WiFi in the field

[Bill]

Her indoors and her sister were shopping in M&S today and taking the usual number of hours. I had an Android tablet with me so I had a look at what wifi I could "see". The various SSID's included M&S itself, which I've seen before and that I think I gave up on when it started asking personal questions to get beyond the adverts, and "The Cloud", which says it is a free service from Sky.

I fired up a browser which said "beware, its security certificate is invalid", so I listened to R4 instead.

Back home I've looked at the Cloud website (which says to always check the security certificate when you connect), and it isn't clear whether or not it requires your credit card details before you can access the free hotspots ( some charge, apparently).

Does anyone here use this and have any views? It might help me while away the sitting outside supermarket hours.

[polygonum]

It was partly because of wifi hotspot providers like the cloud that I almost totally gave up on them. Used to find that I'd be hopping from one to another and that was causing real problems like you describe.

Changed my mobile package from something like 500 MB to unlimited, saved a few pounds a month. Now only use hotspots if I have to. Even listen to the radio over the internet rather than FM. Actually quite often provide my own wifi hotspot to my Nexus tablet and partner's ipad as well...

[fred]

In article , Bill writes

The Cloud used to be a source of 'free' wifi in pubs and such with the necessary equipment stuffed in the back of slot machines IIRC, presumably as they could relied upon to never be switched off. Half the time it didn't work and the staff in the establishment just shrugged and said, "nuffin to do wif(i) us" (after taking the money for your drink).

AIUI they've now migrated into other types of establishment, McDonalds I think plus others now use TC.

In all respects they have gone downhill as they are no longer offer free access. They might argue otherwise as all you need to do is register and then use that registration to login every time you use TC but I view registering with some dodgy data mining outfit to be a very serious debit against my personal privacy account so not free at all.

Others may know more, I'd run a mile.

[airsmoothed]

I use 'The Cloud' a fair bit in pubs and shops; no need for credit card details or anything. Signed up with a disposable Gmail address and that was that.

[Capitol]

Tesco requires someones(anyones!) clubcard number to register, but their wifi is very reasonable IME. I have largely given up on "free wifi" in the UK as it is always bedevilled with requests for personal information which I wont give. I find Starbucks, Panera and some hotels/restaurants/airports in the US very usable, the UK is almost a total failure. I just use a dual sim payg phone with the 3 network if I need data in the UK whilst traveling. (£10 per 1G, non expiring)

[Chris French]

You don't have to give it *your* personal info.

If it was to ask for personal info I'd just give duff info. But they don't seem to actually ask for much. I use a disposable gmail address,but only really cos then if I want to log in again I can, I don't think I've ever had any unexpected email to that account

I've used The Cloud in a number of places free , no need for CC info

[Theo Markettos]

I wonder, perhaps the data they receive from people in pubs might not be entirely accurate...

Yours, Mr Adjfkshsrw Rsjnkfhseiuhwi

[polygonum]

Where do you get 1GB non expiring from? I only see 1GB 30-day SIMs.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Bill submitted this idea :

I signed up for it a couple of years ago. I don't know much about it, other than I find it connects seamlessly all over the place to free WiFi, in pubs, on the train and various other places. It doesn't need any help from me to do it, it just connects. I just make sure I don't use it for anything security related like banking.

[Capitol]

3 network. 3 2 1 tariff.

[Roger Mills]

He's talking about a '3' 1-2-3 PAYG SIM [1p/MB data (=£10/GB), 2p per text, 3ppm for voice] Top-ups don't expire unless you use them to buy add-ons, so using data just reduces your credit at 1p per MB.

What you *can't* (officially, at any rate) do is use it for tethering - so you can only use data in the phone itself, and not create a hotspot for use by other WiFi devices.

[Roger Mills]

Have a look at this one (O2)

I've registered for free WiFi but have never tried it in anger. You have to register a mobile phone - and they send a text (presumably a temporary password or something) to it each time you connect - so you need it with you in addition to the tablet.

[Bill Wright]

I got really interested in this and took a wifi detecting gadget to Morrisons. I counted 50 wifi transmissions all called 'Morrisons'. I attempted to log on but it just went round and round so I gave up. Next time at Morrisons I looked at my phone out of idle curiosity while I was having a shit (in the lavatories). It had an exclamation mark next to the wifi symbol. I clicked on it and it said 'log on' so I clicked on that and it worked, and I was able to use Morrisons wifi to keep an eye on Tesco prices as I shopped.

Bill

[F Murtz]

In Australia we just get near mcdonalds.

[Andy Burns]

And if you put the SIM *in* a laptop with 3G card?

[polygonum]

Thanks - as I was thinking tablets, I have been ignoring phone sims.

[polygonum]

That is why I was missing it - because we have our chosen phone accounts, and want an extra sim for a tablet. Sim prices have rocketed - they were regularly very cheap, £2.99 at PC World (oddly) until a few months ago. Now they seem very expensive witht he cheapest being £7.99.

Can you use a 3 2 1 phone sim in a tablet? Tethering is not important at the moment.

[Mark Carver]

Likewise, I signed up 14 months ago, never had a problem, or even a single email that I'm aware of. My phone connects automagically to it, whenever it's detected. Even in Sweden and Amsterdam. I've also got O2 WiFi, much the same, (I'm neither a Sky or O2 customer BTW)

[Mark Carver]

Not in my experience, I was sent a PIN via text first time I used it, but that was it, I notice it automatically connects whenever O2 WiFi is in range, un promted.

[Gazz]

Ahhh, so you have to log on in the bogs whilst you're logging out yourself :)