(meaning that, because all the equipment used by the hotspot is
Wi-Fi Certified, your Wi-Fi Certified equipment is guaranteed to be
compatible). It can be found at http://wi-fi·jiwire·com.
· PC World Hotspot Finder: Along with the hotspot locator powered
by JiWire, PC World lists links to articles relevant to Wi-Fi users.
Topics covered include buying guides and how-to articles. You can
find it at http://pcworld·jiwire·com.
· USA Today Tech wireless center: Here you can find links to current
news and articles pertaining specifically to wireless technology
along with the JiWire hotspot locator. The page is found at
http://usatoday·jiwire·com
.
In true geek fashion, the word JiWire is a kind of acronym invented by
the owners of this Web business. They couldn't find a verb meaning "to
connect devices wirelessly," so they invented this one, which means,
"joining invisible wires." This is my favorite online directory because it's
more than just a directory service. JiWire offers a ton of advice and arti-
cles ranging from new product reviews to a Wi-Fi user guide and a dis-
cussion forum.
WiFi411·com: This site isn't as versatile and doesn't offer as many ser-
vices as JiWire·com, but I still use it quite a bit, because within the
results, a lot of useful information is included, such as the number of
access points and the wireless standard that the hotspot uses.
Wi-FiHotSpotList·com: Billing itself as "The Definitive Wi-Fi HotSpot
Directory," this site is an offshoot of Wi-FiPlanet·com. I don't know if
they're the definitive directory or not, but I do know that a wealth of
wireless information is tucked within the pages of Wi-FiPlanet·com.
VZ Local Search: Although this site isn't technically a directory, I've
found VZ Local Search to be a very useful traveling tool. This site, at
www·vzlocal·com
, focuses on finding highlights and attractions,
including hotspots, in various localities.
The Wi-Fi-FreeSpot Directory: There are more free access hotspots than
you can shake a stick at, and this directory, which is part of the JiWire
Network and found at www·wififreespot·com, focuses exclusively on
them. It also provides some information and guidelines regarding eti-
quette and use of these free hotspots.
Getting the most out of online directories
Most of the directories use filters so that, by setting some parameters, you
can narrow your search in ways that are likely to return results that fit your
particular situation. The amount of filtering available varies from one direc-
tory to another, but in most cases, the better you get at using these tools, the
better your search results are.
Part II: Surfing the Net Unplugged
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