Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Finding a free network
• Method 2 of 2: For the serious WiFi seeker

It can be very annoying if you have to dig into your pockets to get online. Shouldn't WiFi be free everywhere and for everyone? Fortunately, there are ways to avoid the high costs. Try one of the following methods to connect to the Internet for free.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Finding a free network

1. Get out there. Take your foot or bike, don't forget your laptop, tablet or smartphone and start searching! Scan the entire neighborhood for a wireless network that is not yet password-protected. It's less and less common, but you never know.
   • Search a database of hotspots. WeFi is a database of more than 100 million WiFi hotspots around the world, even in rural areas where you would not expect it so quickly. They have apps for iPhone and Android, so they make it really easy for you to search for a free internet connection on the go.
   • If you don't find anything on your phone or computer, you can download software that will help you search for networks. With this you will even find the hidden networks. For Windows you use: NetStumbler, InSSIDer or Ekahau Heat Mapper. If you have a Mac, download iStumbler or KisMac; for Linux use Kismet or SWScanner.
   • Be careful with online banking and do not make purchases with your credit card via the network found; the connection is not encrypted.
2. Use "tethering" on your phone. Tethering means that you receive internet on a device (for example a laptop) by means of the internet connection of a second device (for example a smartphone with 3G internet). It's not the most ideal situation as the connection is usually slow and your phone's battery will run out faster, but if you have to, it's an option.
   • If you have an iPhone, you will first have to "jailbreak" it (an English term for the act that makes it possible to load software applications on an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV that are not authorized by Apple). It's a breeze on Android: go to Settings> Wireless & networks> Tethering & portable hotspots.
3. Find a hotspot from your internet service provider. Many internet providers have hotspots throughout the country, which you can use for free as a subscriber. So if you have an internet subscription at home, all you have to do is search your provider's website for more information.
4. At most cafes you can use the Wi-Fi network for free, at least if you grab a drink! It is therefore not completely free, but if you were already planning to drink a cup of coffee outside the door, you might as well check your mail.
5. All McDonalds branches have free Wi-Fi these days, so set up on a bench or in a window frame outside McDonalds and see if you can connect.
6. Go to the library around the corner. There is a good chance that they offer free WiFi and the good thing is that no one will find it strange if you stay there all day.
7. Some NS trains also have WiFi, so check if you can find a network when you go to work in the morning.
8. Or if you travel a lot by car: most gas stations have free internet, because they want you to hang around as long as possible in the hope that you buy more. But of course you don't have to!

Method 2 of 2: For the serious WiFi seeker

1. Build an antenna. You can buy antennas to better receive networks, but you can also build one yourself. If you do it right, you will receive signals that you would normally never be able to reach.
   • Antennas cost a few tens to hundreds of euros, so if you are really looking for free internet, you better build one yourself.
2. Change the MAC address of your network card ("spoofing"). It's not neat and not recommended, but if you only had an hour's Wi-Fi limit, you can make your computer pretend to be another computer and continue browsing the web.
   • Download software like MAC Makeup to start spoofing. You can choose a MAC address of someone close to you or you can choose a completely new MAC address.
3. Become a hacker. Knowledge is power, but power does not immediately mean that you are doing something illegal. If you know how to open a lock, you are not immediately a thief. Think of it as an intellectual challenge, after all, you are never too old to learn.
   • For this you need a CD with an operating system that you can use as a boot disk. Furthermore, it requires some knowledge and time. So if you are in a hurry this is not the best option. Cracking a Wi-Fi network passcode is illegal, so doing this is at your own risk. It is also quite possible that network administrators immediately notice who is trying to break in.