Seriously,,,,
Wifi theft, :rolleyes:

They've come down in price. They're not free though. Mine is a Jeff Tech out of the East Coast. Do a run through Google and see Amazon. The DVR's location isn't known in most any WiFi situation. You'll just have experiment to see with your equipment. The signal is all important. If the WiFi signal comes to your address and it's free, there's nothing morally or legally wrong going on.

I admit I have not read the usage agreements closely. However, there is nothing wrong with me using the free WiFi at the City Park or the Library as I am authorized to do both.
In fact it was a Librarian that told me that People come to the Library after Hours and sit in their Cars and access it.

I went out and did some checking. The closest City Park that is calimed to have WiFi did not have it. I went to another City Park and it did but I could not get it to open up properly. Could be I was on the wrong end of the Park. But, that is also where an Antenna+Booster would be handy.
The same with the local McDonalds.

I think that means that if I bought one of the 1/4-1/2 mile rang Antenna+Booster if it did not work from My Home it would have use if I was having trouble at specific locations like the Park.

One of the Librarians told me that people park out on the Street in front of the Library or simply park in the Parking lot after Hours and use the WiFi. So they know it is going on.

Of course I cannot say about places like the City Parks or Fried Chicken Places.

Also normally all I do is shop, spend time on this forum or other mercedes forums with occasinal downloads of PDFs. I don't download movie videos or music. Likely not going to be a drain on the bandwidth.

Another question. I somwhat undersand how the Antenna or Dish picks up the Signal but when I do something if I am on the internet and do somthing on the Computer like ordering something I want to buy how does the Signal get from My Computer back to the WiFi Source?

On one hand, I've always felt that anyone, municipal or residential, who leaves a signal unlocked is asking to have bandwidth stolen. On the other hand, it is theft. For the price of a few fast food meals a month you can get your own connection.

Any this is what is on the Roof of My other House; see pic.

Use a router or wifi card with a MAC addy that can be altered :)

As I said I a authorized to access the Library WiFi with My Card Number and the pin Number so there is no moral delema their.

The Park WiFi needs no special access nor does Fried Chicken Place or the some other fast food places. However, I have not read their user agreements.

Previous to this Post I called AT&T and was on my way to getting a 5 gig Hot Spot till the ask for my Social Security Number. That was a deal breaker. Paying with no contract month to month was $80.

So that made me look for other sources like the Antenna.

Through the air. The same way the signal got to your computer/device.

Free WiFi is just that. Free. I've run free WiFi @ my home and everywhere else in the Country for well over 5 years with no problems whatsoever. I'd suggest you consult with a Fry's or a Microcenter retail technical supercenter near you to learn about the different WiFi signal boosters on the market.

I assume you either don't have a social security number or you're worried about privacy. From a privacy point of view I kind of go along with the feeling that a telephone company has no need for such information. They are supplying a service that is very easy to switch on or off in the event of non payment - knowing where you live and where their product gets used is sufficient.

Perhaps a different supplier would have different enrolment requirements?

From what I understand many people in the US of A have now replaced "old fashioned" fixed telephones with mobile telephones. You can quite easily fix these smart phone things to behave like an internet router / modem. The (radio) connection to the mobile telephone network works much like making a mobile telephone call and then the wireless connection on the telephone broadcasts a signal to your computer...

...alternatively a tablet computer with built in 3G / 4G telephone technology would enable you to just use the internet from one piece of equipment (but still enable you to use it as a modem + router as explained above).

I was considering getting one of these "mobile phone" tablets because at the moment I'm moving about quite a bit. Having a dedicated link to the internet is getting to be more and more important these days. The data packages are not as cheap as a "fixed at home" solution but so long as you're not streaming videos and downloading loads of stuff I reckon a monthly mobile telephone contract costing about 30 euros a month would do.

Here's a link describing data usage that might help

How Much Smartphone Data Do You Really Need? - Digits - WSJ

When you sign up with one of the mobile service providers, you're applying for credit. Until recently, EVERY major provider in the US subsidized the hardware cost (free or reduced cost phone/tablet/access point) and made you sign a two year or longer contract (pro-tip: you're paying $X.XX per month for the service, and $Y.YY per month to pay off the loan you got for the phone).

In the US, social security number is still one key identifier. You're not gonna get a loan from a mobile service provider without one.

There are now some providers who will allow you to pay full price up front for the phone/other hardware, and you don't have to sign a service contract.

Oh right - I didn't realise there was a hardware purchase / credit agreement included

I've only ever bought hardware with no SIM locks so I can swap SIM cards about when I'm in different countries. Being "abroad" with a mobile phone can get pretty expensive if you're not careful.

With NetZero you perchase the Hardware from them and you pay for the Service. I have not ask about what is needed to get the service as I am exploring the Free Path right now.

What I was told was that if I paid by the Month no Social Security Number was needed. If I had a contract (that gave a reduced monthly fee) they had to have the Social Security Number.