Oct 16, 2009

Free WiFi, 3G key: stay connected on vacation.
Staying connected to the Internet on vacation or travel became easy since the development of new technologies. It now has Wi-Fi hotspots public key 3G, or the ability to use your mobile phone as a modem, recently proposed by the iPhone. At the crossover from summer vacation, we offer an overview of these opportunities, for those who are not parties, or more generally for users who are restless



A priori one would think it must really be addicted to the Net can not do without its connection when you leave home, and more is on vacation. However, beyond the stereotype of geek updating his Facebook account to the beach, the Internet has become a commodity: without spending hours, it is always nice to check the schedule of a movie, find addresses a nearby restaurant or video contact with relatives. The democratization of mobile broadband Internet and the proliferation of access points Wi-Fi public or charge have made this possible much more easily and (relatively) less expensive than some years ago. Several methods are available to the mobile Internet. Each has advantages and disadvantages: you can use one of many access points Wi-Fi public (free or paying) on your laptop, give it a 3G + key, or even share your Internet connection mobile phone, especially if you use an iPhone. To see a little clearer in these possibilities, limitations and cost, we toured the options available, and we slip a few bonus applications not forget in his suitcase virtual. For a holiday online, follow the guide!

The Wi-Fi public

Connect Wi-Fi outside the home could be likened to a sport as we were discussing the picture of our geek at sea Fortunately, before exiting the PDA and wardriving tools, or electing home to a fast food restaurant, several options exist. Some are free if you subscribe to certain service providers, others are more limited. Lets look at it more closely.

FON: a global public network

Difficult to speak of access points Wi-Fi public without mentioning FON. The network operates on a simple principle: you buy a FON router that you plug your Internet connection. This router lets you share a part of your connection with all other users of FON: FON each router is a public access point for all other users. This does not mean that users will be able to use your own network. It will remain secure. The FON router opens two connections: a private connection and public connection: it is the latter which will be accessible to users.

Note that if you do not have a FON router, you can still connect, with finance, access points, through FON Passes that can be purchased by logging on the access point . Since the release of 2.0 Fonera router, FON users can even receive money on purchasing a FON pass. We appreciate the humor of the developers of Fon who called this functionality mode "Bill", as opposed to the way "Linus" which does not generate revenue. The interest of FON is simple: the network is global and many major cities are full of access points.

FreeWifi: Wi-Fi access for subscribers for Free
Subscribers to the ISP Iliad had already Freephone service, which allowed to connect to other Freebox to make phone calls in VoIP. Along the same lines, Free offers in recent weeks the Free WiFi service, in order, this time to transform its Freebox public access point. Specifically, you allow subscribers to use the public network of your Freebox, already used by Freephone, as an access point Wi-Fi and you have, in consideration of the possibility of using it all "Trackbacks are" who activated the service. Beware, however: Free WiFi service has its limits. The first is that it works only on a reciprocal basis: to qualify, it is imperative to enable the feature on its own Freebox. Another limitation is technical: FreeWifi only works for subscribers unbundled. In contrast, the network faces FreeWifi borders of French territory still lacks compatibility with other networks such as FON.








Access points and home compatibility FON

SFR /New offers for several years now a service similar to Free. Called NewWifi it relies on the same principle of public and private network. Like Free, SFR announces no loss of flow indicating that the performance promised by the operator reflect that public network and a security guarantee for the user. However, compared to its competitor, Vodafone offers the advantage that the subscribers can also have Neufbox free FON access points and thus extend the service coverage throughout the world. As for FON, SFR offers on its website a map of access points available. It also incorporates the FON access points and station.

Orange hotspot ... but many pay

Let us conclude this overview of public hotspots with Orange. The incumbent provides a network of access points provided, but mostly paid. Orange hotspots are available for several formulas. The first is a form that passes without commitment by sending an SMS to get a login code. At 0.25 cents a minute, you quickly to miss. The second way to access hotspots by pass, available at Orange. The rates range between 4.50 euro including VAT for 1 hour connection and 50 euros TTC for 50 hours. Finally, some packages such as Business Everywhere package or packages Origami for iPhone include unlimited access to hotspots from his mobile. All these offers relate only metropolitan France while Orange also has hotspots in other countries.

Other access points free
Offers operators or initiatives like FON are not the only ways to access Wi-Fi. Mention and obviously some fast food chain whose logo depicts two arches in the shape of M. The latter has made a specialty of Wi-Fi access in recent years in equipping its restaurants do not require a connection that is more no entry (a simple validation of requirements is sufficient). The Wi-Fi is also part of the selling of certain hotel chains cheap. Finally, some cities have tried, with varying success, to offer free networks. This is the case of Paris, where the initiative was successful, but also surrounded by controversy around the potential health risks, especially in libraries. The city of Lyon has also launched an experiment in 2007 in some locations, but lack of communication or public fear, the experience seems he was a total failure. But many other cities to get into the race: the case of Clermont-Ferrand, which unveiled its network at the end of June Let us conclude by mentioning one last option: the cafes. Those may seem outdated, but they are still an option for users wishing to simply send a few messages without their computer away.

Some applications to find hotspots and connect
Knowing that its operator offers public access points is one thing. Finding them is another. For this it may help some applications. On PC, we can recommend WirelessNetView. Created by the publisher Nirsoft, known for its utilitarian minimalist, but effective, the software displays very detailed information on the Wi-Fi networks nearby: Name / SSID, signal strength, accessibility (open or encrypted), type the security, MAC address, channel and frequency, and finally speed up / Mbps. We appreciate the feature "beep on network" that emits a sound to each discovery of a new network.

* Download for Windows WirelessNetView

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