K Charles writes
“McDonalds says the wifi is only free to customers and the OP doesn't eat there. He eats the complementary breakfast at the motel and free samples at the grocery store.”
Although the OP didn’t DIRECTLY come out and say it that way, it IS the angle I take away from the OPs post. To me that violates the PRINCIPLES and REASONS as to why a business offers “free” WiFi.
Bill.Winegard writes
“It appears that some posters find the OP's post offensive.”ABSOLUTELY.
“What's wrong with finding free "anything"?”
Nothing wrong with “free” but it IS HOW the OP goes about getting “FREE WiFI” (IE not being a customer).
Basically the OP is BRAGGING about NEVER PAYING for WiFi, including NOT patronizing the business hosting the free WiFi.
“ Businesses make this service available in hopes of drawing additional customers but few, if any, require any kind of purchase. If they did, they would require you to obtain a password from the cashier at checkout.”
Business “offer” free Wifi, on the “honor system”, this requires HONESTY on the part of the person who DECIDES to use the businesses open WiFi. Even though the business does not require a purchase to use, IT IS IMPLIED that you WILL buy something. Folks SHOULD out of HONESTY should at least PATRONIZE the business. Simply put, don’t be such a cheap skate and at least buy a $1 drink.
You do not even have to leave your vehicle as long as your rig fits through the drive thru..
The tone of the OPs post gives some insight to the OPs intentions, enough said on that.
“If a homeowner is stupid enough to leave his wifi unprotected then he is free game to the road warrior. If someone has enough energy and desire to search out these free sites (yes, they are free and without obligation) then good on 'em!”If the OP is willing to use business WiFi for free, what will stop them from driving around neighborhoods to find a free internet fix? People do actually do this and in a sense is downright creepy not to mention could be considered stalking… Not to mention most "home owners" often do not realize that new routers/access points are shipped "open".
Obgraham writes
“....He's simply using wi-fi spots which were installed by the businesses he listed, for the express purpose of attracting customers, who wanted to use their, get this: FREE WIFI!
What the heck is wrong with that? Are you lot telling me that it is somehow immoral if I overnite in a WalMart parking lot and do not wander in and spend at least as much as the nearby RV park charges?”Nothing wrong with using a free Wifi spot as long as you are a CUSTOMER.
Definition of “customer” from
Merriam-Webster“Definition of CUSTOMER
1 one that purchases a commodity or service “
By the OP (or anyone else) NOT PURCHASING from the said business they ARE NOT A CUSTOMER and therefore violating the spirit of the “Honor System”. It IS THEFT OF SERVICES.
The act of merely driving through a parking lot and or parking in a parking lot does not make you a “customer”.
As far a overnighting at Wally World, YES, I have overnighted, and YES, I ALWAYS MAKE A POINT TO BUY something AT THAT WALMART. Therefore in the spirit of the Honor System I AM A CUSTOMER and my “overnighting” was not totally free. I actually spend more there than a campground (I also find that WMs tend to have very fresh doughnuts in the early morning hrs…Yumm). But it is more convenient than finding a campground after driving 20 miles on a narrow dirt road with no place to turn around and I find out that it is closed... But WM overnighting is a totally different discussion…
Let’s put a different angle on things..
This (using Free Wifi without being a customer) is not any different than a farmers road side market which is on the Honor System (not attended).
By using the free wifi and not purchasing something you are basically the same as if you stopped at a roadside farmers stand and “sampled” (IE eat, cut off, take) some or all of the goods and not pay for those items then drive off.
Do the honorable thing and at least buy a $1 drink… If you don’t wish to be a “customer” of the business then do the right thing, move on and don’t use the open Wifi…
Not to mention that those businesses can at any time STOP the open Wifi connection which would require you to simply ask for the password. Making things less convenient for the real customers AND the business staff.
It DOES cost the businesses to provide this “free” service, you are using their bandwidth and increasing their data usage and even slowing down LEGIT PAYING CUSTOMERS access.
Try this the next time you want to use someones “free” wifi.. Donate a buck or two to that places favorite Charity, tell them that you just wanted to use the WiFi. Chances are you will get a great response to your kind gesture, taking you from a zero to a hero.
Endless travel writes
“I would like to zoom out to the bigger picture for a moment. We shouldn't have to pay for wi-fi and we shouldn't have to look for wi-fi either.”
Wifi among many other OPTIONAL ITEMS in life IS NOT A RIGHT. Free WiFi is a PRIVILEGE just like a drivers license, there is no guarantee in life that states you will have free Wifi when you or any other person is born.
“Many countries provide free wifi in every large metropolitan area open to the public.”
Perhaps you should MOVE to one of the “many” countries and call it good.
The problem with those “many” countries and free services is that ALL PAY FOR the infrastructure somehow, someway, usually in the form of TAXATION (IE high cost of living and or poverty for all).
“The US has this capability too, actually the FCC is trying to put this into effect right now....but it will never happen, because free wifi = free phone calls.”
FCC is not trying to put this into effect, perhaps you care to provide a direct link to the FCC documents which up backup your position?
According to
FORBESAnd I quote
“There Is No FCC Plan For Free Nationwide Super WiFi, Why Won't This Story Die?”This so call free wifi came from a misunderstanding and reporters jumping to conclusions from FCC proposal of
“a minor development in the FCC’s rules concerning “incentive auctions that might free up some additional unlicensed spectrum for so-called ‘White Space Devices,’” but couldn’t resist jumping to much larger conclusions.”
I suggest you take a close look at the article in my link above.
“Increased phone calls on the internet, means the cell phone companies loosing money. The cell phone company lobbyists will have the FCC plan shut down by the end of the summer.”Not really, Wifi does not function the same as the services cell phones provide, mainly SEAMLESS connections from cell tower to cell tower across a long distance. Wifi by it’s very nature does not provide seamless communication over long distance and is designed solely for short range connections.
So for your scenario to work there would need to be a massive change which would require a vast network of Wifi towers all interconnected with the same automatic handoff from tower to tower. This all costs money, are YOU WILLING to lay out the Billions of $ to do this and give it out for free?
NO ONE, I repeat NO ONE MUST HAVE OR “NEED” free Wifi or Internet, it is not a right and should never be.
Sadly we have become a nation of lazy people wanting all and not willing to pay our dues (work and pay for everything). Personally Endless travel your position on this matter just makes me sick.
