Using Boingo Hot Spots

Using Boingo Hot Spots
Boingo (www.boingo.com) made a big splash in 2002 when the company
launched because it was the first company to bring a solution to the hot spot
roaming issue. Boingo doesn’t own its own network of hot spots; instead, it
has partnered with a lot of other hot spot providers (including Wayport,
which we discuss in the preceding section). Boingo provides you, the user,
with some cool software, giving you access to all the hot spots of its partners
with a single account, a single bill, and not too much hassle on your part.
As of this writing, Boingo has over 1,000 hot spots up and running on its network.
Like the other providers, Boingo offers monthly plans ($24.95 for a plan
that allows ten connections a month; $49.95 for unlimited access) as well as
pay-as-you-go plans and corporate accounts. (Keep buttering up the IT manager
at work!)
The big difference between Boingo and the other services is that Boingo uses
its own software to control and manage the connection process. You download
the Boingo software (available for most Windows computers and also for
Pocket PC handhelds) and use the software to sign on to a Boingo hot spot.
This approach has its limitations: For example, not all Wi-Fi cards work with
the Boingo software — see a list of compatible cards on its Web site. However,
this approach allows Boingo to offer a more consistent user experience when
you roam around using its service. Boingo is also taking advantage of this software
to offer a Virtual Private Network (VPN; a secured network connection that
can’t be intruded upon by others) service for business customers.
If you use a Mac laptop computer, don’t bother with Boingo. The Boingo software
is only available for the Microsoft platforms that we mention earlier in
this section, and you can’t get on the Boingo network without the software.
We talk a bit more about Boingo’s software in the upcoming section “Tools for
Finding Hot Spots” because you can use Boingo’s software to sniff out open
access points around you, regardless of whether they’re Boingo’s.