Wireless Internet

[wan_amri]

Hello all,

If I had Wireless Internet (with cable broadband) on my laptop at my house, and if I took my laptop travel with me, would I be able to access Internet wirelessly from any wireless hotspots anywhere in the world?

Thanks.

[Doolallygirl]

That's the idea yeah!

[Ethel]

You don't need wireless internet at home to do that - your home broadband has nothing whatsoever to do with wifi hotspots.

Some hotspots are free, others you have to pay for on a pay as you go basis, or by monthly fee. The two common ones in the UK are:

OpenZone
http://www.btopenzone.com/

TheCloud
http://www.thecloud.net/About-us/

Another alternative is a mobile broadband dongle, on contract or pay as you go. You buy these from Vodafone, 3 and other suppliers. These aren't reliant on wifi hotspots

[wan_amri]

Just to add information to my previous question ...

I don't really want to have mobile Internet or pay as go type. I have wired cable broadband connection already but want to switch it to wireless connection. So the matter of interest, I want to know once I have wireless at home whether I could use my laptop (that would have wireless home broeadband connection) anywhere by using free wireless hotspots.

Thanks.

[Ethel]

I will reiterate - you can use your laptop anywhere with free wifi hotspots (provided it is wifi enabled) and your home broadband has nothing to do with it.

You don't even need an internet connection of any kind at home to use your wifi laptop out and about.

[wildwood]

This may be one of those very rare occasions when even our Ethel can't fathom the question.

If with a hot spot you mean somewhere within the range of another wireless routes (like someone else's home) then yes, providing that wireless connection is not encrypted (which it should be). Your laptop will pick up that connection and you'll be able to use that bandwidth even without the owner's permission.
This is what roadknights do; drive around until their lappy picks up an unprotected wireless router and sit in their car outside that house downloading movies etc for free, stealing the transmission from the owner.
Hence, always ensure your wireless in encrypted.

If this is not what you meant then have a happy New Year anyway.

[wan_amri]

Hi wilwood,

What I meant with hotspots were like those at the airports, shopping centres, restaurants, hotels, or other public areas where they provide free wireless to be used by people.

Thanks.

[Ethel]

Yes, and as I said - you can use those hotspots with any laptop that is wirelessly enabled (most newish laptops are) without the need for broadband or any internet connection at home. Your home internet has nothing to do with using hotspots.

If your laptop is not wifi enabled you can buy a dongle very very cheaply to make it wifi

http://www.bmcdigital.co.uk/catalog/view/bluen ext-wifi-wireless-lan-network-usb-dongle?froog le

[ChuckFickens]

wan_amri,

home wireless broadband is just like a cordless phone, you have a base station that uses the same phone line as it always has but you can connect wireless to that base station so can use the internet without wires to the actual lap top.

if your laptop is wireless enabled then you can use any wireless hot spot (either free, or pay for if you pay) regardless if you use wireless at home or not.