I really want to know!

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
In the interest of encouraging anyone who may be worried that their question is a dumb one, I'm asking what may well be the dumbest question ever posted: Do places that offer free wifi, like McDonald's, turn it off when they close for the night?
 

teacel

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
> In the interest of encouraging anyone who may be worried
>that their question is a dumb one, I'm asking what may well
>be the dumbest question ever posted: The dumbest question in the history of EO is the question no one ask. Maybe you are embarrassed or won't ask thinking members will laugh or ridicule you. Remember if you thought of it, someone else has as well. No matter how dumb a question may seem to you at the time, if you don't know the answer and don't ask you are cheating yourself of the ability to learn. That is the dumb thing. After you ask what you thought was a dumb question and get an answer, you learned something. What's so dumb about that? Don't ever look at the question as being dumb therefore not asking, look at how dumb it is to cheat yourself of the ability to learn. Do places that offer
>free wifi, like McDonald's, turn it off when they close for
>the night? I would say this is a very good question to ask. I don't know the answer. How many really do? Don't assume because you parked at a Mickey Dee's and the Wifi wasn't working, they all turn it off. Maybe something was wrong with that system that day.

I would like to know the answer, sure would come in handy if I ever needed to get online for something in the middle of the night.
 

dhalltoyo

Veteran Expediter
Some restaurants, cafes, bread stores, etc do shut down the system when the store is closed.

Hotels do not because they have guests who want to use the Internet 24/7.

Some locations require a password to log on, but many do not. I pulled into a Super 8 near Marshalltown, Iowa and checked my email. Then I found the location of my nearest Panera Bread Store. Why? Free WI-FI at Panera; not to forget great coffee, bagels and sandwiches too!!! Yummy.

I have even pulled into a residential section and used an available WI-FI signal.

It shouldn't be very long before you can get a broadband signal just about anyplace east of the Mississippi River.

I was at a Rest Area in Iowa that had free WI-FI.
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Thanks, guys. The reason I asked, is that my ATT wifi, formerly Freedomlink, is usually available at McDonald's. I prefer staying in the van, so it's sometimes a surprise when the place closes, and several times I've found myself suddenly off the net, at the same time. Now I understand why. And I too, think that free wifi is becoming more available, not less. Hooray! :)
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
MickeyD's wifi is Wayport, for which you need a username & password. Mine is from ATT, it cost $20.00 a month, which was the best deal I found, considering the ubiquitisnosity (yes, I made that up!) of MickeyDs. If you have any other ATT or Cingular services, the price is just $1.99 a month - almost as good as free, and well worth it. Especially as it includes an 800 number, where the phone is answered by a live person, 24/7! who will list the wifi locations for you, wherever you are. And, once online, there is also a screen to find other locations, which is nice if you know where you will be next, or places that you go often. It's a great system for us highly mobile users!:)
 

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
Do all McDs have it? I'm wondering about the ones out in Podunkville. If so, it's worth the $20 as there are more of them than there are Flying Js.
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
I haven't found many that don't have it - though yesterday I found one, in Columbia, SC, (I26, exit 115) that gets suspicious if you're parked there after dark. They called the police to ask me why! And after I'd explained that there is wifi there, and I do pay for it, the police officer suggested that because the manager was concerned about my being there at night, when he does the bank deposit, I should park behind a motel instead. That was pretty surreal: the police suggesting I do something that could be termed theft, instead of doing what I was doing, which was legal...Even after running my driver's license, & determining that I wasn't doing, or "plotting" (the manager's word) anything wrong, they still felt that I should move along. So of course I did, all the way to Knoxville, Tn. And found that the Perkins in Dandridge, which shares a lot with the Pilot, (I40, exit 417) offers free wifi to all, & t/t parking, too.
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Cheri,

The MacManager became suspicious when he saw those googly eyes staring at him. Can you really blame him.

Ubiquitisnosity?????????????
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
The google eyes are PR - don't want to be scaring small children & old ladies with the fierce panthers, lol.
And, I SAID I made it up - got halfway through the word, couldn't quite remember how to finish it, so let my fingers decide, & liked what appeared. :+ There are times when a brain just gets in the way, ya know? :7
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
With due respect to Teacel and others thinking there are no dumb questions, you don't know my former spousal unit.
 

MDB1

Expert Expediter
Cheri,

Nearly all Panera Bread locations have FREE wi-fi and they don't turn it off at night. They have a page on their web site that lists all their locations. I copied it to my laptop and put a shortcut on my laptop's desktop so I can turn on the computer and quickly check it when I am looking for a hotspot. I have parked outside several locations late at night and never had a problem staying online.
 
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