Is it possible to use a WiFi Booster Antenna to pick up FRee WiFi at branch library
 

There is a Branch City Library and also a Kentucky Fried Chicken place that have free WiFi that you can use there or outside of the Building on the Street but not much further then that.

I live about 1/4 mile away. Assuming I am within range could I pick up the Free WiFi with a WiFi Booster Antenna?

Please note that I know little about wirless internet. I do have a Laptop that I take to the Libirary and use the free WiFi on.

There is a City Park that is closer to me that is also supposed to have free WiFi but it it too hot to sit out in the parking lot there.

Google wifi antenna boosters and then start checking out Craigslist or Ebay for a used rooftop sat receiver.

You don't use a normal Yagi antenna; you have to have a parabolic reflector going into a klystron tube. Or in other words: You need a used sat dish like Dish Network or Direct TV uses.

It all looks rather easy, but check out the You Tube videos on this subject and see what you think about them.

Seriously!

Thanks, but could us some more comments.

Have been looking at the product reviews on Amazon and apparetly what is sold wich is not a Sat Dis but an antenna all by itself works for some and not for others.

However, My Mother used to rent out a room in her house and there is some sort of Dish left by a previous tennant.

Thanks for the advice. A seller on eBay is selling a kit to do the conversion of the Dish.

There is a U-tube vid on building the what I gues is the amplifier.

I guess I need to take my time and learn what I need to know first.

I can't remember if the Dish that was left on My Mom's House is rond or oval. I keep calling it My Mom's House but she passed away last year and it is actually My House but we have yet to completely move their.

From the Sellers Ad.
"Most powerful booster available to pick up a weak WiFi signal miles away from public libraries, coffee shops, restaurants etc.....

Complete easy setup, everything is included, except Dish. Convert your dish into powerful (18" dish equivalent 1Kwatt ) Wi-Fi long range antenna/booster. Reuse your old Dish or get one from scrap metal places or pick one up when you see on the side of the road. You will need computer with available USB port even without WiFi card installed."

Below is the Sellers pic. Unfotunately the Dish does not come with it.

If I were you I'd use the money you are about to spend on various bits of kit to get yourself a decent connection of your own.

In my experience the bandwidth of the free wifi is not that great. Most of these services are designed to chuck you off the router after a certain amount of time.

It is also not that secure - in principle it is quite a bit easier for "any passing 13 year old" to hack your computer if you're connected to an open wireless connection.

I've been running a WiFi Signal Booster on my laptop for many years now. Mine is rated @ 1/2 mile, LOS capable. I use it both at home and when away from my homebase. Although it works OK, unless you're right on top of the WiFi signal DVR, you'll still get skip in the continuity of the signal. There are much more sophisticated systems on the market today that actually can lock on to a WiFi signal. That's what you want to get.

Obviusly when you go cheap and free you cannot expect the best.

Who maks the 1/2 mile range one that you have?

How far is the signal from you?

And is there anything like Hills or Buildings inbetween you and the signal?

If I remeber correctly from my Roof I can see the Library. So except for a downward angle it is a staright shot to it.

I have talked to truck drivers that use the free wifi at some of the roadside parks in Texas. They all said they had to go to a system like you are describing due to too many factors to list.

But once they upgraded they were happy with their purchase.

And the State of Texas? They are happy to provide the service as the cost for state resources has gone down due to a reduction in accidents among truckers. Anything the state can do to get a trucker to pull over for just a few minutes rest cuts the huge cost associated with the DPS working a semi accident.

I asked a guy who is a bit of a techie if he could shed some light on this and he said he knew someone who built such a system using a garbage can lid as a dish.

I think that is taking it a bit far when used sat dishes are so available.

You do realize this is theft, don't you?

No different than splicing (illegally) into a cable feed.

Depends on their policy...most places make you agree to terms and conditions...you'd likely be violating those rather than an agreement with an Internet provider.

To the OP, What happens to your fancy satellite doohickey when the library realizes you're sapping their internet and blocks your MAC address? You don't think they're going to notice bandwidth being consumed from an outside address when they are closed for business? All it takes is them to block you to render your contraption useless.


Sent from an abacus

I am not seeing the Theft aspect. When I go to the Library and use the
WiFi I log on with My Ligrary Cards number and a Pin Number. When I use the Kentucky Fried Chicken one you have a usage agremment you need accept but there is no passwords of so on.

I have not ever been able to access the Long Beach City Parks one but I am guessing that there is no password or pin needed.

All I am doing is instead of being inside the Library or being out side in the Library Parking Lot (which can be done during times the Library is closed) with My LapTop I will errect the WiFi Antenna and access it from My Home.
Also the Library is piad off by some of My Tax Money and I am a resident in the City I am speaking of.

So I am not hacking into some private parties WiFi.

As one of the other Posts suggested Cities are starting to want to give free WiFi to the Citizens because it saves them money and passes on info that the City would otherwise have to mail out to people.
It won't be long before there will be Free WiFi for everyone in their home with out special equipment.

Apparently there are versions that do use the Yagi antenna and on the one site it shows someone making a small Antenna and mounting that where the Dish Focuses instead of using the mentioned klystron tube (eBay seems to be selling a bunch of these froum Russia).

All of this is new to me so I am going to have to decide on something that is within my skill level to do.
I am 99% sure that the Dish on Mom's house is suitable so that will be free.

Once in awhile folks throw those TV Dishes out in the Trash. I have no issues scrounging them out of the Trash but in the past I had no reason to do that. I have not seen any lately.

Anyway you guys are giving a buch of info that is giving enough info to point me in the aproximate direction.

Read the usage agreement. Most I have read limit use to on-site/while patronizing the establishment.

Then - think about it morally. Why is it any different that you are making use of something a company or a government agency is paying for instead of a private citizen?

If/when your town or city builds out a free WiFi network, that would (in my opinion) be completely different than using bandwidth someone is paying for with no intention of providing it free to you in your home.

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.

I understand that you may not want to give your SSN out to everyone, but have you considered the relative insecurity of using public WiFi? I would rather give my SSN out to AT&T than broadcast all of personal info over public WiFi.

The Internet is public as it is -- any site that you give personal info to should be SSL-protected.

I've done the satellite dish thing for up to a 1/4 mile.

Expect to spend some time tuning it, and spend $20 on any old cheap USB wifi adapter that can take an external antenna+external antenna cable.

Once it's setup though you're good to go.

I doubt the library will mind if he isn't using up gobs of data, plus he's already a member there. Jeez guys it's open networks we're talking about here. If he abuses it and runs netflix all day they will boot him off the network.

If you don't pay for OTA channels, is it stealing to get them on your rabbit ears?

There are pay OTA channels? :confused:

Exactly. If you're beaming a service and not requiring anyone to pay for access, then it's free.

Incidentally -- you get better quality of OTA channel with an antenna than over cable. Cable companies frequently compress their OTA rebroadcast signals in a way that significantly degrades them.

I would think so, unless they have something in place to block it on their end. The library might be an issue if you need to sign in to use their network though.

Comcast Xfinity is adding wifi hotspots to all of their new gateways. See if you have a friend or family member that is willing to set up an account email and password for you, maybe even for a small nominal donation. If I'm not mistaken, you can login to any Xfinity hotspot for free that way.

Would all of you Wi-Fi freebie enthusiasts mind posting your home addresses? I want to look into the feasibility of tapping into your residential electrical and water systems - for free, of course! :D

Anyone who's halfway smart will turn that "ish" off.

I wouldn't try that in a castle doctrine state :P

I don't know too many people with water/power hookups that are available without trespassing or tampering though....

The hotspots that providers establish are really mostly for show, they are difficult to locate in the real world. TWC had them in Hawaii and Cox has them in PHX, but finding them, even with a map, is a challenge.

They are pretty widespread out here in MA. I've found them available in the most surprising of places, and you can use them for free twice a month, which is generally enough for me.

I'm finding them all over the Pittsburgh area. I don't know if the customer can turn off the hotspot or not.

Nope. just another reason to spend $150-$200 on a nice modem & router. Plus, the ROI is short-you'll save $10/month at least for the modem rental fee from your provider.

Alternatively a firmware flash back to the original manufacturer's specification