The Washington Post presents a summary of advice on finding hotspots, signing up for service: Daniel Greenberg points out the dilemma of Wi-Fi hotspots: if you don't know where they are, how do you find them? He mentions our partner Jiwire along with its free downloadable hotspot finding application (Mac, Windows, Linux), and Jim Sullivan's excellent Wi-Fi Free Spot directory. Greenberg also runs through options for paying (or not paying) for service at hotels, coffeeshops, and other venues.
The Post also ran a host of other Wi-Fi related articles. Elsewhere in the issue, Greenberg reviews four Wi-Fi home gateways in the same edition. He praises D-Link's configuration simplicity and Linksys's WPA support, but notes that when NetGear adds promised WPA encryption their unit would give the other two a strong challenge.
Mike Musgrove points out the problems of interference, drawing on sources like Matthew Gast to discuss how Wi-Fi networks in close proximity in adjacent homes and apartments could be a growing source of frustration to wireless users. Rob Pegoraro walks through Wi-Fi basics.
The package of stories also includes a couple of point of view pieces from people using Wi-Fi in typical ways: sharing with a neighbor , avoiding their own DSL bill by using free Wi-Fi, and the perils of Xbox Wi-Fi.
Christopher Confessore explains that for the cost of a couple of cups of coffee, he uses the free Wi-Fi at a local coffee shop. But this kind of free is interesting because he (like other patrons) feel compelled to buy service. He might be spending from $20 to $60 per additional to use the free service; for that price, he could camp out at a Borders or another venue in which because he's paying for access he doesn't feel the need to provide incremental revenue to the host.