07.25.07
Quick Tip: Wi-Fi Access Codes
OK, so the other day, I had accidentally left my wallet at home and didn’t notice until it was too late to retrieve it (running semi-late for work). I did have my laptop with me, however, and on the way home I got the idea that I might want to order a pizza using online ordering. Of course, I didn’t know where there was a free hotspot on the way home, and more than that, I had an access code for a free hour of wi-fi at McDonald’s conveniently in my wallet. So I ended up waiting an hour after I got home for my pie, when I could have been enjoying it a lot faster.
Granted, a minor annoyance, but it did spur me to think of a way to avoid that in the future, in case there were more serious instances when I would need access. Rather than relying on the slip of paper in my not-always-with-my-laptop pocket, I decided to go ahead and put all of the codes into a spreadsheet and stash that in the documents folder (as well as keeping a copy on my thumb drive for when I’m not using my machine but still need access).
If you decide to do that, here’s the information you should keep on the sheet: The provider of the access as well as the locations for which it’s valid (for example, a code ‘in town’ may not work ‘out of town’), the code itself, how much time the code provides, the date you got it, the date it expires, and the date you used it. You could use a text file, too, but I like being able to sort stuff.
You may also want to check out ilovefreewifi, which is pretty much exactly what the name suggests it is.