Adelaide Gets a Taste of Free WiFi

Anonymous Coward writes "Adelaide's Citilan network is being relaunched. Sometime in the last two weeks they decided to open it up for free use to anyone in Adelaide's CBD, pending full commercial launch. Get in and find a hotspot while its hot!"

Comments

What is the difference

[thegrassyknowl]

Hasn't Citilan always been open for free (at least for members of a long list of ISPs including Internode, Adam, Esc.Net, and others)?

I have used it on several occasions to grab files from the Node mirror instead of having to use dialup. It's even faster than my DSL if you can find a hotspot that isn't heavily used (sitting outside the State Library at 3am helps until you get arrested).

They are going to close it off soon AFIK - there are too many leechers. There's always a bunch of (no offence, but they are always) asians around some of the more public indoor hotspots (library, museum, etc) that bring desktop PCs, fold out tables and chairs, etc just to leech free Internet for the day. There was even one there that brought his 5.1 surround speakers and the stands for the rear ones were set up behind him - in the middle of they foyer.

I'm amazed that Citilan is still open to the public, actually - the ISPs are footing the bill and it's free, although I did hear talk that if you use a Node login on it you chew up your Node download quota for the month; but that was just a rumour, I've never heard proof of it.

Re:What is the difference

[fireman sam]

Off topic - What were you actually doing to get yourself arrested at 3am outside of the State Library? Or do they actually enforce the no loitering laws in Adelaide?

"Your honour, I wasn't loitering, I was surfing."

Agile? Doing citywide wireless?

[Talez]

From the people who brought you "extreme ADSL2+" while only enabling 4 actual exchanges.

This oughtta be a laugh.

Re:Security?

[OlivierB]

Well you are right, but I think the gp has a point as well; we should be taking reasonable measures not to expose ourselves to the "bad" guys.
Making there life a little harder isn't forbidden.

I have setup a VPN server on my home computer so that when I am travelling or when I connect via an unsecure connection (i.e Starbucks) I can always VPN my way home and not matter about security as much.

Re:uh-huh.

[antic]

The Adelaide City Council, for all its faults, is desperately trying to lure 18-45s (their own stated demographic, bit broad if you ask me!) into the CBD. They're running a fairly expensive (for a council, anyway) advertising campaign and also have a small subsidised housing project for young employees under a certain threshold.

Supporting this sort of initiative (Citilan) wouldn't be too stupid in aiding that. At the least, they could offer a free citi-wide intranet with various arts and entertainment projects running.