Wi-Fi has pretty much become a basic human right. When our friend doesn't have a Wi-Fi connection at his house we tend to visit less, when our Wi-Fi drops at home we forget what we actually used to do before there was internet and we wouldn't even stop for a coffee at a cafe that doesn't have Wi-Fi. But you know what's even better than Wi-Fi? Free Wi-Fi. Here's how to get free Wi-Fi wherever you go.
Use your scanner
Your Android will already tell you if a Wi-Fi connection is secured or not. And thankfully not everyone is as savvy about protecting their internet connection as you are about borrowing it. Just go to Settings > Wi-Fi and look for connections that are labeled as Open or Unsecured and connect.
It doesn't take a genius to know that certain major chains use free Wi-Fi like a carrot to entice customers in. Just as the free restrooms at McDonalds cause plenty of people to swing by in times of need and stick around for some fries, so too does free Wi-Fi sweeten the deal. It almost makes up for paying six bucks for a Starbucks coffee.
Join a community
You may have caught our recent story on a great little app called Instabridge, where crowd-sourced Wi-Fi connections and passwords are compiled into a network of millions of Wi-Fi connections. The best thing is it also includes secured connections, so as long as one person paid for that overpriced latte everyone with the app can enjoy the connection.
Every time I head to an Android event I invariably have SIM cards, data plans and calling cards thrust into my palm. Fortunately, one of those many freebies is often a Wi-Fi card that allows you an hour or two of free Wi-Fi access to a big mobile or internet provider. The same kinds of things are always being handed out as promotional items at malls and the like, so keep your eyes peeled.
Swing by a hotel
This one feels a little naughty, but the front desk staff at many hotels have no idea whether you are staying at their establishment or not, so if you casually stroll up and ask for the Wi-Fi passwords, more often than not they will happily hand you a slip of paper and you're on your way. Just cross your fingers they don't ask for your room card.
Because timed free Wi-Fi connections are simply based on the MAC address of your device, it's not terribly difficult to spoof that address and score some more free minutes. This one is a little more involved than some others, but if you know how to do it it's a great technique to have in your free Wi-Fi toolkit.
Hit the library
If you live near a library or take your lunch in a library's vicinity, you can always pick up free Wi-Fi for a limited time at the good old book depository. Again, you may need to stroll in and grab your self a slip of paper, but sometimes the Wi-Fi password is written up on the wall for all to see and use.
Even if you are too cheap to pay for a bigger data plan, perhaps your friends are not. So you can pretty often tether your phone to a friend's device for long enough to check your WhatsApp or send an email. Just don't go watching Vines for half an hour or you might find yourself with one less friend in the world.
Check your cable subscription
Some of the big cable networks also provide Wi-Fi access a freebie in their subscription deals. Take a look at your fine print or call customer service to find out if you have any included data access in your subscription. Technically not free, but if you never knew you had included access to hotspots across the city, it's the next best thing.
Rather than endlessly sucking up other people's Wi-Fi connections you can take a slightly more give and take approach and share your Wi-Fi hotspot (at home or work for example) in exchange for other people's. Simply share your details, log in and be prepared to return the favor when you do have Wi-Fi access of your own.
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