Piesang
Executive Member
wol isdn??mirco30za said:
From who? Price or link please.
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Wifi Hotspots - Interesting!!!!!
- Thread starter Piesang
- Start date
From who? Price or link please.
worldonline a normal isdn account gives 300 free mins but i found they always give me 500 free mins at the hot sports
http://new2.mweb.co.za/home_services/isdn_index.asp
http://new2.mweb.co.za/home_services/isdn_index.asp
More than 100 hotspots in S.A.
We have in excess of 100 hotspots thoughout the country. Although not free you get 300 minutes per month for free with an MWEB (iAfrica, WOL, Netactive) account. Go to http://wifi.mweb.co.za/ for more detail. If you do not have access to an MWEB account you can get 10min per day for free at Mugg & Bean or alternatively but time with your credit card which can be used at any of our locations.
Go to for a complete list:
http://hotspot.alwayson.co.za/
We have in excess of 100 hotspots thoughout the country. Although not free you get 300 minutes per month for free with an MWEB (iAfrica, WOL, Netactive) account. Go to http://wifi.mweb.co.za/ for more detail. If you do not have access to an MWEB account you can get 10min per day for free at Mugg & Bean or alternatively but time with your credit card which can be used at any of our locations.
Go to for a complete list:
http://hotspot.alwayson.co.za/
Web Intact
Well-Known Member
Piesangs stats are definitely of the "75% of all statistics are made up on the spot" variety...
We supply hotspot services to Cappello restaurant in Lonehill, JHB; who in turn supply it for free to their customers.
I believe their other branches do the same... all you have to do is ask the waiter for a user name and p/w, then you get 2 hrs and 20Mb free per account...
There are many other restaurants who do the same...
As for the "Netstumbler' approach - you'll probably find quite a few un-encrypted domestic ADSL's on a wireless router that you could tap into...
We supply hotspot services to Cappello restaurant in Lonehill, JHB; who in turn supply it for free to their customers.
I believe their other branches do the same... all you have to do is ask the waiter for a user name and p/w, then you get 2 hrs and 20Mb free per account...
There are many other restaurants who do the same...
As for the "Netstumbler' approach - you'll probably find quite a few un-encrypted domestic ADSL's on a wireless router that you could tap into...
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here is my 2 cents - not a guru by any standards but this I know for sure...
1. I connected to the www at the Vodaworld building in Midrand through my HP PDA's WiFi
2. In Bulgaria - a previously disadvantaged ex-Communist country - often branded as 3rd world, you get free WiFi www hotspots at petrol stations - innovative - but then again they have a way of quickly implementing ideas over there.
And on that note, I was told of a man in a desperate need on a Wi Fi connection going into one of these petrol stations and asking the attendant as to whether they had any "WiFi"; to which she replied - just look on the shelves, sir!
1. I connected to the www at the Vodaworld building in Midrand through my HP PDA's WiFi
2. In Bulgaria - a previously disadvantaged ex-Communist country - often branded as 3rd world, you get free WiFi www hotspots at petrol stations - innovative - but then again they have a way of quickly implementing ideas over there.
And on that note, I was told of a man in a desperate need on a Wi Fi connection going into one of these petrol stations and asking the attendant as to whether they had any "WiFi"; to which she replied - just look on the shelves, sir!
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knowwhere2go
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Hotspots
Mugg and Bean in Hillcrest in Durban is free and their cooffee and setting is good at the new Christians centre
Mugg and Bean in Hillcrest in Durban is free and their cooffee and setting is good at the new Christians centre
bdt
Executive Member
Piesang said:
Well, yesterday I had muy urgente need of 'net out on the road and popped into the McDonald at Rivonia cnr Grayston, where they specifically mention free wireless internet access - and it even seems to be true! OK, I did spend money to have something while I did my thing, but I hardly thing R2.00 for a cone really counts!
Hell, for that matter I don't see what's stopping you from just sitting in your car and logging in from there!
-bdt
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Moederloos
Honorary Master
bdt said:
It is indeed a reflection on SA telecoms that this statement is even made (with no disrepect, bdt!). Only in SA can we think of "stealing" internet, because our prices are so bloody high.
The whole point of WiFi, as I see it, is as a "draw card". On the road? Need to send an email quick? Pop into Wimpy, grab a burger, and do your thing.
And if someone just stands outside and connects - so be it.
Appliance stores in SA show the cricket on their TVs, for example - not everyone standing around buys something from the store, but it does give the store some exposure. WiFi should be the same.
fb1
Well-Known Member
Champagne Sports Resort in the berg has free wireless in the lobby and coffee shop area. Ive also found a few open networks in the pavillion and gateway shopping centres
bdt
Executive Member
Heh, nice one Moederloos - way to make me look like a crook! - but seriously, in the same tone as your original point:
Point of order (I'm still smarting over being 'outed' like this!) though: they DO say that they're offering free Wi-Fi, no strings attached (or, to use my fave-phrase-to-hate: "terms and conditions apply" ...grrr!) In this case, I honestly feel quite ok about jacking in for a quick mail check/online banking/etc. However, going and sitting at the Expensive Books in Sandton Square (if the restaurant in that general area is still doing their free Wi-Fi thing) and mooching that way is an entirely different thing.
) isn't going to amount to that much traffic anyway.
-bdt
- but seriously, in the same tone as your original point:..indeed. Now that you mention it, I can see the point you're going for - and I have to agree that we have been reduced in thinking in those terms.
Point of order (I'm still smarting over being 'outed' like this!) though: they DO say that they're offering free Wi-Fi, no strings attached (or, to use my fave-phrase-to-hate: "terms and conditions apply" ...grrr!) In this case, I honestly feel quite ok about jacking in for a quick mail check/online banking/etc. However, going and sitting at the Expensive Books in Sandton Square (if the restaurant in that general area is still doing their free Wi-Fi thing) and mooching that way is an entirely different thing.
..IOW, in full: the point of Wi-Fi in a commercial setting by a coffeeshop/restaurant/similar place - ABso-bloody-lutely! This has ALWAYS been my contention for "wiring up" a coffeeshop: it's a total (and unnecessary) pain to merge pay-for-time into their billing system, rather stick with what they already know and sell and use 'free internet' as a hook and have the expense indirectly paid for - eg by more patrons being attracted to your place care of the 'free' 'net access.
..yea, why not. Statistically, it's not as if this kind of user (one would be tempted to say 'bottom feeder' but let's keep this friendly
) isn't going to amount to that much traffic anyway.-bdt
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Moederloos
Honorary Master
Using Mug and Bean as an example, I can walk in, sit down at a table, and order a "bottomless" coffee. Whip out my magazine or whatever, and spend the day there. What "price" can they put on that table? My R10 or so for the day must lose them a lot of business.
Equate that to the cost of a 10-20 minute internet connection (esp. if they block all ports other than 80,441,25,110 etc), and the cost is minimal.
In fact, for R2000 per month they can have uncapped ADSL, all inclusive. Expensive by worldwide standards sure, but if they attract just 10% (hell - 1% is probably worth it) more business, well worth it.
The whole problem is that South Africans think of the "Internet" as some expensive, out of reach commodity.
Equate that to the cost of a 10-20 minute internet connection (esp. if they block all ports other than 80,441,25,110 etc), and the cost is minimal.
In fact, for R2000 per month they can have uncapped ADSL, all inclusive. Expensive by worldwide standards sure, but if they attract just 10% (hell - 1% is probably worth it) more business, well worth it.
The whole problem is that South Africans think of the "Internet" as some expensive, out of reach commodity.
bdt
Executive Member
Moederloos said:
*appaluse* - WELL done that man! This is a core problem in the .za mindset: (too often) pissy, smallminded, small time, grabbing at pennies thinking for whatever short term benefit they can squeeze out of the sheeple (let's face it, the .za consumer is probably THE push-over of the western world.)
Here's a thought: how does the (dare I say "piddling"?) cost of basic ADSL stack up against the twin money suckage of mall-high-foot-traffic rent (paid for in blood per square metre (or something like it!)) and salaries?
...NOW tell me again how "too expensive" it is again?
-bdt
Moederloos
Honorary Master
bdt said:
True about the rentals - if you are going to charge me for Internet access while I eat at your restaurant, why not charge me rent for the table space?
bdt
Executive Member
..and thereby, boys and girls, we have the point driven to the ridiculous extreme - just what we needed to drive home the stupidity of the situation!Moederloos said:
-bdt
MobileAllOver
Well-Known Member
Interesting...
My PDA has WiFi and using the WiFoFum software I detect all networks in the area. Must say that most guys have enabled security on their network while about 25% of networks in corporate areas are 'hidden'.
My PDA has WiFi and using the WiFoFum software I detect all networks in the area. Must say that most guys have enabled security on their network while about 25% of networks in corporate areas are 'hidden'.
Moederloos
Honorary Master
My PDA (HP2490) can see the Mug and Bean network, and connect to it, but when I open a web page, I get to their https://gateway.always.on (not sure of the exact address now), but the page does not load (0kB). Someone else was connected via notebook at the same time, so it appears their service is running.
It even appears that an IP address is assigned to me (10.x.x.x, and an IP address Refresh succeeds)
It looks like their router is a linksys WRT54G, which is the same as my router - and I can connect to mine just fine.
I have also tried to go to other https sites from my own network (in this case FNB banking) and this works, so the IE settings would appear to be OK.
Any ideas?
It even appears that an IP address is assigned to me (10.x.x.x, and an IP address Refresh succeeds)
It looks like their router is a linksys WRT54G, which is the same as my router - and I can connect to mine just fine.
I have also tried to go to other https sites from my own network (in this case FNB banking) and this works, so the IE settings would appear to be OK.
Any ideas?
Piesang
Executive Member
I also tried to connect to Mug & Bean with my Jasjar. Get same address (gateway.allwayson.).... but the page doesn't load.
My wifi hotspot at my office also with a Linksys WRT54G works perfectly and I can browse and download with my Jasjar.
My wifi hotspot at my office also with a Linksys WRT54G works perfectly and I can browse and download with my Jasjar.
Moederloos
Honorary Master
Piesang said:
Me wonders why this is? I know Internet Solutions is their service provider - will drop them an email and see what they say.
bdt
Executive Member
...Moederloos said:
...
Subject to crosschecking (with my laptop- which M&B did you try? (..or I could hit one at a mall)) I'm thinking you're failing to get anywhere meaningful NOT because of any fault with your PDA but with the way their system is setup. Specifically I suspect that they're running a captive portal which, on getting an initial web page, is popping up/under a second one (say for UserID/consumer rip off ..err: credit card details) that your PDA might not be showing, but would show up fine on the laptop.
-bdt