apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

interesting, I might have to try this. Although at least now I can tether my MBP with my iphone so that helps quite a bit.

That's good. I knew that some people can do that, but if you get out of your roaming zone, it must get expensive, or does it? I guess if you are in the US, it's fine, but once you are international, you'll have to find something else.

I've noticed that there are always a bunch of networks in airports. There is no harm in trying them all to see if you can get access.

Actually there can be harm in trying them all. Airports are a prime target for hackers and spammers looking to get access of your computer.

What makes ordinarily honest people (just a presumption of course), so willing to steal bandwidth? Do they believe that it is produced for free?

I usually sit by a first class lounge to pick up free wifi.
works well for me.

Another option (slightly more advanced but I've found more success with it) is to utilize a VPN service / SSH tunnel. Most airports only block port 80 (general web traffic), and as a result you can connect for free through other ports. You can Google around to find out how to create your own VPN server or you can utilize a VPN provider.

@SunnyBlue: I believe that most people would be more than willing to pay a reasonable rate for bandwidth. But if the airports want to charge $15-30 for an average 45 minute use, I think that is a bit ridiculous considering most people get a full month of high-speed access at only $50 at home. Charge me $2 an hour and I'd pay it, heck I plan on paying AirTrain $7 for my 3 hour flight down to Florida in September (then again, that's just slightly over $2/hr).

@SunnyBlue it is a ridiculous price. The same thing happened to the music industry, $21.99 for a CD with one hour of music on it? Whole 20 hour seasons of tv shows (audio AND video) often cost less than twice that.

People don't appreciate being swindled and many would rather be thieves than mindless, helpless consumers.

@stevenhaddox and @tarsengreen --- Let me rephrase my question. Do you think bandwidth falls down from the sky like rain?

ALL services are the airport are expensive: parking, food and beverages, gift shops. Do you try to steal from those too? Would you go on-line and tell people how to steal from the food vendor? Or how to shop-lift post cards?

It costs money to produce bandwidth. It cost money to bring it out to the airport. And those wireless access points didn't come from Best Buy or Wal-Mart.

I look forward to the day when all airports provide free internet access, but don't surprised if it costs $100 to park for the first 30 minutes, and you have to pay for shabby toilet paper like some poor Bulgarian.

I'm going on vacation in September and unlike many other vacations I've taken, I'm leaving the laptop behind. I'm online enough as it is. The last thing I want is to go visit friends and new places just to be hooked up. I've got a stack of reading I'm really looking forward to tackling at the airport.

I'm with graciela. The first thing I reach for when I'm waiting at the airport is a book, not a computer. I'm on the computer too much as it is!

Sorry SunnyBlue. I see your point, but that isn't the whole picture. Capitalism requires choice and competition in order to function. When an airport issues an exclusive contract to a service provider like a parking company or wifi company, they are intentionally attempting to thwart competition in order to maximize profit. Price fixing and collusion among competitors are also some nifty "tricks" businesses use to manipulate the system. They are, in effect, cheating at capitalism and stealing from the customer. It may be legal, but those sorts of actions completely distort the underlying economics of capitalism and "fairness." This sort of "cheating" is bad for everyone and the customer will be naturally inclined to compensate for this distortion. They aren't stupid. They know when they are being had. That "compensation" (even when its stealing) is good for the system. It often leads the offending business to understand that, perhaps, it is smarter and more profitable to sell your goods at fair market value instead of manipulated value.

Just look at the music industry. They practically lost their shirts trying to manipulate the market. Customer theft was a driving force in making them address their failed business practices. When they finally came around, we ended up with better prices, more choice, and a more efficient system.

I've got my eye on you RichardinLA.