New York's LaGuardia Airport, in particular, is notorious for its dead outlets. Just like home-owners, airports have seen their energy costs rise, and they appear to be increasingly ill-inclined to have gadget-toting travelers add to the bill. Sprint, AT&T and Verizon have countrywide high-speed networks that are accessible anywhere they have cell service.Īs for your second question, it certainly has become harder to find a working outlet for preflight charging. As a frequent traveler, you might want to purchase a cellular modem or phone that can double as a modem. However, this could require a hike from your gate, so it's best to call the hotel first and see if it's worth the trip. Many major airports are connected to large hotels, and they are often brimming with free Wi-Fi. A multitude of storefronts means a good chance of finding an open hotspot-whether it's from a cafe trying to attract customers or a bookstore using Wi-Fi for internal business.Īnother likely hotspot: The lobby of an airport hotel. If you don't have any luck there, your next stop should be one of the mall-like clusters of shops and bars that dot most airports. Fortunately for nonmembers, they often leave these networks unlocked, meaning savvy travelers can log on by merely parking themselves directly outside the doors. If you happen to be a member of one of these clubs, your search is over: They almost always offer free connections to their members. The best places to start looking are outside first-class lounges such as United's Red Carpet Club and Delta's Crown Room. Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to play Both are free and automatically scan for open networks while you walk around. I like NetStumbler for Windows and iStumbler for Mac. The first step: Install software that turns your laptop into a Wi-Fi-sniffing machine. Fortunately, airports can be enormous, and your chances of finding an unlocked hotspot in almost any airport are pretty decent-if you know where to look. Nevertheless, busy business travelers and bored tourists often feel they have no choice but to pay up. It's pretty outrageous to cough up what could amount to a large chunk of your home's monthly broadband bill for what will likely be an hour or less of use. While some major hubs (notably Las Vegas, Phoenix and Denver) offer airport-wide wireless connections for free, and some airlines keep their terminals connected (JetBlue's JFK terminal has fast, free Wi-Fi), most airports farm out their wireless connections to third parties that charge exorbitant fees-often $8 or more per day. Do you have any tips for snagging free Wi-Fi and finding places to plug in at the airport?Ī: Free airport Wi-Fi has become rarer than a decent airplane meal. Some even shut off their wall outlets, preventing me from charging my gear. Q: I'm a frequent traveler, and I've noticed that few airports these days have free Wi-Fi networks.
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