WiFi Hotspots

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

I have no idea how many users of this forum use wifi hotspots whilst out and about but I guess there are quite a few, I certainly do. The problem though can be finding them - especially the free and fast ones!

After searching around on Google I discovered quite a few hotspot directories, but none seem to cater for truck drivers.

So as I am due to have a couple of weeks off over christmas, I have decided that to fill the time I might build a a truck drivers wifi hotspot directory - IF the users of this board feel that it would be of use to them. So YOUR feedback will be the deciding factor.

The basic plan is to create a european wide searchable directory which will be accessible to all and the data will be uploaded by registered members - all free of charge.

Some of the information I plan to include about each hotspot is the following:

Connection price if any
Location / TomTom co-ordinates (including country etc…)
Google map
Other facilities (available truck parking, food price and quality, parking price, etc…)

So if you think this will be of use and if you have any suggestions then please do feel free to add your comments and ideas about what you would like to include.

As always there are going to be questions about how this will be funded etc…

Funding is not an issue as at present I currently lease substantial server space and bandwidth to run other websites and there is more than sufficient room for another database driven site at no additional cost.

I will make no secret that at some stage I will add some form of advertising to the site (if it goes ahead) as there is little point in me doing this for nothing!! Any advertising I do include will be relevant to us as drivers, but more importantly it will NOT be obtrusive, nor by registering to upload hotspot data will anyone start receiving unsolicited advertising (spam).

Your thoughts and comments are awaited, so I have put my tin hat on and am awaiting the flak!

2

sounds a crackin idea hombre,i wouls surely use it,any chance of downloads to navman,tomtom is so last year :laughing:

3

sounds good to me but I’m a little bit ignorant at the moment - I’m waiting for my new laptop to come through the post and know next to nothing about wifi or using it while I’m out an about.

Perhaps herein lies another idea to compliment yours - some of us would appreciate a simple steb-by-step guide to using wifi (I don’t even know the difference between wifi and the wireless I use at home for example).

Is there any way the database could be saved to your laptop for use on the road - how can an online database be used by someone who is looking for somewhere to access the internet :roll:

Don’t take it the wrong way though, sounds like a good idea to me :wink:

4

darkseeker:
Perhaps herein lies another idea to compliment yours - some of us would appreciate a simple steb-by-step guide to using wifi (I don’t even know the difference between wifi and the wireless I use at home for example).

Wifi is just the same as your wireless at home, the only difference being that someone else is supplying it. All you do is go to somewhere offering Wifi, most places offer this for free, then just search for the network on your laptop and click connect and that is it, you will be connected to the net.

5

:blush: I thought there was more to it than that :laughing:

6

You can now also create your own wifi hotspot ,great for things like an ipod touch ,psp,nintendo ds…ect…
top10-broadband.co.uk/compar … broadband/

7

darkseeker:
sounds good to me but I’m a little bit ignorant at the moment - I’m waiting for my new laptop to come through the post and know next to nothing about wifi or using it while I’m out an about.

Perhaps herein lies another idea to compliment yours - some of us would appreciate a simple steb-by-step guide to using wifi (I don’t even know the difference between wifi and the wireless I use at home for example).

Is there any way the database could be saved to your laptop for use on the road - how can an online database be used by someone who is looking for somewhere to access the internet[/b] :roll:
Don’t take it the wrong way though, sounds like a good idea to me :wink:
[/quote]
Good idea - there is no reason that I can see why the database or parts of it could not be downloaded and saved to your desktop.

8

darkseeker:
:oops: I thought there was more to it than that :laughing:

Essentially, the wi-fi hotspot receives broadband through a hard-wired connection, normally via the telephone wire, this ends at a router which is a device which transmits and receives data via radio waves, and provided your lappy is within range of it, say 30-50 feet then you can connect to the internet through it, provided it isn’a a password protected connection.

I believe all McDonalds restaurants have free wi-fi?

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Harry Monk:

darkseeker:
:oops: I thought there was more to it than that :laughing:

Essentially, the wi-fi hotspot receives broadband through a hard-wired connection, normally via the telephone wire, this ends at a router which is a device which transmits and receives data via radio waves, and

provided your lappy is within range of it, say 30-50 feet

then you can connect to the internet through it, provided it isn’a a password protected connection.

I believe all McDonalds restaurants have free wi-fi?

WiFi signals from standard domestic / small business routers can be received from suprisingly large distances, I know of and use several unsecured networks (legitimately) when up to 100 metres away.

10

All McDonalds are free…

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Google came up with a good one :-
v4.jiwire.com/search-hotspot-locations.htm

just need a hotspot to search the list and wifi :laughing:

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Deepinvet:
All McDonalds are free…

To paying customers :grimacing:

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depablo:

Deepinvet:
All McDonalds are free…

To paying customers :grimacing:

They can’t stop you piggybacking their wi-fi if you are not actually on their property, e.g. outside their perimeter fence.

14

Harry Monk:
They can’t stop you piggybacking their wi-fi if you are not actually on their property, e.g. outside their perimeter fence.

No but ole bill can charge you with theft and confiscate your lappy :smiley:

15

depablo:

Harry Monk:
They can’t stop you piggybacking their wi-fi if you are not actually on their property, e.g. outside their perimeter fence.

No but ole bill can charge you with theft and confiscate your lappy :smiley:

Technically I suppose they could but there was a case a while back where someone was charged with theft for charging their mobile phone from a socket at an unmanned railway station and the case was thrown out because the amount of the loss could not be verified.

I imagine that a magistrate’s opinion would be that if McDonalds were protective of their bandwidth, then they could easily password-protect it, providing the password only to paying customers.

16

Harry Monk:
Technically I suppose they could but there was a case a while back where someone was charged with theft for charging their mobile phone from a socket at an unmanned railway station and the case was thrown out because the amount of the loss could not be verified.

I imagine that a magistrate’s opinion would be that if McDonalds were protective of their bandwidth, then they could easily password-protect it, providing the password only to paying customers.

Good point Harry and so easy to do, have seen a few cases in the press where it went the other way.

Anyway looks like myself and many others will keep taking the chance when the opportunity arises :grimacing:

Railway’s are good places, a lot of networks going free wi-fi, although some keep it locked into the first class section, just means you have to walk further along the platform.