Slashdot Mirror
Geek Roadtrips Through the Heartland
While researching a roadtrip which I'll be taking from St. Paul, Minnesota to Placerville, Ca I did what any geek would do, I checked out the t-mobile hotspots along the route (some), did various searching on wi-finder (some) and other sites and have been doing some googling around on the topic. I know that there must be some 802.11b access points along and inside the towns along I-80, but for the life of me I'm finding it difficult for me to find any of them. I of course have various wireless sniffing apps, but that is hardly an efficient way to find access. I don't mind paying a small fee, so....with that in mind, if you were to take a trip across the country, where would you stop for access? For specifics, Read More...
If you live along I-80, what are your favorite haunts with wireless? Specifically, I plan on stopping for meals or sleep in Des Moines, Lexington, Cheyanne, Rock Springs or thereabouts, Salt Lake City and maybe Reno and points along the long, bleak road between Reno and Salt Lake. But it's clear that the net needs a good reference for places to check your email through out middle america, so post here even if you want to talk about a great unknown spot in Oklahoma or something away from my route. If you own such an establishment, let us know!
On a side note, the futility of my search seems soemwhat silly, as there are clearly people who use the internet in these towns. Anyhow, I really look forward to seeing your responses! Also, any high quality, unique dining reccomendations would be really appreciated. Also, funny roadside attractions or must see geek spots are welcome, as I intend on blogging my cross country trip as it happens and would like to have something to talk about other than the state lines I cross and the number of retreads I dodge.
When you come the the Des Moines area, there is Prairieinet.net. They are a rural ISP that uses wifi. I don't know how open their sites are, but it is worth a try. http://www.prairieinet.net. and see a list of their sites.
Skip the stop in Des Moines and just keep on trucking into Omaha. I know our downtown area is rife with wireless networks. And if you don't want to run the risks of tapping into a local business's WLAN, there are several hotels in the area which have free wireless setup right in the hotel. and have fun making that drive.....iowa through to denver is about the flatest, boringest drive in the entire world.
I live in Gold River, CA (not that far from Placerville) and basically did your trip in reverse... A co-worker of mine had to move back to Philly, PA, and we decided to road-trip it... Reno, believe it or not, doesn't provide an abundance of internet access at all... They want everybody to gamble instead... I think I found 1 cafe that provided internet access while up there (And it was for a LAN party months prior, not on this trip), and, it wasn't even wireless... was your standard RJ-45 jack, but it worked... There was nothing between there and Salt Lake City, at least on I-80... I didn't even see many signs of civilization, let along, technology...
Salt Lake City has a few internet cafe's, though I don't remember any of their names... I know they were relativly close to the highway... We only passed through Salt Lake, so I didn't get to patron any of them, nor do I know if they're wireless or not...
We then went out to Cheyenne and didn't find a hotel with access, or any establishments either... Over all, it was pretty dull... Nebraska was the same way... I did find a nice location out in Indiana that had wireless access advertized, but it was closed when we drove by... The only internet access I got my entire trip was in Chicago, when we stayed at a friend's house... He let me plug my laptop into his cable modem for a few to check my mail and what not... That's about the extent of my trip... We didn't look that hard, so I probably am missing a whole hell of a lot... but I hope it helps...
Best of luck, Chris, safe trip!
-PhaseBurn Welcome to Linux country. On quiet nights, you can hear windows reboot.
First, I'm sure a lot of people are going to suggest that you forgo the interenet altogether. There is something to be said for this; it sounds like you trip is, at least in part, designed to be an adventure, and being 'offline' might enhance it.
That said, if you do decide to go online, for blogging or e-mail, pick up a prepaid phone card, enter the 800#, your pin, and a juno access number into the PPP settings, and then every phone jack you see on your way will be a 'net access point. Wireless is fun, but if you just need to transmit text, the phone connection is easiest, redily availible, and certinly powerfull enough.
PS - it sounds like a lot of fun. Enjoy yourself.
foldplay your photos won't know what hit them.
Don't take any money, 'cause it's capitalist crap.
Don't take any clothes, you will enjoy the highway better in the nude.
Don't take any gas, as it is polluting the earth.
Don't take the car, you need the walk anyway.
Don't take this seriously, as this is sarcasm.
I can't understand why do people take such stress with computers, that they cannot relax if it is nearby. It is a tool, for fun and work altogether! I could manage my life without the computer, but I simly will not.
--
Forget humor to see the insightfulness.
love slashdot. populate it. use it. abuse it. hate it. kill it. miss it. stop following links, they only kill servers.
Hao wants to host the first wet DeCSS t-shirt contest in history! Set me up with Natalie Portman please.
I suggest you read Slashdot
That wouldn't really work for a site like slashdot. I mean, you'd put the CD in and load the front page and all the stories would be dupli..... oh wait, nevermind.
What, exactly, is so great about unplugging for a while?
;)
I take my laptop and cell phone on every trip. I dont use them to work, I use them to play. I like to stay in touch, to be able to talk to people, and to do all the fun things I do with them when I'm not at work.
Plus, on the off chance that some emergency should come up (it's happened), I CAN be reached.
As far as people griping about the whole wireless thing, I think it's pretty cool that he's looking for wi-fi hotspots. Ok, so the world may not all be wireless yet, but we're trying, and what's the point of implementing this cool new tech if nobody's gonna use it? Sure, when I go places with my laptop, I fully expect to have either no net access, or dialup, but I bring a LAN cable and my wireless card anyway, just in case I luck out, and when that happens, I am one happy camper.
There's just something about being able to lie on the beach, work on my tan, and be playing starcraft with my friends back home that appeals to me
Remember folks, for some of us, technology makes our lives BETTER. I dont think I've ever thought of tech as a burden, and before I get all those angry comments asking if I've ever stepped outside and appreciated nature, yes, I have. I thoroughly enjoy rock climbing, ice skating, roller blading, and a variety of other non-tech outdoor activities. I've been to italy, greece, turkey, and about half of the 50 states. I've seen the world, and you know what? With a few exceptions (greece was seriously bad ass), it was pretty boring, and some good tech would have made it much more fun for me.