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  • Free wireless places

    Since more and more people are connecting wirelessly via laptops and whatnot, I thought I'd start a thread on where people can get free internet.

    I'm at Pearlridge's food court (the place by borders) and the signal strength is good so far with a Linksys PC card.
    How'd I get so white and nerdy?

  • #2
    Re: Free wireless places

    I know the Apple Store, MacMouse Club and Comp USA has wireless hotspots that are free. Here is a link to a site that lists free Hawaii hot spots.

    http://wififreespot.com/ha.html

    I don't know how up to date this list is as I don't go to all of these places.

    You can also try this one: http://www.wifinder.com/index.php

    The State Capitol is in the process of putting wireless in the conference hearing rooms. The system is partially running now. In theory you probably can take your laptop to the capitol and site inside or outside near the hearing rooms and get online. Not sure if the capitol system will be open or closed only to legislative websites and information.
    I'm still here. Are you?

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    • #3
      Re: Free wireless places

      Whatever else you do while you're in one of those hot spots, please please please don't access any of your files (bank accounts, etc) that you don't want hacked. You never know whose sniffer might be capturing your traffic. Surfing the web is fine, but I sure wouldn't log into my banking system while on wifi!


      Miulang
      "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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      • #4
        Re: Free wireless places

        I'm on thebus's wifi network (called iride) and its 5mbps!!!

        And of course I'm not that stupid to access personal info on public connections. I just go on forums and check news.
        How'd I get so white and nerdy?

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        • #5
          Re: Free wireless places

          If you're at Ala Moana Center, go to the 4th floor and there's a sort of rest area near bubba gump's shrimp company with some restrooms (some very clean restrooms - its almost like the convention center). The speed is not too bad, but atleast you can relax here (but the chair I'm sitting in is too big, and I can't lean back or put my laptop on the table because its too far away.)
          How'd I get so white and nerdy?

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          • #6
            Re: Free wireless places

            The wireless signal on the 4th floor near Bubba Gump's is probably coming from the Mai Tai bar/lounge. On the 3rd floor, the Apple Store has a signal and I think in the Food Court near the Cove Bar area.

            The wifi at the State Capitol is up and running. (From the Public Access Room webpage)


            NEWSFLASH! Wi-Fi at the State Capitol

            For those of you with wireless capability on your computer laptops and notebooks, tracking legislation and communicating while at the Capitol just got easier. While the Public Access Room still has its array of desktop computers for you to use, you can now enjoy free wireless Internet connectivity in our office (room 401), as well as House and Senate conference rooms, the auditorium, certain areas of the chamber-level hallway, and the central corridors along railings on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors.

            The service is free, and access codes and registration are not required. Please don't hesitate to stop by, email or give us a call if you have any questions!
            I'm still here. Are you?

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            • #7
              Re: Free wireless places

              Originally posted by Jonah K
              8. Is it wireless and what is your favorite Hotspot in Hawaii?
              It has WiFi and my favorite hotspot in Hawai'i is at the airport in Honolulu.
              Several people in the laptop computer thread indicated that the airport was one of their favorite wireless access points. The last time I ran my iBook at Honolulu International Airport, you had to pay for wireless access... something like 15¢ a minute. With several of you mentioning the airport, I was wondering if you are paying for access or is wifi now free?

              What about other airports in Hawaii? I know Hilo does not have wireless. I been in there a few times now with my iBook and get no signal. Hilo does have the most comfortable chairs in their main waiting lounge. It would be a perfect place for wireless access.
              I'm still here. Are you?

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              • #8
                Re: Free wireless places

                Originally posted by mel
                Several people in the laptop computer thread indicated that the airport was one of their favorite wireless access points. The last time I ran my iBook at Honolulu International Airport, you had to pay for wireless access... something like 15¢ a minute. With several of you mentioning the airport, I was wondering if you are paying for access or is wifi now free?

                What about other airports in Hawaii? I know Hilo does not have wireless. I been in there a few times now with my iBook and get no signal. Hilo does have the most comfortable chairs in their main waiting lounge. It would be a perfect place for wireless access.

                Hey Mel, at Hilo you can now walk upstairs and sit at lounge chairs right at the boarding gate/jetway. Before you had to show your boarding pass at the base of the stairs, then again at the jetway. Now it's just at the Jetway.

                I wish they would move the security check at the base of the stairs so families can say their goodbye's in the comfort of an enclosed lobby instead of outside on a rainy curb with pushy guards telling you to move your vehicle. When I went to Honolulu a couple of weeks ago for a funeral, I wanted to kiss my wife goodbye but the guard told her to move the car. I just got out with my hand carry bag and was trying to walk around the front of the car to the drivers side to kiss her but as soon as I got out, the guard told her to leave. Not even there five seconds and ushered out. I gave that guard one really big stink eye as my wife drove off.
                Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                • #9
                  Re: Free wireless places

                  From the latest Pacific Business News:

                  Chinatown to get free wifi for a year!!!

                  http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/s...ml?jst=b_ln_hl
                  Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Free wireless places

                    Originally posted by craigwatanabe
                    Hey Mel, at Hilo you can now walk upstairs and sit at lounge chairs right at the boarding gate/jetway. Before you had to show your boarding pass at the base of the stairs, then again at the jetway. Now it's just at the Jetway.

                    I wish they would move the security check at the base of the stairs so families can say their goodbye's in the comfort of an enclosed lobby instead of outside on a rainy curb with pushy guards telling you to move your vehicle.
                    Yes, I like the fact that we can go upstairs and sit on the regular chairs in the 2nd holding area and actually watch the planes come and go (if you are lucky enough to be in an area next to the window). Usually I am at Hilo early enough that I prefer to wait on the ground floor level since they have those old style sofa chairs there. Like I said previously, that area would be perfect for wireless. They even have small coffee tables there where you could lay your computer on.

                    Of course the danger is that I could probably get wrapped up in what I am doing online and forget to board my plane.

                    As for using the base of the stairs area for the security check, it would probably only work for Hawaiian and Aloha Airlines since they are the only 2 that I know of that can use the jetway. Island Air and GO, you have to enter from the tarmac which would probably require a set up near the Island Air gate area.

                    BTW, ATA also flies Oakland to Hilo on a 737-700, so I guess they use the jetway too in Hilo.

                    OK.. this is straying off topic as this is supposed to be for wireless.

                    Anyone have thoughts on the possibility of airlines including wifi on board planes?
                    I'm still here. Are you?

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                    • #11
                      Re: Free wireless places

                      I started a new thread to talk about the Chinatown Wi-Fi project specifically, since it's a bit more than a 'hotspot.'

                      It did remind me to look up how the Wireless Waikiki project is doing. Apparently they finished their first phase in April. Seeing as how individual hotels are also deploying their own paid systems, though, I've always wondered how well covering all of Waikiki would work.

                      Around town, of course, a lot of free 'hotspots' are unintentional. Remember the local wireless wardrive I posted about a while back? I just posted an update to that thread as well. Unsecured access points are everywhere. Since the beginning of the year, the number of SSIDs detectable from our living room has jumped from four to seven, and only two are secured!

                      As for Wi-Fi on airplanes, Mel, the tests have been getting mixed reviews, and just a couple of weeks ago it sounded like Boeing's program was being scuttled. With issues like power availability and premium pricing (from $12 to $250 a flight!), I don't know how well it'll work out. Considering that airlines are cutting meal service and charging for pillows, this certainly won't be a feature that'll come cheap.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Free wireless places

                        Here's a site i used back in texas that had tons of entries. it's user based so anyone can add a site for a area as long as it's free.

                        let's start adding spots for Honolulu

                        http://www.ilovefreewifi.com/honolulu/






                        ...
                        website - http://www.brianhancock.com
                        blog - http://blog.brianhancock.com

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                        • #13
                          Re: Free wireless places

                          There are lots, and I mean lots, of 'free wireless directories' out there covering various metro areas and neighborhoods.

                          I know the folks at the Hawaii Handheld Computer Palm pda Group (HiHug) have helped maintain this Honolulu wi-fi list, occasionally posting comments about the various locations. Looks like they broke their Google Map link and the pop-ups are annoying, but it's as good a place to start as any.

                          There's a broader listing here, with other islands represented.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Free wireless places

                            Here's another wireless lookup site -- this one uses a Google Maps mashup.

                            http://hotspotr.com/

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                            • #15
                              Re: Free wireless places

                              It's been more than a year since this thread was bumped. But I am wondering if anyone has a favorite free publicly accessible wifi hotspot that they use regularly. Some of the links shown in the previous messages in this thread are dead, other alive, but seemingly not updated regular or if at all since this thread started.

                              Here are some links that I checked. Don't know for sure if all of the wifi hotspots listed are "free". I am looking for a good public place like a restaurant or something in the Downtown to Ala Moana area where there still is free wifi.

                              Oceanic Roadrunner need not apply.

                              Wireless Waikiki c/o ShakaNet - is this still active?
                              http://www.wirelesswaikiki.org/

                              WiFi Freespot
                              http://wififreespot.com/ha.html

                              Wifi Finder
                              http://www.wifinder.com/

                              I Love Free Wifi
                              http://www.ilovefreewifi.com/honolulu/

                              Kokua Wireless - seems to be heavily concentrated in DT/ Chinatown.
                              http://public.meraki.com/network/kokuawireless

                              Hawaii State Capitol - info @ Public Access Room
                              http://hawaii.gov/lrb/par/
                              I'm still here. Are you?

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