If you often find yourself on the road with a wireless-equipped laptop or smartphone, you probably spend a fair amount of your time parked at Wi-Fi hotspots. While there are lots of hotspots out there, they don't exactly provide blanket coverage, so finding one wherever you happen to be isn't always easy.

However, in any given location, chances are that personal Wi-Fi networks outnumber hotspots. So wouldn't it be nice if some of those private networks were made available for use by people who need Internet access?

Now they can. This year has seen the debut of several products designed to let people share access to their Wi-Fi networks with others, effectively turning them into hotspots. FON, WeFi, and Whisher are three firms that have recently entered the Wi-Fi sharing market (or are arguably in the process of creating it).
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Today, Boingo Wireless, one of the biggest aggregators with more than 100,000 hot spots, is introducing what it says is the first worldwide flat-rate plan for Wi-Fi hot spots. For a monthly fee of 29 euros, or $39, subscribers can use any of the company’s affiliated hot spots for as long as they want. No particular software is needed, though Boingo recommends that clients download GoBoingo, a program that alerts users when they are in range of a Boingo hot spot.
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The three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court has upheld a ruling that grants extensive new privacy protections for e-mail Email Marketing Software - Free Demo users. It is an ambitious decision -- said to be the first for the Circuit Courts -- and one that is almost surely headed to the Supreme Court for review.

In Warshak v. United States, the federal court upheld the finding that e-mail users are entitled to the same expectation of privacy as persons using the telephone. The decision clarifies a gray area that has been exploited by law enforcement officials in federal -- and some state -- criminal investigations.

The federal law in question is the 1986 Stored Communications Act, which amended the 1960s-era Wiretap Act -- both of which were amended by the Patriot Act in 2001.
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AT&T will start selling $10-per-month broadband Internet Saturday, a pledge the company made when it bought competitor BellSouth’s holdings in Tennessee and other states.

AT&T was approaching the end of a six-month deadline to offer the $10 Internet connection. “That would be attractive to any casual user,” said Jerry Dunlap, the president and chief executive officer of Internet service provider ISDN-NET, a competitor to AT&T. “It may certainly give people an alternative to cable."

Check the AT&T website to see if that price is available to you. But, before you decide, compare the speed of the $10 service verses the regular or upgraded service.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Summer weather across the country is drawing busy professionals from out of the office and onto the beach. But in today’s business world, staying connected to the office is important, whether you’re on the road for meetings or on the shore for some well-deserved rest and relaxation. With Sprint’s (NYSE:S) advanced wireless technology, it’s easier than ever.

“Today’s demanding 24/7 work environment requires everyone to be accessible, even during the summer when everyone is trying to spend time away from the office,” said Tom Shaughnessy, director of business marketing for Sprint. “Fortunately, Sprint is at the forefront of wireless technology that enables professionals to stay productive and connected anytime, just about anywhere. We help you get away, yet work while you’re away from your desk.”

Shaughnessy offers these 10 tips for maximizing your productivity while you play, with one simple device – your wireless phone:

1. Download that big file – from the beach

Municipal wireless networks that can handle large data loads are being built worldwide, but are not yet available everywhere, and Wi-Fi hot spots can be tough to find. So what to do in the meantime when you need to download that large file and you’re away from the office? Mobile broadband is your best bet. A mobile broadband connection card can allow you to access the Internet anywhere on your carrier’s mobile broadband network. Make sure you find a carrier that has an extensive mobile broadband network, such as Sprint, so you can access files on vacation.

2. Automatically forward office calls to your cell

Vacations are hardly vacations if work beckons at inconvenient times. Fortunately, providers are sensitive to the needs of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and anyone else who must stay connected to their business while enjoying time away during the summer months. Services are available that automatically forward office calls and voicemail to your mobile phone, essentially integrating your mobile phone and office phone system and allowing you to stay in touch with the office while you are away.

3. Take a rugged phone on your vacation

Whether hiking, rafting, mountain climbing or biking, your phone most likely can’t handle Mother Nature like you can. Consider a ruggedized phone – originally designed for the military, but now commercialized – which can handle extreme environmental conditions including, dust, shock, vibration, and/or extreme temperatures – and some that can even withstand rain. If you are braving the outdoors and have to stay connected, this is definitely the way to go.

4. Getting lost on the road is so passé…

…especially now, since GPS-enabled smart phones give you step-by-step driving directions, trip planning and much more on the open road. If you are on your way back to the office after a long weekend away, stopping at the gas station to figure out where you are wastes precious time and is no longer necessary with wireless GPS.

5. Coordinate the troops even when you’re away

Making multiple calls throughout the day trying to coordinate your team can be cumbersome. Consider a walkie-talkie phone with a carrier that has a large push-to-talk network. Sprint is known for its Nextel Walkie-Talkie technology, which makes it much easier to stay in contact on-the-go, especially for projects that require real-time attention and collaboration with others.

6. Keep up with industry news from just about anywhere

It’s important to know what’s happening in your industry in real-time – even when you’re away. Many new smart phones offer On-Demand web content access with a push of a button allowing you to retrieve customized, up-to-date information regarding industry news, money, and other headlines to let you stay up on the latest in your industry. Make sure you find a carrier with an extensive mobile broadband network so that you can have the full range of smart phone features available.

7. Access important contacts on the go

If you need to reach a company colleague or a member of the family, many smart phones now allow you to access Microsoft Outlook or other email programs, which store all of your contacts. Whether you want to check in on the new business meeting or the dogs, it’s important to have your contacts at your fingertips.

8. Create and store a file with all of your credit card information

If you’re traveling out of the country, first call your credit card company and tell them you will be using your card in specific countries and cities. Secondly, create a file storing all of your credit information and keep it in your e-mail inbox. Should your card get stolen, you can wirelessly access this information and freeze your card to minimize any losses.

9. Have an emergency plan

Think about making a Plan B should you get lost or something unexpected occurs and consider adding the feature to your phone plan that offers E911 services, which quickly and easily connect you to first responders, and even give them your location through GPS technologies.

10. Hit the road with a camera phone

There are countless uses for an integrated camera or video phone beyond capturing a snapshot with Mickey or filming fireworks. While on the road, this feature is especially handy if you witness an accident or need to provide proof to your insurance company to document property damage.
For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

First, make sure you are getting the most out of your current Wi-Fi router: Mount it in a central location in your RV, preferably high on a wall or close to your computer.

If you plan to use your computer outside, locate the router next to an adjacent window.

Make sure that other 2.4-GHz devices such as cordless phones, baby monitors, wireless audio speakers, Bluetooth gadgets, and microwave ovens are not causing interference.

Separate your router from your neighbors' router on the Wi-Fi spectrum. It's common to find fellow RVers using Wi-Fi. Add to that many RV parks have Wi-Fi. If they are using channel 1, for example, try channel 12 to minimize the chance of cross-channel interference.

If you still get a poor signal, consider upgrading to a router that incorporates MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) or draft-n technology. These routers not only provide far greater range than standard 802.11b/g routers, but they also boost speed by as much as ten times.

Finally, consider replacing the Wi-Fi adapter in your computer with a more robust one. There are Wi-Fi adapters that have stronger radios and/or external antennas.

June 4, 2007 - Corpus Christi residents, visitors and businesses now have access to one of the safest, most secure Wi-Fi networks in the world, with EarthLink’s (NASDAQ:ELNK) Municipal Networks business unit completing the transition of the City’s existing network to EarthLink’s wireless mesh network architecture.

Beginning today, customers can access the ISP’s Wi-Fi services by paying an occasional use fee for hourly or daily service or a monthly subscription fee providing unlimited usage.

EarthLink brings Corpus Christi residents a ‘landline free’ way to access the Internet throughout the 55 square mile network. Consumers who sign up for EarthLink Wi-FiSM will enjoy download and upload speeds up to 1 Mbps for a limited time promotional rate of $6.95 a month for the first six months, returning to the recurring rate of $19.95 a month thereafter. For consumers that want even more speed, EarthLink is offering an “extreme” product at 3 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload service for only $9.95 for the first six months, returning to the recurring rate of $21.95 a month thereafter.
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BOISE, Idaho -- Ahh, the rituals of camping.

Grabbing that first cup of camp coffee and greeting the day by opening up your laptop to see if Wall Street is being kind to your stock portfolio.

"It used to be that when campers would make reservations at an RV park they would ask if the park had water, electricity and sewer," said Kelly Hogan, CEO of Boise-based NomadISP. "But today it's water, electricity, sewer and Wi-Fi."

Nomad employs 12 people at its Boise headquarters. Nomad recently landed a contract as a preferred provider of Internet access at KOA Kampgrounds of America.

In a 2006 KOA survey, 53 percent of campers said they brought their laptops camping, up from 32 percent in 2005.

"For us it's just become another amenity we like to offer to our campers," said C.J. Armstrong, a spokeswoman for the Billings, Mont.-based company.

Armstrong said about 80 percent of KOA's 450 campgrounds now have Wi-Fi access. Most parks include it in the nightly fee.
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Over the last few years many RVers with broadband internet have expressed the idea of allowing their neighboring RVers to use their access but they were worried about security concerns. The story below may be a possible solution.
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With "Instant HotSpot", a new service of HotSpotSystem.com, people can have their own Hotspot up and running within minutes. No need to buy expensive hardware, nor pay a setup or monthly fee.

People need Internet access wherever they go, especially when they are away from their office or home. By offering Wi-Fi hotspot services to them a company can gain traffic, recognition, not to mention keeping up with the competition. For those living in a residential area, they may also benefit from sharing their internet connection and offer inexpensive internet service to their neighbors.

To start a hotspot service, operators only need to have a broadband internet connection and a compatible WiFi router which cost about $60-100. After they sign up online at HotSpotSystem's website and make the necessary changes on the router, they'll be able to sell internet access packages with their own prices, or give vouchers for their clients even for free, so they can only use the internet for a limited time.

"We wanted to make it as simple as it can be," said Roland Kosarszky, Managing Director of HotSpotSystem.com. "People buy the equipment for themselves, then register online, therefore our service works in every single country in the world. They can even charge users in their local currency. All can be easily managed via a single web browser over the internet."

Similar system costs $600-800 or there is a setup and monthly fee to pay. Now it has no risk to start a hotspot service anymore, even if on a low budget.

For additional information on hotspot services and solutions, contact Roland Kosarszky or visit www.hotspotsystem.com .

Under a little known state law against computer hackers, Sam Peterson II, of Cedar Springs, Mich., faced a felony charge after cops found him on March 27 sitting in front of the Re-Union Street Café in Sparta, Mich., surfing the Web from his brand-new laptop.

Peterson, a 39-year-old toolmaker, volunteer firefighter and secretary of a bagpipe band, wanted to use his 30-minute lunch hour to check e-mails for his bagpipe group.

He got on the Internet by tapping into the local coffee shop's wireless network, but instead of going inside the shop to use the free Wi-Fi offered to paying customers, he chose to remain in his car and piggyback off the network, which he said didn't require a password.
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