3G, WiMax, it was all supposed to make the Internet ubiquitous and the cost so minimal that it would be free. It did not and is not. So how does someone hopped up on the Four Hour Workweek Get Things Done while out on the road (or to avoid paying rent like the rest of the suits)? I decided to find out.
Wardriving is a term based on the act of wardialing (which is coined from the movie War Games), but adapted to driving around looking for WiFi hot spots. Check your local law books on this one. In some places its illegal, but this mostly applies to connecting to private networks. Today I went looking for public networks to use for access to the great gig in the Skynet.
McDonalds and Pilot truck stops both offered WiFi for a fee of around $3 an hour or $20 a month. Pilot had unlimited for $150 a year prepaid. This might be a good option for a trucker or someone who lives near a Pilot. I can’t see getting too much work done at a McDonalds, but I suppose if the conditions were right you could. Some hotels have free WiFi access, but you should ethically be staying there before using it. Panera is hands down the place to go. Its free and has a good atmosphere for it, just don’t abuse it. Someone has been arrested for stealing Internet access from Panera after he was seen using it from the parking lot for over a year. Just use the golden rule on this one and if its “free” like at Panera, throw ’em some change once in a while for a coffee or two.
For more information on coworking, visit Nook Share.