Wireless Internet Service

Wireless Internet service allows you access to the web and email from a variety of wireless "hot spots" located in hotels, convention centers, and cafes around the world. This flexibility improves the efficiency of traveling employees by giving them access to needed resources at their convenience.

The specific requirements for wireless Internet access varies by the network, but in general you will need the following:

• A portable computer such as a laptop or a PDA
• A Wi-Fi compatible network card, which may be internal or external
• Software to locate and connect to a wireless network. Subscription-based wireless Internet services may require their own software package, which will be provided for free. For other service plans, the standard wireless network service included in Windows is sufficient.
• For fee-based wireless networks, you will need a paid subscription to their service
• The presence of a wireless network hot spot. Hot spots can be located by going to the website for the network you subscribe to. For a general list of hot spots, visit sites such as Wi-FiHotSpotList.
• Remember that public wireless networks are often not secure. Although not a requirement, you should have a virus scanner and a firewall active when using a public network.

The wireless Internet service business model is young, and there is debate about whether free or fee-based access is the best decision for a business. As a rule, a site such as a hotel that is already charging you will offer wireless access for free. A coffee shop, on the other hand, needs to move customers through, so are more likely to offer only subscription-based wireless access to discourage loitering.

The best decision for your business depends on when wireless Internet access is needed. If your employees travel out of town and need access in a hotel, it may be unnecessary to use a subscription services. An employee, such as a realtor, who travels within a city might find it necessary to find Internet access at places like coffee shops, so a subscription might be the best option.

Subscription-based wireless Internet providers include:

• Boingo
• T-Mobile
• Wayport

Costs run in the neighborhood of $10 for a one-day pass or $30-$50 per month for unlimited access.

When using a wireless Internet service, practice some basic courtesy toward both the business and the other customers. Even if you are using a subscription service, that payment goes to a wireless provider such as Boingo, not to the business. Try and use the following guidelines.

• Don't stay too long if the place is busy. Try and arrange your visits during a business's slower times. Avoid coffee shops in the morning and restaurants during meal times.
• Buy something. Even if you just need a minute to check email, buy a cup of coffee. If you are staying longer, a good rule of thumb is to buy something at least once an hour.
• Don't overload the bandwidth. Don't download too many large files. Not only does this slow the network down for everyone, the business pays for the bandwidth and excessive use drives up their costs.
• Don't hog the outlet. AC outlets are prime real estate. If you know you are heading for a wireless hotspot, show up with a full battery and leave the outlets for those who really need them.
• Provide your own tech support. In most cases, the staff has no idea how to help you connect to the wireless network. If you are having trouble, it never hurts to ask, but don't be surprised if they can't help you. If you notice someone else struggling to connect, offer assistance if you can.
• Say "thank you". Wireless hotspots are a courtesy not a right. Let the business know you appreciate the service, particularly if the access is free. If they see the service is bringing in customers, they are likely to continue offering it in the future.

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