access (priveleges) they give out. i had a workshop at UH and everyone with a laptop with a wireless modem got access. at rice, however, their access is limited to faculty/staff/students.

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jmancuso

jmancuso

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^ no. it's not like a cell phone where you have to sign a contract.

starbucks uses t-mobile for their wi-fi and it's either a 20/30 mothly subscription or a $7 one day access. a total rip. expensive coffee and then they nail you for access too.

a lot of places do have free wi-fi now.

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dbigtex56

dbigtex56

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The reason I want to know is because my sister has a new laptop and she had DSL at here old Apartment, but when we went to here new apartment the other day we turned on the computer and noticed that the internet worked without her even having here internet connection, meaning that here new apartment gives her free Wi-Fi. So this got me interested in Wi-Fi, because who wouldn't like free internet access?

(moved thread to Technology topic)

I'm probably in over my head here, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Wi-Fi is sent through radio waves; so long as your Ethernet equipped computer is within range of a wi-fi equipped modem, it can access the Internet. However, there's the option of encrypting internet access, to block unauthorized usage. This is what sevfiv and jmancuso are referring to; it ain't always free, or open to everyone. Whoever's paying for the internet access can restrict who's allowed to use it. This is what is meant by 'hot spots' - places where you're within range of an unrestricted wi-fi source.

However, many home users aren't aware that they have the option of blocking access to others, and unwittingly share their internet access with their neighbors. I think this may be the case with your sister - maybe one of her neighbors also has a wireless internet access, but isn't blocking others from using it (either through generosity or ignorence).

In other words, sometimes it's free, if you're in the right place at the right time. If your sister's neighbor disconnects service or encrypts it, she might suddenly be unable to access the internet (unless, of course, the apartment complex is supplying it for free - but bet they would have mentioned it when she moved in.)

Corrections are welcome - I don't understand half of what I know.

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Guest danax

Guest danax

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Also, it's not as reliable as wired internet due to the nature of wireless. The waves can be easily blocked, just like cellphones and radio.

With much fanfare, Pecan Park, where I live, was told that we would have free Wi-fi as some kind of Rice U/private business experiment/social program. Well, when I decided to try to sign up for it recently, I was told that they weren't offering it for the time being as, once the thousands of pecan trees leafed out, they found that their signal was ineffective and hadn't figured out a way to deal with it.

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jm1fd

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The reason I want to know is because my sister has a new laptop and she had DSL at here old Apartment, but when we went to here new apartment the other day we turned on the computer and noticed that the internet worked without her even having here internet connection, meaning that here new apartment gives her free Wi-Fi. So this got me interested in Wi-Fi, because who wouldn't like free internet access?

Well, it probably wasn't WiFi from the complex/apartment management company, but rather she was picking up a neighbor's signal.

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citykid09

citykid09

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Yes, it sucks that person's bandwidth. Actually, it's theft, just because it's convenient doesn't make it OK. Think of it this way, leaving the top down on your convertable doesn't give others the right to take the gum you left in the center console.

Yeah, but it's not like she is physically takinging it. It's her computer and if she clicks on the internet and it works for free, that's not her fault.

Hopefully its the apartment complex givng it to her though.

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citykid09

citykid09

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yeah, the person without protection on their internet needs to wise-up (if that's where it is coming from) but it is still stealing, and if the internet is used alot, they WILL notice

She doesn't use it much at home. Mabe once or twice a week to cheack here e-mail. But I honestly think the apartment complex is giving it to the entire complex. They automatically give them free cable. And I think the guy told her something about free wi-fi but she was not really paying attention.

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bruce_oneal

bruce_oneal

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Yes, it sucks that person's bandwidth. Actually, it's theft, just because it's convenient doesn't make it OK. Think of it this way, leaving the top down on your convertable doesn't give others the right to take the gum you left in the center console.

yeah, but what if that person's gum hopped out of the seat onto the sidewalk and you picked it up?

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skwatra

skwatra

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but it is still stealing, and if the internet is used alot, they WILL notice

if they're not smart enough to encrypt their wireless, i seriously doubt they'll notice. you would have to be downloading/uploading a large amount of data for them to feel an affect. they could go into their router settings and see who's connected, but again, if they knew how to do that they would probably add encryption.

plus if the person has cable-modem, bandwidth is being shared with everyone in that complex anyways so their bandwidth will vary.

personally i don't think its stealing, its radio frequency, if you don't want someone to pick it up, you should protect it.

citykid, what's it called when you connect to it? if its your sister's apartment, it would most likely be the name of the complex, and not something like "default" or "linksys"

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sevfiv

sevfiv

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you would have to be downloading/uploading a large amount of data for them to feel and affect. they could go into their router settings and see who's connected, but again, if they knew how to do that they would probably add encryption.

personally i don't think its stealing, its radio frequency, if you don't want someone to pick it up, you should protect it.

true enough, but i was thinking more along the lines of that person perhaps noticing, calling their provider, and then doing something about it...

i don't have wifi, though, so i am not sure what would be "felt" or not...

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skwatra

skwatra

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true enough, but i was thinking more along the lines of that person perhaps noticing, calling their provider, and then doing something about it...

i don't have wifi, though, so i am not sure what would be "felt" or not...

i really doubt the provider would care, they would probably tell you to protect your wireless. its transparent to the provider, they're sending out one connection to the user, then the user's router is distibuting the connection to as many different computers that connect. if you start downloading too much, you'll just saturate that connection which means you're getting everything you're paying for (in the case of dsl). if you have cable modem, and use a lot of bandwidth they may notice and start keeping tabs on what you're doing, but it would take a lot.

it really doesn't matter if you have wifi or not, you can split your connection to a bunch of wired computers and have the same issues. the only time i ever feel like my connection is slow is when i'm uploading a large amount of data, since most normal browsing consists of downloading, providers allocate a lot more bandwidth to downloading.

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HeightsGuy

HeightsGuy

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i really doubt the provider would care

Right, the provider won't care that someone is using their service without paying?

I stand by my earlier analogy that just because the signal is there does not make it legal to use without paying for it. We would not be having this conversation if the owner of the wireless router protected it with a password. Put another way, if the owner of a wireless router protected the signal with a password, would it be legal to break the password and use the signal?

Just because the laws (and courts) have not caught up with the technology yet does not make it legal.

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skwatra

skwatra

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Right, the provider won't care that someone is using their service without paying?

exactly. they do not care, because someone is paying for it. when i sign up for internet, i am allowed to have 10 computers running all day long, downloading as much as i can suck up. the provider takes this into account when they charge $$$. they know that the average user just checks their email twice a day, and they've done an analysis for how much this all averages out to (me with my 10 computers, and my 20 neighbors that barely use up any bandwidth), and charge accordingly.

I stand by my earlier analogy that just because the signal is there does not make it legal to use without paying for it. We would not be having this conversation if the owner of the wireless router protected it with a password.
so we agree that its the user's fault who hasn't encrypted his router.
Put another way, if the owner of a wireless router protected the signal with a password, would it be legal to break the password and use the signal?

no, this is called hacking. there are laws against this.

Just because the laws (and courts) have not caught up with the technology yet does not make it legal.

actually, because there is no law yet doesn't make it illegal. hey Red, if something's not illegal, does that automatically make it legal?

i'm not saying its morally right, but people should protect their computers. if they bought a router, they had to set it up (or have someone set it up), they could have spent 5 extra minutes and read the manual to add encryption.

i personally wish people would do it, because my laptop always tries to connect to my stupid neighbor's wireless instead of my own because there's are open. then i have to manually connect to mine and it gets annoying.

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HeightsGuy

HeightsGuy

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exactly. they do not care, because someone is paying for it. when i sign up for internet, i am allowed to have 10 computers running all day long, downloading as much as i can suck up. the provider takes this into account when they charge $$$. they know that the average user just checks their email twice a day, and they've done an analysis for how much this all averages out to (me with my 10 computers, and my 20 neighbors that barely use up any bandwidth), and charge accordingly.
Sorry, you're living in fantasyland here. Check the 15 page contract you have with your ISP. I'll guarantee you there is an acceptable usage clause in there that prohibits sharing the bandwidth with anyone outside your residence.
Put another way, if the owner of a wireless router protected the signal with a password, would it be legal to break the password and use the signal?

no, this is called hacking. there are laws against this.

So, you're contending that it's illegal to gain access to a network if it's secured, but legal if it's not? Again, my analogy sticks. Using your logic it would be legal to walk into someone's unlocked house and watch their TV.

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