Wi-Fi for newbies

Wireless Internet services help you stay connected when you're on the road.

By Kimberly Lisagor

As a travel writer, I've always thought of the world as my office. But that's never been as true as it is today: This morning I opened up my laptop in a hotel lobby, sent an e-mail and reserved a plane ticket online -- all without plugging in.

The technology that allows me to do that is called Wi-Fi, short for "Wireless Fidelity." Experts say it soon will be available just about anywhere a computer-toting traveler would want to go. Thousands of hotels, restaurants, airports, bookstores, libraries and other public places already offer access to Wi-Fi networks. The technology research firm In-Stat/MDR recently forecast that there will be more than 20,000 access points nationwide by the end of the year.

Here's how it works: To access Wi-Fi, you must first outfit your laptop with a wireless card. In most cases, this is a credit card-sized device that attaches to the inside or outside of your computer and costs $50 to $100. It functions like an antenna, picking up specific frequencies broadcast from an Internet-connected transmitter. Installing a wireless card in my Apple iBook took less than five minutes.

The next step is finding a "hotspot," which is technical jargon for an area within about 300 feet of a Wi-Fi signal. Many are places you see every day. Of the 4,000-plus company-operated Starbucks in the United States, more than 3,000 are hotspots. So are nearly 450 Borders bookstores, more than 1,000 Kinko's and about 400 McDonald's. To find hotspots in a particular city, go to jiwire.com or wi-fihotspotlist.com.

Then, when you get to a hotspot, simply turn on your computer and open up an Internet browser (such as Internet Explorer, Netscape or Safari). A registration page will appear on your screen. If the service provider charges a fee, you'll have to enter your log-in and payment information.

The cost varies by the provider, but typical rates are $5 to $6 an hour, $8 to $10 a day, or $20 to $40 a month. Some businesses, including Apple stores and many independently owned coffeehouses, offer Wi-Fi access to their customers at no charge. A growing number of public parks, libraries and college campuses also provide free access.

Once you've connected, you can expect Internet access that's 40 to 50 times faster than a typical dial-up connection. "In terms of performance, it's pretty reliable," says In-Stat/MDR senior analyst Amy Cravens.

One drawback is security. In general, it's easier to intercept data from a wireless signal than from a plugged-in one. Think twice before sending information you wouldn't want prying eyes to see.

After booking a flight at the hotel this morning, I relocated to a Borders to write this article. I'll now e-mail it to my editor, shut down my computer and seek out a remnant of the low-tech world -- a good book to read.

Kimberly Lisagor, a travel writer in San Luis Obispo, Calif., is the author of "Outside's Wilderness Lodge Vacations" (W.W. Norton, $22.95).