Myth 1:  I got the wireless internet from AT&T but when I went to the coffee shop it did not work!

AT&T gave you wireless access to the internet in your home only (and your yard maybe) which you pay a monthly fee.  To get it somewhere else for free is normally illegal unless it is Wi-Fi anywhere or City Wi-Fi is which case your tax dollars pays for it with the city and Wi-Fi anywhere is a merchant (business owner giving it away because you are paying for expensive donuts).

Myth 2:  My friend says he can get free Wi-Fi access anywhere he wants because he knows the “special code.”

There is no special code available to the public.  He is breaking into the internet via someone else’s router.  It is illegal for him to do that and the person’s router that he broke into is responsible for any moronic thing he does.

Myth 3: I can get internet on my cell phone anywhere in the country, why not on my laptop?

Your cell phone came with Wi-Fi anywhere service. You are logging into a phone network, meaning you are logging into someone else’s computer that has internet service and using their internet, but you are paying for that service, and it is slow and often limited.  You know; that monthly bill.  The illegal part about internet service on a cell phone is sometimes it will log into an unprotected router, which is illegal.

Myth 4: I am paying for wireless service in Washington and the same service is available in California but it does not work.

If you don’t tell the company that you have wireless service with that you moved, IT WILL NOT FOLLOW YOU.  You must inform the company you have internet service with, that you are moving to a new address and tell them the address so they can hook up the service there.

Myth 5:  I see it all the time, people on TV just open their laptops and get internet service anywhere.

1.    It’s TV, so they are taking creative license (BS) to progress the story line.

2.    There is a way to get internet service anywhere, you have to have:

a.    Have a Wi-Fi anywhere card or USB adaptor paid for by an ISP (internet service provider)     

b.    Some laptops have the Wi-Fi anywhere internet service card already built into the computer.  They are not cheap laptops (about $2000 and up) and still the service is not free.  You pay a yearly or monthly fee and it is slow compared to your home broadband service.

c.    Most laptops and desktop may have wireless access (to a modem/router only) built-in but NOT Wi-Fi anywhere.

To recap into some type of perspective: 

1.    Wi-Fi for your home is provided by your ISP.  It comes in via a Wi-Fi modem/router

2.    Wi-Fi anywhere can come from the City, Business Place, built in an expensive laptop or a card or USB adaptor.

3.    It is illegal for you to access a router/modem without permission from all parties involved (ISP, owner of the router/modem service and yourself).

Any Questions?