Dummies, Wireless

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Part IV: Using a Wireless Network
Going onto one of these not-really-a-hot-spot hot spots with your PC is an
iffy legal proposition. On the one hand, if you’re sitting somewhere (such
as in your home) and your computer automatically associates itself with
someone’s unsecured AP, there’s no real harm. But the jury’s still out if you
actively seek out and get onto someone’s unsecured access point that they
haven’t explicitly set up as a hot spot. A small number of people have been
arrested for theft of service, trespassing, and other charges for using someone’s
Wi-Fi without permission. For the most part, these cases have revolved
around something else — for example, someone lurking in front of a home or
business with a laptop, or someone doing something illegal online over
another person’s network.
We tend to divide hot spot operators into two categories: free networks, or
freenets, which let anyone associate with the hot spot and get access without
paying, and for-pay hot spots, which require users to set up an account and
pay per use or a monthly (or yearly) fee for access. In this section, we talk
a bit about these two types of operators, as well as a third type of operator
who could fit into either category — the municipal/metro hot spot (or hot
zone) operator.
Freenets and open access points
Most open access points are just that: individual access points that have
been purposely (or mistakenly) left open for others to use. Because this is
essentially an ad hoc network created by individuals, without any particular
organization behind them, these open hot spots can be hard to find. (Note:
This is different from an ad hoc network that doesn’t use an access point;
refer to Chapter 7.) In some areas, the owners of these hot spots are part of
an organized group, which makes these hot spots easier to find. But in other
locations, you need to do some Web research or use some special programs
on your laptop or handheld computer to find an open access point.
The more organized groups of open access points — often called freenets —
can be found in many larger cities. You can find a list of freenets at www.
freenetworks.org. One of the biggest of these freenets is NYCwireless (www.
nycwireless.net), a freenet serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, and other areas of
the metro New York City region. Similar informal and grassroots networks
exist in other big cities.
A growing number of businesses are offering free hot spot services as well.
These range from entire shopping malls or even city blocks offering the
service as an amenity to attract customers to restaurants and cafes which
simply have an access point turned on out of neighborliness. A growing
number of chain restaurants (such as Panera Bread) now offer free Wi-Fi hot
spots in all their locations.