How to Get Free or Cheap Internet Access at Home

Many of us do not need lightning fast internet access, but we do like internet access for general browsing, checking email, keeping up with sites like face book, and paying bills. Internet connections like DSL can cost you far beyond what you really need. For people who are doing what I mentioned, and not huge file and data transfers, 1 simple DSL connection would be enough to supply internet access easily for over 30 households! I'm writing this article for you to help you know of ways to get internet access for free, or for very cheap by sharing a connection with neighbors.

Things You'll Need

• An internet connection
• A wifi router
• Wifi adapters
• laptop.
• A novice knowledge of networking

Instructions

1. The simplest way to get free internet is from a wifi hotspot or a free library. Hotspots exist in many places in the united states. Many restaurants and fast food establishments leave their wifi connection wide open so that people can access the internet through their laptop. These are nice, but they do not help you out at home, however, if you live in the vicinity of a hotspot (within a mile) and have the will to try, you can pick up that hotspot for your home internet access.

2. You will need a router with unscrewable antennas. This is so that you can purchase a larger antenna for your router and hook it up through a cable. You will have to search your router model number and find out what type of connector is on the back of your router. Google the type of connector once found along with the words "wifi antenna". This will more than likely give you a nice selection of web sites that sell antennas & pigtail cables (cables that connect between your wifi router & antenna).

3. You must purchase the "pigtail" cable. The shorter the better, but make it easy on yourself and don't get "too short". Next you want to purchase a HIGHLY directional antenna. I would suggest NOTHING less than a 24dbi parabolic grid for the job. Some antennas like "yagi" antennas are compact, but in my opinion, don't settle for these. Most 24dbi parabolic grid antennas will do the job nicely.

4. Connect the pigtail cable to the antenna & router. Connect your computer to the router.

5. Now comes the fun part, point the parabolic grid antenna in the direction to the hot spot. Make sure your router is set to DHCP. Type in the "network name" or "bssid" or "ssid" of the network you want to join. Put your router in client mode.

6. Hopefully you will get a signal, and the hot spot will assign your router an IP. If this is the case, you are pretty much set to begin using the internet.

7. If you wish to use wifi to get to your wifi router on a hot spot, you will have to buy another router and attach it via CAT5 cable to the router being used to access the hot spot. This is because the router on the hotspot is on client mode, and not being used like a wifi router.

8. To share with a friend or neighbor may be easier. If they are real close, you just simply talk to them, and perhaps they won't mind sharing for free. OR you simply just ask them if you could split the bill with them and share. All that needs to be done then is to exchange the WEP or WPA password information, and you can put that into your security password on your network card. This is the simplest form to save a bunch on an internet connection. You can also use the antenna method as described above if there is a weak signal.

9. Many people do not care if you use their signal so long as it does not affect them on the internet. But always get permission, because it violates some laws (highly underwritten) to access wifi without permission. But any places that advertise "Free Wifi" - it's fair game. Free wifi is free wifi.

Tips & Warnings

• The best signal you can get is by installing your antenna outdoors. 2.4GHz is a very choppy frequency (routers use this frequency) and walls, brick, and all types of stuff can interfere with the signal.

• This article is an overlay & advice. Many details and variables are involved. Some knowledge of basic TC/PIP networking can really help you.

• To access any non-public wifi get permission as you may be violating state law without permission.