recently joined the super portable wireless generation here and wanted to start a USEFULL thread on where in madrid we can go to access public and free wireless hotspots that are reliable.
the key here is the word RELIABLE. that translates to --> i don't want to try out little juanito's home wan that is on when his parents are not taking away his internet to punish him.
so, i would like the wireless-wise to add here the places they know work well and consistently.
i will start...
------------------------------------------------------ - "el corte ingl�s" on calle preciados in puerta del sol, 7th floor cafeteria - excellent hotspot, i have used it a few times already. cheapest thing to have so you can sit and surf for free is a 1� cup-o-joe
- the "irish rover" at avenida del brasil, 7. have not yet tried this one but have heard it is good. can anyone confirm? ------------------------------------------------------
so far those are the only 2 truly free, public and reliable that i know of in madrid.
The dining room at the Bellas Artes on C/ Alcala has wifi. I don't know if it is free and I don't know if it works as I am still in the dark ages re. internet. Hell, I have dial-up for crissakes!
Anyway, it costs a euro to get in the place (totally justified as it helps support the great art events they sponsor) and coffee is 1,50 or maybe 2..but you can stay as long as you like and the room and the view are both amazing.
C
Posts: 1001 | Location: MADRID! | Registered: 09 November 2002
I have a little piece of software I use to determine what wireless networks are available, called Network Stumbler. It's great for picking up wireless network signals and determining the strength of the signal and if it is encrypted/secured (i.e. will have to pay for the service). If any of my fellow mmers would like to try it out while building this database you can pick it up here: http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/
jer I appologize in advance if I inadvertantly give future posters the impression that this thread is about software....sorry
In any event, this will be invaluble information for me when I arrive, I can't be sure that I'll have high speed internet when I arrive! Thanks in advance to all those that participate in creating this "database"!
I would love to arrive and help our favorite little "java-shops" design and implement wireless connections for their patrons...maybe some of you would be interested in participating in this endeavor with me (jer, TonyT, etc.). I have a degree in this field and am working on a masters as well. I would love to find a partner...someone more familiar with the lay of the land....
thanks candela, been to the bellas artes but not since i have my new laptop, will have to scope it out now to see how the wireless is.
yeah Jules, i have yet to find a place with wireless that also lets you plug in. the new laptop claims it has a long-life 5-7 hour battery (yeah right ) but i have gotten a good 4 hours out of it.
Modigy, my laptop actually does that automatically (detects the wireless signal and gives all that info you mentioned). not sure if it is part of windows xp pro or if it is a separate 3rd party program that sony loaded into the unit pre-sale. will have to take a closer look.
unfortunately Tony, the cafes here do not see the benefit and the ones who do have wireless have it at super high prices that only tourists can pay. selling a wan to a small to mid-sized cafe or bar here will be like... impossible, especially if the owners are spanish.
a few chains have wifi now. i saw on a wifi site that starbucks here had wireless available so when i was passing by one the other day, i popped in and asked about it. i almost passed out when the girl working there told me that you buy a ticket for 4.50� and get a whopping half hour to surf :lo:
for now i'll stick to buying my 1 euro cup-o-joe at the cafeteria high atop the corte ingl� of preciados and stay as long as i like
jer-- When I researched this last summer, those were the only two free spots in the center that I found. I think there are a few tables up in the Corte Ingles that are close enough to an outlet to plug in (but expect to get some very dirty looks from the waiters!).
I agree that the pay-to-use networks are highway robbery. I can't believe that, at the least, Starbucks doesn't offer free access (as they do in the States). With their crappy, overpriced coffee--in a country where cheap good coffee is plentiful--that really adds insult to injury.
The whole pay-to-use system was around in the US for a few years and then places started offering it for free (in DC, at least). But they did it to draw in business--especially freelancers and students--and keep them there longer.
In our neighborhood here, there are few places that need to offer anything extra to get people to show up and hang out and drink copiously. And no one would want to work by his/herself in public (or private for that matter). Different culture....
When the terrazas open back up, my wireless network will probably extend to the outdoor tables at the little cafe downstairs (San Millan)... Let me know if you want my login info.
Posts: 1070 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 10 December 2002
at the airport this morning to greet 2 clients, have a few hours between the 2 so...
after walking around terminal 2 at the madrid airport with my laptop open looking like a true computer geekoid as i searched for a wifi network that i could use and being rejected since the 6 that i found were secure and password protected :cry: , i walked towards the international terminal (t1) and as i passed in front of "viajes el corte ingles" at the beginning of t1 upstairs departures, i hit a bunch of new networks, ONE OF WHICH WAS PUBLIC (or at least not password protected).
i am posting this from a cozy corner right near the escalator that takes you down to the arrivals floor and here is the scoop on the network...
--------------------------------------------------- name: WlanComtrend (WLAN for short). where: area in front of "viajes corte ingles" (upstairs at t1 salidas/departures). signal: low-good but works very fast. comments: - no place to sit but the floor - lost it down the escalator in front of lounge 2 arrivals. - don't know where signal is coming from but don't care either
this is a particularly great one for me as i am at the airport often to deliver phones/chips, especially in the high tourist season months so now i can surf while i wait for my clients
so far so good, will try this same network next time i am here to greet a client and see if it is consistent.
saludos, jer (your wifi weenie) signing off for now...
We have a wireless connection in our offices (metro Valdeacederas between Plaza Castilla and Tetuan).
It is password protected, but for mmers who want to drop in and use it between classes, clients, whatever no problem. We'll hook you up! For more info, send me a PM.
I don't know if this will be of any help, but we have an antiques shop in Plaza Matute on Calle Huertas 17 and we have wireless connection. It does "bleed2 out onto the street and I've used my laptop out on one of the street benches. there's a bar in front called Bar Milano though I wouldn't recommend going there - the prices are on the high side. Anyway I don't know what I have to do or what info to give so others can take advantage of this mini hotspot. If someone wants to drop by and tell us, please feel free.
I read your post about the unsecured airport access point you found.
Word to the wise: This is known as war-driving to hackers and security porfessionals. In the old days it was called war-dialing, back when networks used regular telephone-line-modems. Hackers would set their PC up to dial a list of phone numbers and record which ones answered. Eventually, after a couple of months they would find modems in companies and hack their systems. With war-driving, the hacker drives (or walks) around looking for unsecured wireless networks they can hack into.
Obviously, I know your intentions are good, jer, but I just wanted to let you know, particularly since you are at an airport. Security might be wary of a man walking around checking something on his laptop and looking around. It's probably a legitimately public network you found, but if the IT department and airport security get together and find an unsecured network that should be secured....and then they see you....they may have questions for you...
thanks for the warning Tony but in this case, the benefits (my being able to surf and e-mail while i await my clients at the airport) HEAVILY outweigh the risk (worst case, them telling me i can't use the laptop on their network any more).
jejejeje, oh how one can tell you do not live in spain (yet) you see, the security guards here are usually (there are exceptions) a major joke. in fact, as i surfed yesterday at the airport, a few walked by, one had a cig hanging out of his yap and was heading (at full speed) towards the "smoking zone" which was just downstairs from the hotspot and the other commented to his friend what a compact and cool computer i had :jeje:
- rent or buy a cell phone from me for your stay in spain, more info at 
- already have a cell phone, get a spanish SIM card for it at 
) but i have gotten a good 4 hours out of it.
:lo: 
