WI-Fi at camp grounds

[PKCSPT]

I look up constellations, flowers, tree leaves, animal movement patterns...

My daughter had a cool app on her smart phone that showed what constellations were in your night sky that night. Now that was a lot of fun but I still couldn't find the constellations.

[mary and bob]

We have an app that gives local history and historic things to see. Back to the original question, how secure does anyone feel public wifi is for paying bills and banking. That is why we have the jet pack.

[GuitarPhotog]

We have an app that gives local history and historic things to see. Back to the original question, how secure does anyone feel public wifi is for paying bills and banking. That is why we have the jet pack.

I won't use a public Wi-Fi hotspot or a public computer to log into my financial or other sensitive accounts. That's asking for trouble. I manage to pay my bills either before or after my trips.

<Chas>

[jstrubberg]

That depends totally on how security conscious you are about your passwords and who you do business with.

Your home wifi is not one bit more secure than public wifi. Both travel the same backbone and are subject to the same types of attacks.

The ONLY difference is that you have to be careful to log out of any accounts rather than just closing windows.

[GuitarPhotog]

That depends totally on how security conscious you are about your passwords and who you do business with.

Your home wifi is not one bit more secure than public wifi. Both travel the same backbone and are subject to the same types of attacks.

The ONLY difference is that you have to be careful to log out of any accounts rather than just closing windows.

My home Wi-Fi is password protected and is not open to the public. And I would not trust a public computer not to have some keystroke capture software installed by some thief.

And I don't access my bank/financial institution accounts via a Wi-Fi connection at home either. I use only the computer that is hard wired to the router.

<Chas>

[jstrubberg]

It makes absolutely no difference. Wifi or wired, as soon as that information leaves your router, it hits the exact same ISP network, travels the exact same broadband backbone. Those stealing identities electronically aren't sitting in your driveway trying to pirate your wifi signal. Why would they spend that kind of time trying to steal one ID when they can sit on a backbone and scan for millions of them with automated software? All that password does is keep your neighbors kids from stealing your signal.

Good point on the public computer. A keystroke logger on a public computer in a library would be a great way to sift for private information.

Being safe online has nothing at all to do with what network you are using and everything to do with what you are doing and how you are doing it. Deal with reputable companies, make your passwords difficult and change them often, and if it says "Free" online, run the other way as fast as you can.

[Dale M.]

Take a evening off from camping and visit local town... Any Starbucks or popular coffee shop, most fast foods and all sorts of places have WiFi... Believe you can even look on Google where WiFi hot spots are, check next destination before you move on..

Try Google search for "Wifi hot spot finder" or "Wifi hot spot locator".... Expand you "search" from there...

Also try GOOGLE MAPS with search string "Wifi hot spot locator yourtown" ('yourtown' is town and state or zipcode where you are going to visit or are "at")...

Also try "warchalking" as a search string, its a 'underground' way of marking walls and sidewalks where free WifI access can be found...You can actually park a car next to a "warchalking" location and steal Wifi ( not password secure)...

Any unsecured traffic that is going to be vulnerable to intercept is going to be between you "device" and Wifi router, once it hits router, its has same security as any i-net hookup wired or Wifi or cellular....

Have some friends that travel extensively and they have I-Phones and they can use one as a internet "connection" and Wifi terminal and WiFi through it from their laptops or tablets... Check with any cellular company for services they may offer...

You need to expand your search on options and terminology....

Dale

[Kokomoslow]

WOW All great info. Thanks so much.

[Ron Dickey]

If you google in
free wifi and the name of the next town you are going to say.....
free wifi socorro, nm
it will show you where you can find it.

Most of the big fast food offer them too.

If you are putting in for reservations if you are calling in person ask them.

How ever big public places are not a good idea like airports unless you have a really strong fire wall. there are folks there that sit and wait for you to get on so they can get into your computer.

Ron

[mikeschn]

How about taking along your own wifi hotspot with something like this?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/devi ... le-hotspot

Mike...

[Aaron Coffee]

I take cell phone so people can contact me if necessary, just a flip phone so no internet. I recently bought a cheap gps and I can use it to search for nearby eateries or stores. Got tired of calling someone to look up the nearest Pizza Hut or whatever.

[jstrubberg]

How about taking along your own wifi hotspot with something like this?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/devi ... le-hotspot

Mike...

They work well. If you already carry a smartphone, check with your provider. You can usually pay a small up charge and tether your other devices to your phone, using the data plan you already have instead of buying another.

In my case I paid an additional nine dollars a month to turn my phone into a mobile hotspot versus paying 45 dollars a month for a seperate hotspot device.

[2bits]

Most of the state parks that I have visited I cannot make a call, only make a text because the signal is so poor. I can understand that you need to have connectivity, not want connectivity, but I think the advice of getting a laptop or iPad to take with you when you come up for air for a chicken fried steak once a month and connect to the restaurants wifi to take care of business s a good idea. If you are expecting to get free wi-fi at your campsite, you will be sadly dissapointed... I couldn't get wi-fi at my hotel in the Bronx when they offered it. Unfortunately, just because they say they have it, doesn't mean it works, so I wouldn't depend on that.

FYI: When you pay your bills online your service provider protects you with with a secure connection regardless of the security of the network that you log in on.

[Vedette]

While travelling this past summer, we used MacDonalds!
It was great, and so was the price of bagged ice!!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[Billy K]

Kokomoslow .....???.... it's back'rds in some ways too...!

See that you call Ohio home and since I live in Kokomo ..just hadta..

Hope your WI-FI search was productive and the trip is double that.
Happy Trails.....