Re: iPhones now get free AT&T WiFi

Larry wrote:
> (A green tree frog has just stuck himself to the side of my WinXP box and
> is making a curious croaking noise that sounds like a caster wheel that
> needs some WD-40. I think he's looking for lunch....or his mate.)

Most likely he hears WinXP about to croak.

At 03 May 2008 07:51:58 -0500 Ron wrote:
> On Fri, 2 May 2008 16:19:37 -0600, "Todd Allcock"

> >Widely available?
> >
>
> Absolutely, unless you're using 5 year old information.
>
> Those of us that travel and try to use WiFi are really impressed that
> WiFi is MORE than widely available. McDonalds, Burger King, all manner
> of restaurants have free and open WiFi, many Coffee shops. Hotels
> that may not have open WiFi, do have open WiFi in their
> Lobby/restaurants downstairs. Librarys, Hospitals, Govt Buildings,
> Universities, Shopping Malls. You literally are never more than a few
> blocks away from WiFi anywhere in any top 50 Metroplitan area, not
> just "downtown". Just pull into the parking lot of a McDonalds, and
> you're good to go. Even in airports, just sit down outside the
> Continental Air Lounge for free open WiFi.
>
> And its so widely available now that even if you thought it
> wasn't available, go search for SSIDs and Bingo, you may find it is
> from some establishment, business or residence a block away.


Sure, there are plenty of places I can GO to find free WiFi, but places I
can GO doesn't necessarily equal places that I AM.

Cellular data is ubiquitous , WiFi isn't.

> Not sure its legal, but go park in a suburb, and use the SSID "DLink"
> or "Linksys", and there's often someone that set up their WiFi with
> defaults, and no password.

Often,perhaps, but not always.

> Last year while in South Beach, FL the pay WiFi in my hotel was down
> while they were changing providers, but I had no trouble getting to
> the internet in my hotel room via the Free, Open WiFi of a hotel 1
> block away!


Lucky you. Alternatively, I've beeninhotels where the free WiFi only
worked in certain parts of the suite, because my room was at the edge of
the AP's range.

> There are locations where the WiFi is not open, and there if you
> have ATT dsl or an iPhone, you also have access to log into ATT wifi.


If it's an AT&T Hotspot, yes- not if it's, say, Boingo.

> At a Holiday Inn, just go to the front desk, and say "my spouse lost
> the WiFi password", and they'll hand you a sheet with instructions.


Very convenient...

At 03 May 2008 10:53:08 -0700 Scott in SoCal wrote:

> While that's very generous of you to provide this service for free to
> the public, how would you feel if someone used your Internet
> connection to, say, send a threatening email to the President?


How is it different than if that same clown did it at McDonald's or
Starbucks? The Men in Black show up, Larry shows them the open setup,
explains the part about serving the troops at the AFB, and they'll be on
their way...

Scott in SoCal <scottenaztlan@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:cg9p145vsdr5u35ickkqtml4euqb525jpi@4ax.com:

> While that's very generous of you to provide this service for free to
> the public, how would you feel if someone used your Internet
> connection to, say, send a threatening email to the President?
>
>

Every time I mention this on Usenet, I get this same exact response.
However, there IS case law that I'm sorry I don't have under my thumb a
perfect reference for you of, that having an OPEN, UNMONITORED node is,
in fact, a GREAT defence in front of the jurors. NOONE, not even the
Illuminati's judge, can hold you accountable for the actions of someone
who "used your system without your express permission".....any more than
they can hold Comcast responsible for his same actions on his Comcast
internet modem. If you let Y use your wifi, you are in EXACTLY the same
position as Comcast in your scenario.

I suppose it could get very expensive trying to defend yourself, but it
won't work as there are many who have gone before....way back in the BBS
days, even.

"They" know it won't work, having had their faces rubbed in the dirt in
court before....

DTC <me@nothingtoseehere.zzx> wrote in
news:1r2Tj.8318$iK6.5880@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com:

> Larry wrote:
>> (A green tree frog has just stuck himself to the side of my WinXP box
>> and is making a curious croaking noise that sounds like a caster
>> wheel that needs some WD-40. I think he's looking for lunch....or
>> his mate.)
>
> Most likely he hears WinXP about to croak.
>

Ha! That's it!

He's taken up guarding my desk light, now that the sun's going down,
hoping some bugs will be attracted. They wedge themselves up under my
porch light, which runs continuously. Sometimes they get so fat eating
the attracted bugs, they get stuck between the globe and the wall!...(c;

Ron <ronclifford@peoplepc.com> wrote:

> Those of us that travel and try to use WiFi are really impressed that
> WiFi is MORE than widely available. McDonalds, Burger King, all manner
> of restaurants have free and open WiFi, many Coffee shops. Hotels
> that may not have open WiFi, do have open WiFi in their
> Lobby/restaurants downstairs. Librarys, Hospitals, Govt Buildings,
> Universities, Shopping Malls.

I've found another great WiFi location that is often
overlooked.....Churches!

Larry wrote:
> hoping some bugs will be attracted.

Frog will be well satisfied. Windows is full of bugs.

Matt K. wrote:
> I've found another great WiFi location that is often
> overlooked.....Churches!

I guess draft 802.11god has finally been ratified.

"Matt K." <mattie@nospam.net> wrote in news:mattie-82392F.19172503052008
@news.giganews.com:

> Ron <ronclifford@peoplepc.com> wrote:
>
>> Those of us that travel and try to use WiFi are really impressed that
>> WiFi is MORE than widely available. McDonalds, Burger King, all manner
>> of restaurants have free and open WiFi, many Coffee shops. Hotels
>> that may not have open WiFi, do have open WiFi in their
>> Lobby/restaurants downstairs. Librarys, Hospitals, Govt Buildings,
>> Universities, Shopping Malls.
>
> I've found another great WiFi location that is often
> overlooked.....Churches!
>

I fix church organs for a living and have since 1985. Churches are
pretty paranoid about wifi security around here. My Linux tablet is
loaded with passwords to get on them. I only know of a couple that are
open due mostly to ignorance.

Great if you can get it. Most of them have professionally-installed
servers to aid in the money collections.

DTC <me@nothingtoseehere.zzx> wrote in news:NW6Tj.2028$3O7.163
@newssvr19.news.prodigy.net:

> Matt K. wrote:
>> I've found another great WiFi location that is often
>> overlooked.....Churches!
>
> I guess draft 802.11god has finally been ratified.
>

http://www.god.org/

DTC <me@nothingtoseehere.zzx> wrote in news:NW6Tj.2028$3O7.163
@newssvr19.news.prodigy.net:

> Matt K. wrote:
>> I've found another great WiFi location that is often
>> overlooked.....Churches!
>
> I guess draft 802.11god has finally been ratified.
>

Of course, the money grubber Evangelicals have:
http://www.god.com/
being a business and all.....(c;

On Sat, 03 May 2008 14:19:35 -0600, Todd Allcock
<elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote:

>At 03 May 2008 07:51:58 -0500 Ron wrote:
>> On Fri, 2 May 2008 16:19:37 -0600, "Todd Allcock"
>
>> >Widely available?
>> >
>>
>> Absolutely, unless you're using 5 year old information.
>>
>> Those of us that travel and try to use WiFi are really impressed that
>> WiFi is MORE than widely available. McDonalds, Burger King, all manner
>> of restaurants have free and open WiFi, many Coffee shops. Hotels
>> that may not have open WiFi, do have open WiFi in their
>> Lobby/restaurants downstairs. Librarys, Hospitals, Govt Buildings,
>> Universities, Shopping Malls. You literally are never more than a few
>> blocks away from WiFi anywhere in any top 50 Metroplitan area, not
>> just "downtown". Just pull into the parking lot of a McDonalds, and
>> you're good to go. Even in airports, just sit down outside the
>> Continental Air Lounge for free open WiFi.
>>
>> And its so widely available now that even if you thought it
>> wasn't available, go search for SSIDs and Bingo, you may find it is
>> from some establishment, business or residence a block away.
>
>
>Sure, there are plenty of places I can GO to find free WiFi, but places I
>can GO doesn't necessarily equal places that I AM.
>
>Cellular data is ubiquitous , WiFi isn't.
>

Thats what the maps and the marketers say, but dead zones exist, even
in big cities (or maybe especially in big cities), and all too often
3G coverage is like Swiss cheese in some areas, so your 3G is working,
and then it isn't. I took and dumped on eBay an 8525 Phone after 1
week as 3G
WAS NOT UBIQUITOUS.

Ron wrote:

> On Sat, 03 May 2008 14:19:35 -0600, Todd Allcock
> <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote:
>
>
>>At 03 May 2008 07:51:58 -0500 Ron wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, 2 May 2008 16:19:37 -0600, "Todd Allcock"
>>
>>>>Widely available?
>>>>
>>>
>>>Absolutely, unless you're using 5 year old information.
>>>
>>>Those of us that travel and try to use WiFi are really impressed that
>>>WiFi is MORE than widely available. McDonalds, Burger King, all manner
>>>of restaurants have free and open WiFi, many Coffee shops. Hotels
>>>that may not have open WiFi, do have open WiFi in their
>>>Lobby/restaurants downstairs. Librarys, Hospitals, Govt Buildings,
>>>Universities, Shopping Malls. You literally are never more than a few
>>>blocks away from WiFi anywhere in any top 50 Metroplitan area, not
>>>just "downtown". Just pull into the parking lot of a McDonalds, and
>>>you're good to go. Even in airports, just sit down outside the
>>>Continental Air Lounge for free open WiFi.
>>>
>>>And its so widely available now that even if you thought it
>>>wasn't available, go search for SSIDs and Bingo, you may find it is
>>>from some establishment, business or residence a block away.
>>
>>
>>Sure, there are plenty of places I can GO to find free WiFi, but places I
>>can GO doesn't necessarily equal places that I AM.
>>
>>Cellular data is ubiquitous , WiFi isn't.
>>
>
>
> Thats what the maps and the marketers say, but dead zones exist, even
> in big cities (or maybe especially in big cities), and all too often
> 3G coverage is like Swiss cheese in some areas, so your 3G is working,
> and then it isn't. I took and dumped on eBay an 8525 Phone after 1
> week as 3G
> WAS NOT UBIQUITOUS.


Which is more ubiquitous? Which facilitates mobile handoffs?

Not Wifi.

"Ron" <ronclifford@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
news:mv8q14l5o0s8da5hmt4089abogv19u64hh@4ax.com...
>>Cellular data is ubiquitous , WiFi isn't.
>>
>
> Thats what the maps and the marketers say, but dead zones exist, even
> in big cities (or maybe especially in big cities), and all too often
> 3G coverage is like Swiss cheese in some areas, so your 3G is working,
> and then it isn't. I took and dumped on eBay an 8525 Phone after 1
> week as 3G
> WAS NOT UBIQUITOUS.

Perhaps 3G wasn't, but CELLULAR DATA is. 3G falls back on EDGE/GPRS, so the
"3G" customer still has a connection, albeit a slower one. What does WiFi
fall back on? "Borrowing" a neighbor's or hotel's phone jack?

(I realize the iPhone has EDGE to fall back on as well, IF you're buying a
data plan. I'm really addressing the "WiFi is so readily available, I don't
need a cellular data plan" mindset.)

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
news:elmop-8690D9.19455303052008@nntp3.usenetserver.com...
> In article <Xns9A93C45FAFCD2noonehomecom@208.49.80.253>,
> Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:
>
> It's just like your leaving a gun in the open, such that it's easily
> taken by anyone. You are liable for leaving the gun in the open. If
> someone takes your gun that you simply left hanging on a hook on your
> front porch, and then uses that to kill the president, guess what?
> You're liable.

I've authored a bunch of stupid Usenet analogies in my life, sir, but I bow
to the master! ;-)

You're really equating an open internet access point to leaving a loaded gun
in the open? Sure, you'd be liable for the gun, because a reasonable person
could foresee the potential danger. What "danger" is the wireless AP owner
supposed to foresee? My outdoor garden hose and spigot left out in the open
is a greater potential threat to the public than a wireless AP- someone
REALLY intent on it could probably manage to drown himself.


What is Larry doing that thousands of independent coffee shops across the
country aren't? (Like Larry, many of the smaller ones don't require logins
or ToS acceptance pages to connect- they're simply "open.")