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Hotel Hack: Start Your Own ISP WiFi Network

Hotel Hack: Start Your Own ISP WiFi Network

November 01, 2006 By Gus in Miami: Travel News, Technology | 3 Comments

Nobody likes paying for Internet when they’re staying at a hotel. That’s why we put together a list of Miami hotels with FREE Internet.

Go ahead, call me cheap, but I say the Internet is an amenity hotels should provide guests for free. Especially those hotels in Miami Beach that charge a Resort Fee plus a fee for Internet access. (I’m looking at you: Royal Palm).

I found this neat way for crafty travelers to save money on their next vacation, start your own mobile WiFi network. It’s easy! The necessary ingredients are:

cell phone
laptop computer
EvDO wireless broadband card
router

Step 1 - use the router to turn the signal into a local WiFi network.

Step 2 - set the SSID of the network to somthing catchy like: “WIFI-ONLY-$6-A-DAY-CALL ME NOW-305-555-1212.”

In no time, you’ll have a line of budget concisous travelers standing outside your room ready to pay you cash to get online. From BB

“Yes, that’s right. Your hotelling neighbors HATE typing in their credit card numbers into an auth screen that messes up their DHCP. So offer them an alternative. When they call you, tell them you only accept cash and give them a unique Login and PW.

You can create up to 10 unique user accounts with an enterprise grade router called the TGMB8000. Armed with an EVDO Verizon Wireless or Sprint Card, and a 3g Router, you are a mobile wifi hotspot purveyor.”

How long will it take this hack to wind up in a Hollywood plot twist?

Coming up next week: Hotel Coffee Hack.

Related Categories: Miami: Travel News, Technology,

Gus Moore heads up Miami Beach 411 as site administrator. You can reach him at 1-305-754-2206.

See more articles by Gus.

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3 Comments on

"Hotel Hack: Start Your Own ISP WiFi Network"

FunAndGames says:

I like the idea a lot. I am sure your wireless provider would find that a violation of TOS. But nonetheless I plan on testing it out.

Posted on 11/02/2006 at 10:50 AM

Andrei D. says:

Resale of any residential internet connection is illegal, not to mention resale of public internet provided by a hotel will probably get you sued on top of arrested so is it really worth the $5?. You might want to rethink it before taking someone’s cash and getting cuffs in return. It is illegal to crack/hack someone’s network, but not illegal to connect if insecure, laws vary state to state.

Posted on 11/25/2008 at 3:31 AM

Andrei D. says:

To clear another myth, entering your credit card in a portal does not mess up a DHCP ip address allocation, you’re cc numbers probably got stolen and of course no ip would be assigned because it was not really a portal, it was someone else doing the same “FAKE sht.”. Here’s a tip, if the hotel offers internet access, go and get a card or whatever it is from the front desk, do not, in any which way form of matter enter any sensitive information such as your credit card number, login to your bank account, online shopping period, or even email login… yes email… in a hotel wireless portal. I’d have to say there’s a 95% chance that it’s hacked or being monitored, and ultimately nothing but a great worm hole for abusive users to collect information from unsuspecting tourists who come and go. Do not trust open wifi period, sure it’s as cheap as it gets, but at what cost?

Posted on 11/25/2008 at 3:46 AM

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