It used to be that jumping on a free Wi-Fi network to check e-mail or do some casual Web browsing was easy. Most people didn’t lock down their networks because they were happy to share and/or they didn’t know how to do lock down their networks. Few people abused the privilege, and it was a win-win all around.
Today, it’s a different world. It’s increasingly diificult to find a free and open Wi-Fi connection. Most networks have the evil “lock” icon. This is all the fault of Linksys, Cisco and D-Link, which have made security on new routers far too simple to set up. What ever happened to the complex process of configuring a WEP password!?
Meanwhile, the media has done a great job convincing everyone that open Wi-Fi networks are just an invitation for strangers to download gigabytes of music, movies and porn.Unlike the credit card business that forgives its customers if someone else uses their cards without authorization, the ISPs – and, for that matter, the music industry – put the onus on the subscriber for whatever happens on their -Internet connection.
Then, you’ve got the bandwidth caps being quietly applied by the ISPs to “manage” their networks. Of course, it’s also a way to monetize their networks given the emergence of bandwidth-sucking video services such as Hulu and YouTube. When you have a bandwidth cap, there’s far less incentive to share.
What it means is the free ride is over. It was fun while it lasted but the party is being shut down. In it’s place, you have hot-spots run by the ISPs; services such as Boingo, (which offers access to more than 13K hotspots in Canada but, sadly, none in Bayfield, Ont.); the occaisonal independent cafe that offers customers quasi-free Wi-Fi to lure people away from Starbucks; and altruistic, but under-funded community groups that try to offer free Wi-Fi.
RIP, free and open Wi-Fi; it was nice knowing you.
Technorati Tags: wi-fi
11 Comments
This has not really been my experience in Canada though my travel has been relatively limited in such a vast country. In Regina and Saskatoon I am regularly able to find open networks without too much difficulty. Further, both of those towns have a free municipal WiFi programme. There are two issues with it – poor coverage and very poor data transfer speeds. Open networks are the way to go for a quick email/Google maps check.
I’m not sure that free-fi will die. If anything, we could see demand once again create supply.
What I hope we see is 3g devices that give users the option to ‘turn off’ the carrier data connection driving free wi-fi. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen this sort of backwards adoption.
Given the prevalence of laptops, phones and epcs, there’s an increasingly desperate need for it.
Will businesses catch on to the fact that iPhone owners and other high-end device users tend to be members of a higher tax bracket? What about charities? A smart charity could set up free wi-fi stations in public spaces and ask for donations from users. I’d chip in a few bucks. Perhaps commercial wireless kiosks that don’t charge an absurd 8/h?
I’m exasperated at the lack of free wi-fi and I’m jealous of the few US cities that have implemented it municipally. Is that realistic for cash-strapped Toronto?
In case you haven’t heard of it, there’s a website that lists free wi-fi spots in and around Toronto.
http://wirelesstoronto.ca/wt_use.php
(I’ve memorized local free spots, one of which is Pizza Rustica at Wellington/John, mmmm)
Shame there isn’t a way to configure a WiFi router to provide a bit of public low bandwidth access — enough to let people check e-mail, or do a slow search or load a Google Maps page. Enough for them to get simple things done, but not nearly enough bandwith that anyone would want to stick around.
I don’t think free wi-fi is finished. There’s some really cool things happening actually! In my city for example (Edmonton), the city council is supporting a number of “eZones” and have committed to adding more. All of the public library locations have free wi-fi. There’s also a loose (and growing) organization of businesses that have started using mesh networking to enable wi-fi along one of our most famous streets (http://www.wirelessedmonton.ca).
In my experience, finding an open network is actually pretty easy. Finding one outside a residential area that doesn’t restrict ports is quite a bit more difficult however.
Mark, your post brought back great(?) memories of sitting outside the pizza place in Bayfield every morning until they opened. Stopped going to that cottage a couple of years ago. Wonder if the wifi is still open there?
Geoff,
I’ll have to check it out. I ran into the same “problem” in Creemore, which led to me parking outside someone’s house so I could check e-mail.
So by free wi-fi, you just mean stolen wi-fi? Just because someone didn’t lock down their network doesn’t mean you have every right to use it.
Adam:
I don’t look at it as stealing. I see it as borrowing as long as you don’t abuse it.
Mark
@Adam -
I disagree. Everyone I know agrees that if you come across a wifi network that doesn’t require a password to access, the owner has provided tacit approval for anyone to access.
It’s like putting a sofa on the street in front of your house, then getting pissed when someone sits on it. If it’s in the public domain (not on your property) and it’s not locked, it’s not stealing.
By the way, always went to pizza place at the end of the week and gave them a huge tip on the purchase of a pizza. Was I stealing?
Have you heard about what Fon’s up to? http://www.fon.com/en/
Brydon,
I’ve haven’t heard much about FON since they raised some venture capital, but I’ll definitely check out what they’re doing.
Mark