Show HN: 500,000 free WiFi hotspots plotted around the world
This is not mapping free WiFi hotspots. This is mapping open Wifi hotspots.
They are not the same.
For example, KPN in the Netherlands is not free, and xfinity wifi in the USA is not free.
For this to have any sort of credibility, there needs to be a discriminant filter mapping truly free vs open hotspots.
For me this current map is too noisy to be of value. Try using it for free internet, and you too may run into disillusionment and frustration.
Looks really great - love the web view of WiFi density, and great to see more efforts in this space.
We've built something similar at OpenSignal. Our WifiMapper [1] app on iOS and Android has a database of over 2 million networks, and we're also crowdsourcing a database of passwords and connection speeds.
I'm always glad to see maps using OpenStreetMap data over Google Maps.
I always find it fun to look over the edits I've made, and it helps point out where more detail would be useful for different use cases.
In case anyone can't find the Netherlands, I could understand why: http://i.snag.gy/7vbiZ.jpg
This also explains why I'm so frustrated with WiFi abroad: I probably got spoiled here. Here we can find WiFi in the most unlikely of places (e.g. supermarkets, buses); in Germany you can find one in a coffee shop if you're lucky, but that one is probably paid as well, just like all the other ones.
I'd love to see this adjusted for population density -- what does a high wifi hotspots/person tell you?
Maybe just that the area is wealthier. So what if you adjust for wealth too?
If an WiFi hotspot doesn't have a password doesn't mean it's free.
A point of constructive criticism is that there are some inconsistencies in how large-scale public WiFi seems to be handled. For instance, in Ann Arbor, MI every University of Michigan building AFAIK has free public WiFi (as well as a private network for university affiliates). However, I only see a few listings for the "MGuest" network in the area. Is there a better feasible way of handling this?
Nice to see a Starbucks hotspot in the middle of Thames river (London)... doesn't show the depth ;)
I am redirected to https://meshable.io/map which is a blank page. I even disabled uBlock and refreshed the page and still saw nothing.
All I can see if a hand for a cursor, and my right click button is disabled to even check on the source.
239,989,522 wifi networks: https://wigle.net
Nice work! This reminds me to something I tried a while ago:
They basically provide the same thing but as a crowdsourced list of truly free hotspots and you can connect to them through the app. Only available as a native app though...
This isn't working for me, after I zoom in past a certain level, all the blue dots just disappear. Clicking a city name search result zooms in so far that the map goes blank (presumably it's past the available tile sets) Tested in Safari and Chrome
Is it really free if you're using a hotspot named NETGEAR? Because I'm assuming that one isn't really open on purpose.
EDIT: Removed part about trailer court. I was wrong. That's actually a restaurant next to a trailer court. Nice place, too.
What is the source of this data? As I see my tier 3 city also has few free wifi listed here.
Bad data set. You are missing most of the free wifi spots in my town, but do show a number of people who just haven't secured their routers.
Searching by zip code zooms the map into areas 20-40 miles outside of the actual area code. At least that was my experience with the 2 that I tried.
Hmmm I get the feeling that one of your 'sources' for the db comes from the users who have already installed your app. Just a tin-foil-hat hunch based on the density of nodes in certain areas (read: certain routes). Too bad 60%+ are HP-Printers or vmguests...either way it'd pay to clean all that up if you're promoting that they're free/open hotspots.
Not all of these Wifi APs are "Free" and its partial in a lot of spots. Still, good effort.
I've had two open ones for years that didn't make the map :(.
Any theories on why China has a notably less dense distribution?
Are those providing internet access, or just unprotected networks ?
Wrong question.
I don't care where I can find free WiFi. Nowadays, every damn coffee shop, hotel or mall has free Wifi—I care about fast and free WiFi with speedy up- & downloads and low latency. Well executed implementation though.
EDIT: Why the downvote?
How do I zoom out?
very good site!
The map is really, really hard to zoom in and out.
Not seeing McDonald's. There's another 35,000 for you.
Impressive bit of work but I couldn't help but think the title should be:
Show HN: 500,000 free places to get hacked plotted around the world
