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Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

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Re: Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

#31

Post by pyvpx »

dnlrn wrote: post #24
lucb1e wrote: post #11

In case anyone can't find the Netherlands, I could understand why: http://i.snag.gy/7vbiZ.jpg This also explains why I'm so frustrated with WiFi abroad: I probably got spoiled here. Here we can find WiFi in the most unlikely of places (e.g. supermarkets, buses); in Germany you can find one in a coffee shop if you're lucky, but that one is probably paid as well, just like all the other ones.

What also hinders open Wi-Fi adoption in Germany is a law called "Störerhaftung", which basically states that the owner of the Wi-Fi is liable for all damages that users of his Wi-Fi do, for example filesharing, hacking, whatever. Keeping track of all users is not an option that all free Wi-Fi operators have. I'm sure other countries have similar laws. Do The Netherlands not have such a law?

I just came across Airfy which apparently gets around this by tunnelling (I assume) all traffic and taking all legal liability and risk. I've also read that this Stoererhaftung law is set to change this year, specifically to allow things like free WiFi in businesses.

Re: Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

#32

Post by rgawdzik »

jjawssd wrote: post #29

This is not mapping free WiFi hotspots. This is mapping open Wifi hotspots. They are not the same. For example, KPN in the Netherlands is not free, and xfinity wifi in the USA is not free. For this to have any sort of credibility, there needs to be a discriminant filter mapping truly free vs open hotspots. For me this current map is too noisy to be of value. Try using it for free internet, and you too may run into di…

You are right. I already removed the xfinity hotspots. We'll be adding a feedback form into our web + mobile app so non-free or low quality APs can be removed.

Re: Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

#34

Post by 4lejandrito »

Nice work! This reminds me to something I tried a while ago:

https://wiffinity.com

They basically provide the same thing but as a crowdsourced list of truly free hotspots and you can connect to them through the app. Only available as a native app though...

Re: Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

#36

Post by ux »

jjawssd wrote: post #29

This is not mapping free WiFi hotspots. This is mapping open Wifi hotspots. They are not the same. For example, KPN in the Netherlands is not free, and xfinity wifi in the USA is not free. For this to have any sort of credibility, there needs to be a discriminant filter mapping truly free vs open hotspots. For me this current map is too noisy to be of value. Try using it for free internet, and you too may run into di…

This kind of map actually needs some minimal classification. There are actually flavors between free and open wifi.

For instance, how would you categorize a wifi in an airport which needs you to fill a random form/survey (not paying anything) to access the Internet? Same question if it is then limited to something like 10 minutes (and you then need to pay, or just trick on your macaddr/dhcpname/...)? In these case, you can actually access the Internet for free, but they are extremely annoying.

Note: these kind of wireless network are actually very common in some places

Re: Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

#37

Post by sinak »

Looks really great - love the web view of WiFi density, and great to see more efforts in this space.

We've built something similar at OpenSignal. Our WifiMapper [1] app on iOS and Android has a database of over 2 million networks, and we're also crowdsourcing a database of passwords and connection speeds.

[1] https://www.wifimapper.com/

Re: Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

#38

Post by hmpc »

rgawdzik wrote: post #32
jjawssd wrote: post #29

This is not mapping free WiFi hotspots. This is mapping open Wifi hotspots. They are not the same. For example, KPN in the Netherlands is not free, and xfinity wifi in the USA is not free. For this to have any sort of credibility, there needs to be a discriminant filter mapping truly free vs open hotspots. For me this current map is too noisy to be of value. Try using it for free internet, and you too may run into di…

You are right. I already removed the xfinity hotspots. We'll be adding a feedback form into our web + mobile app so non-free or low quality APs can be removed.

You can also remove all the "STCP | PortoDigital" networks in Porto, Portugal, which are WiFi hotspots in the public buses. Interesting map!

(Disclaimer: I work for the company who implemented that network.)

Re: Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

#39

Post by benbristow »

rgawdzik wrote: post #32
jjawssd wrote: post #29

This is not mapping free WiFi hotspots. This is mapping open Wifi hotspots. They are not the same. For example, KPN in the Netherlands is not free, and xfinity wifi in the USA is not free. For this to have any sort of credibility, there needs to be a discriminant filter mapping truly free vs open hotspots. For me this current map is too noisy to be of value. Try using it for free internet, and you too may run into di…

You are right. I already removed the xfinity hotspots. We'll be adding a feedback form into our web + mobile app so non-free or low quality APs can be removed.

Also 'BTOpenzone/BT WiFi/BT FON' networks in the UK. Absolute rips as well for price.

Re: Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world

#40

Post by jjawssd »

rgawdzik wrote: post #32
jjawssd wrote: post #29

This is not mapping free WiFi hotspots. This is mapping open Wifi hotspots. They are not the same. For example, KPN in the Netherlands is not free, and xfinity wifi in the USA is not free. For this to have any sort of credibility, there needs to be a discriminant filter mapping truly free vs open hotspots. For me this current map is too noisy to be of value. Try using it for free internet, and you too may run into di…

You are right. I already removed the xfinity hotspots. We'll be adding a feedback form into our web + mobile app so non-free or low quality APs can be removed.

I suggest you allowing tagging of each hotspot and assigning some sort of label to each hotspot. Thanks!

Some crucial filters:

1. Free vs Non-Free

2. Free time limit

Some nice-to-haves:

1. Average bandwidth

2. Cost per unit time

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