It’s not really free wireless since I had only checked out of that hotel the same morning, but I had spent a day at a client’s site where I wasn’t allowed to use the network. No big whoop really, but I wanted to read my email before I made the three hour drive back home.

I stopped by the hotel and parked close the the building. I got signal. So far so good.

I had used their network that morning, so it had already authenticated my MAC address. Could I still get in? I think a smart admin would reset that table at noon, which is when everyone should have checked out.

No big surprise: I was able to log in.

So there I was, reading my mail and downloading a few things while sitting in my car: drive-thru internet!

Now I want a nifty key chain WiFi detector!