蜂窝互联网(Internet)服务的覆盖范围不断扩大，价格定期下降。但它并非随处可用，而且仍然很昂贵。根据Cable.co.uk的数据，加拿大蜂窝数据的平均价格为 12.55 美元/GB，加拿大(Canada)70% 的地区(Canada)没有蜂窝网络覆盖。
是的，我是加拿大人(Canadian)。我不遗憾。那太粗鲁了，对不起。无论如何(Anyway)，这就是为什么我总是试图找到我附近最好的 WiFi 热点。
什么是最佳 WiFi 热点？(What Makes the Best WiFi Hotspot?)
最佳(Best)是一个主观术语，所以我有标准来帮助我测试哪些是我周围最好的 WiFi 热点。这些标准对我来说是重要的。根据自己的喜好进行调整。(Adjust)
- 免费(Free )——免费(Free)是我最喜欢的口味、大小和形状。
- 快速(Fast )- 至少足够快以最低质量观看YouTube视频。(YouTube)
- 安全(Secure )- 是否正在采取任何措施来保护我的连接，或者我是否正在被数据挖掘？
- 无限(Unlimited )——不是无限带宽，而是无限时间，没有内容限制。
还有一个更主观而非技术性的标准。我会舒服吗？如果我必须在加拿大的冬天坐在外面或坐在硬塑料椅子上，我不在乎WiFi热点有多好。我出去了。
如何检查 WiFi 热点是否免费？(How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Free?)
网吧(Internet Cafes)还存在吗？过去，您需要付费才能在咖啡店访问互联网。(Internet)今天，这被视为业务成本并为客户提供附加值。
如果他们发布密码，它可能是免费的。如果它在我连接时要求提供信用卡，则它不是免费的。有些地方提供两层WiFi服务，免费连接速度很慢，但我可以付费访问速度快。速度对我来说从来都不值得，除非我正在做一些数据密集型的事情，比如上传照片等。
如何检查 WiFi 热点是否快速？(How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Fast?)
WiFi网络上的人越多，网络越慢。所以我喜欢定位不受欢迎的地方，或者在非高峰时间去那里。有时，我会使用WiFi 分析仪应用程序(WiFi analyzer app)连接并运行测试。
不过，请确保正确检查您的 WiFi 速度(check your WiFi speed properly)。小事情可能会导致错误阅读，例如在您的蜂窝数据或在后台运行的其他应用程序上。信号强度的数字越小越好。有信号太强这样的事情。
更简单的方法是询问某人。如果是在企业，不要问员工。他们希望你留下来花钱。可以问另一个明显在网上(Internet)的客户。
如何检查 WiFi 热点是否安全？(How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Secure?)
我一直认为WiFi 热点永远不安全(WiFi hotspot is never secure)。我的安全就是我的工作。我总是在手机或设备上使用 VPN 服务。(use a VPN service on my phone)有免费WiFi的地方是黑客攻击目标丰富的环境。他们将使用冒名顶替者热点或数据包嗅探工具等工具将您的数据从空中提取出来。
我假设热点提供商也在收集我的数据。如果一个产品是免费的，那么它就不是产品——我是。他们想知道我是否在比较其他地方的价格。他们想知道我的兴趣是什么，以便他们可以为我量身定制营销方式。这通常是合法的，但不一定是道德的。我怎么知道？我曾经在一家零售商的 IT 部门工作。
我如何知道 WiFi 热点是否无限？(How Do I Know if a WiFi Hotspot is Unlimited?)
假设我正在写我的小说，并且我会整天待在那里，那么我想要不会超时或阻止研究如何实施完美犯罪的WiFi 。别笑，我们这里有严肃的、出版过的小说家。我还不是他们中的一员。那么我怎么知道WiFi热点是否允许呢？
如果我必须通过强制门户登录，我知道他们会监控流量、阻止某些内容并需要频繁重新连接。强制门户是您首次连接时显示的网站，需要登录并同意条件才能访问Internet。
如果没有强制门户，防火墙可能仍会监控和限制流量。我使用的最简单的测试是搜索可能受到限制的东西。当然，我保持它合法和安全的工作。如果它被阻止，那么就有防火墙。但是有一些方法可以绕过防火墙(ways to get around a firewall)。VPN有时可以帮助我绕过内容限制，但也可能违反条款和条件。
如何找到 WiFi 热点？(How Do I Find a WiFi Hotspot?)
知道如何检查一个好的WiFi热点的标准很好，但我还没有告诉你如何找到WiFi热点！
当范围内有开放的WiFi热点时，大多数手机都会显示。我会检查的。您可能已经知道该提示。
大多数连锁餐厅和大卖场都会开放WiFi。酒店(Hotels)通常会提供WiFi，但通常需要仅向客人提供密码。机场、巴士站和火车站等其他旅游枢纽通常提供免费WiFi。同样(Again)，您可能知道这一点。
您是否知道麦当劳的应用程序会(McDonald’s app)列出某个位置是否有 WiFi？
您也可以使用位置搜索按 WiFi 可用性过滤星巴克位置。(Starbucks locations by WiFi)在加拿大(Canada)，您更有可能找到带WiFi的(WiFi)Timmies，即Tim Hortons，而不是星巴克(Starbucks)。如果你去，要求(Ask)10 个 Timbits 和一个双双。
您(Did)知道政府和学校经常提供免费的WiFi热点吗？如果我知道我将在图书馆、大学或任何类型的公共建筑附近，我会查看他们的网站、致电或访问以查看可用的内容。
我还会查看我的家庭互联网(Internet)服务提供商 ( ISP ) 的网站。在美国，Xfinity、Cox、Spectrum和Optimum等多家ISP(ISPs)为其客户提供了开放的WiFi点。(WiFi)这是一项您可能已经付费的服务，为什么不使用它呢？
如果上述选项都没有得到结果，那么我可以使用一个应用程序。不过，我从来没有这样做过。尽管如此，仍有几个应用程序可以找到适用于Android和iOS的最佳免费(iOS)WiFi热点。请注意应用程序表示已为其保存密码的热点。可能是假的。
如何找到您附近的最佳 WiFi 热点？(How Do You Find the Best WiFi Hotspots Near You?)
最坏的情况是我将电脑连接到手机(connect my computer to my cell phone)作为移动热点。每个人都有自己的做事方式。我的方式对我有用，其中一些想法可能对你有用。你可能会做我还没有尝试过的事情。让我们知道您在旅行时如何找到最佳 WiFi 热点。我们很想知道。
How I Find the Best WiFi Hotspots Near Me
Cellular Internet service is increasing in coverage and decrеasing in price regυlarly. Βut it’s not available everywhere, and it’s still expensive. According to Cable.co.uk, the price of cellular data averages $12.55/GB here in Canada, and 70% of Canada has no cell coverage.
Yes, I’m Canadian. I’m not sorry. That was rude, sorry. Anyway, that’s why I always try to find the best WiFi hotspots near me.
What Makes the Best WiFi Hotspot?
Best is a subjective term, so I have criteria to help me test which are the best WiFi hotspots around me. The criteria are in order of importance to me. Adjust for your own preferences.
- Free – Free is my favorite flavor, size, and shape of anything.
- Fast – At least fast enough to watch a YouTube video at its lowest quality.
- Secure – Is anything being done to protect my connection, or am I being data-mined?
- Unlimited – Not unlimited bandwidth, but unlimited time and no content restrictions.
There’s another criterion that’s more subjective and not technical. Will I be comfortable? If I have to sit outside in a Canadian winter or in a hard plastic chair, I don’t care how good the WiFi hotspot is. I’m out.
How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Free?
Do Internet Cafes still exist? It used to be a thing where you’d pay to access the Internet at a coffee shop. Today, this is viewed as a cost of business and providing added value to the customer.
If they post the password, it’s probably free. If it asks for a credit card when I connect, it’s not free. Some places offer two-tiered WiFi service, where the free connection is slow, but I could pay to access the fast speed. The speed has never been worth it to me, unless I’m doing something data-intensive like uploading photos, etc.
How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Fast?
The more people on the WiFi network, the slower the network is. So I like to target places that aren’t popular or go there during off-peak times. Sometimes, I’ll connect and run a test with a WiFi analyzer app.
Make sure you check your WiFi speed properly, though. Little things can cause a false reading, like being on your cellular data or other apps running in the background. A lower number for signal strength is better to a point. There is such a thing as too strong of a signal.
A simpler way is to ask someone. If it’s at a business, don’t ask an employee. They want you to stay and spend money. It’s okay to ask another customer who is obviously on the Internet.
How Do I Check if a WiFi Hotspot is Secure?
I always assume that the WiFi hotspot is never secure. My safety is my job. I always use a VPN service on my phone or device. A place with free WiFi is a target-rich environment for hackers. They’ll use things like impostor hotspots or packet sniffing tools to pull your data out of the air.
I assume my data is being collected by the hotspot provider too. If a product is free, then it’s not the product – I am. They want to know if I’m comparing prices from another place. They want to know what my interests are so they can tailor their marketing to me. This is normally legal, but not necessarily ethical. How do I know? I used to work in IT for a retailer.
How Do I Know if a WiFi Hotspot is Unlimited?
Let’s say I’m working on my novel and I’m going to be there all day, then I want WiFi that won’t time out or block researching how to commit the perfect crime. Don’t laugh, we have serious, published novelists on staff here. I’m just not one of them, yet. So how do I know if the WiFi hotspot allows that?
If I have to logon through a captive portal, I know they monitor traffic, block certain content, and require frequent reconnection. A captive portal is a website shown when you first connect that requires signing in and agreeing to conditions before accessing the Internet.
If there’s no captive portal, a firewall may still monitor and restrict traffic. The simplest test I use is to search for something that might be restricted. Of course, I keep it legal and safe for work. If it’s blocked, then there’s a firewall. But there are ways to get around a firewall. A VPN sometimes helps me around content restrictions, but might also violate terms and conditions.
How Do I Find a WiFi Hotspot?
Knowing how to check the criteria for a good WiFi hotspot is nice, but I still haven’t told you how to find WiFi hotspots!
Most phones will show when there’s an open WiFi hotspot in range. I’ll check that. You probably already knew that tip.
Most restaurant chains and big box stores will have open WiFi. Hotels will usually have WiFi, but normally require a password given only to guests. Other travel hubs like airports, bus and train stations often have free WiFi. Again, you probably knew that.
Did you know that the McDonald’s app lists if a location has WiFi?
You can filter Starbucks locations by WiFi availability using its location search, too. In Canada, you’re more likely to find a Timmies, aka Tim Hortons, with WiFi than a Starbucks. Ask for 10 Timbits and a double-double if you go.
Did you know that governments and schools often provide free WiFi hotspots? If I know I’m going to be near a library, college, or public building of any kind, I check their website, call, or visit to see what’s available.
I also check my home Internet service provider’s (ISP) website. In the US, several ISPs like Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, and Optimum have open WiFi spots available to their customers. This is a service you may be already paying for, so why not use it?
If none of the above options get results, then I could use an app. I’ve never had to, though. Still, there are several apps to find the best free WiFi hotspots for Android and iOS. Be careful of hotspots for which the app says it has saved the password. It could be a fake.
How Do You Find the Best WiFi Hotspots Near You?
The worst-case scenario is that I connect my computer to my cell phone as a mobile hotspot. Everybody has their own way of doing things. My way works for me and some of these ideas may work for you. You might do things I haven’t tried yet. Let us know how you find your best WiFi hotspots when traveling. We’d love to know.
