Tx @ Oklahoma WiFi connections

[Shawn Camp]

Dear Chasers


OK I ran across this 2.0 usb drive thing at Best Buy that supposedly I can use it in my USB port and get Wifi Connection ???? but here is the question what is the service like across Tx- west,North,North West,Panhandle, OKlahoma-Central, Western, Southwest and through that chase area. ???????? Anyone can tell me I'de appreciate it alot. and Chasers please tell me about your wifi experiences


"MyFOXDFW.COM"

"Keeping You 4-Warned"


Shawn C.


Fox 4-Warn StormTracker

 

[J Kinkaid]

So your laptop doesn't have a wireless card ? I am a little lost at what you are trying to do

 

[Jeff Russell]

Dear Chasers


OK I ran across this 2.0 usb drive thing at Best Buy that supposedly I can use it in my USB port and get Wifi Connection ???? but here is the question what is the service like across Tx- west,North,North West,Panhandle, OKlahoma-Central, Western, Southwest and through that chase area. ???????? Anyone can tell me I'de appreciate it alot. and Chasers please tell me about your wifi experiences


"MyFOXDFW.COM"

"Keeping You 4-Warned"


Shawn C.


Fox 4-Warn StormTracker

Try this search result...
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/search.php?searchid=1092852

Jeff

 

[Shawn Camp]

Yeah My Laptop doesn't have a wireless card ????


Shawn C.

 

[Shawn Camp]

Dear chasers


Ok does anyone have any more info on WIFI in Tx @ OK is there good connections for this ??????? anybody out there have any more on this ?????????.


Shawn C.

"MyFoxDFW.COM

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Shawn,

There are several ways by which to get wifi on your laptop if your laptop doesn't have that capability built-in (e.g. as a mini-PCI card). You can buy a PCMCIA or ExpressCard adapter (depending upon your particular laptop which card you'll want). Or, you can get a USB Wifi adapter. I haven't used USB networking products (e.g. a USB 802.11a/b/g/n adapter), since my laptops have had wifi internal to them. You could always just try it out, and return it if it doesn't work.

EDIT: Just to avoid confusion... The "@" symbol is typically used mean "at". You may want to use "&" which is used to mean "and". Just a friendly tip!

 

[Chris Nuttall]

Shawn,

I'm not sure if you're talking about WiFi in particular or cellular data coverage. If you're thinking you can get WiFi anywhere outside of a decent sized city, think again. Most chasers that are getting Internet access in the field are doing it through the use of a mobile data plan through a cell phone company. There have been numerous threads on ST regarding mobile data plans and equipment.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

I find it hard to believe that your laptop doesn't have built in wifi, heck even the $329 mini laptop I bought has WiFi. Are you positive yours doesn't? I don't think I've found a laptop yet that didn't have built in WiFi.

Either way, those USB wifi cards aren't that great. They are short range so you have to be pretty close to the wireless router to get a signal.

 

[David Wolfson]

You're asking two separate questions of a type more suited to the discussion forums. The first is, "Will this USB 2.0 thingamajingy work in my laptop computer?" Almost certainly it will, if your computer is new enough to have USB 2.0 ports. An advantage of wi-fi via USB rather than a card is that you can avoid mechanical issues and locate the adapter/antenna in a better place for reception using a short extension cord, e.g. the dashboard.

The second is, "Can I get wi-fi in the field?" The answer is, "Yes." However, you must be clear on what wi-fi is and is not. 802.11 ("Wi-Fi") is a short-range communications standard designed to cover distances of a few hundred feet or less. Practically speaking, one must be stationary near to an access point in order to use it; and one must be granted access by the owner of the access point. Using an access point for which one has not been granted access is illegal.

What constitutes "granting access" is somewhat controversial and way above my pay grade and expertise. But if access is limited to so-called "open" access points (broadcast SSID and no encryption) and if the access is limited and not for illegal purposes, then you're in the realm most chasers use when they use wi-fi in the field. It's now quite easy with newer access point devices and adapters to configure encryption, so leaving an access point open is very plausibly construed as the owner's decision to grant access.

A few years ago one could cruise the main street of a small town and find multiple open access points of residents and businesses. This is less the case now with the newer devices and media attention to wi-fi security issues. The best sources are motels, eating establishments that want to attract wi-fi customers, and public facilities such as libraries. My Verizon aircard had a large data hole in northwest Oklahoma, so I personally used open wi-fi on the road several times last year -- once on a Sunday afternoon courtesy of a bank .

An important and continuing use of wi-fi is night and morning at the motel. Those connections are sometimes faster than aircards and don't draw down limited data plans.

 

[Bill Hark]

If you are looking for wi-fi coverage, below is a good website listed locations for wi-fi access based on state and town.

http://www.wififreespot.com/index.html

Bill Hark