wifi help??

[Tony2215]

I recently spent xmas at my brothers who lives across the other side of town where I was able to pick up free internet via WIFI hotspot.

However when I got home I tried to connect to this hotspot but it wouldn't let me as the signal quality is so poor even though it shows up in range on my laptop. Is there anything like a USB device I can buy to improve the signal quality?

I have no phone line or no routers at home as my internet access relies on an expensive broadband dongle data plan (I Top Up for 3gb month/£15) and i really would like to use this free hotspot without having to trek across town to my brothers. Thanks

 

[Qwerty133]

WiFi hotspots cover no more than 20-30 meters, in a lot of places, and definately not all the way across town.
You could be thinking of a hotspot name such as 'BT wifi', which has over 3 million different hotspots, but obviously none of these companies actually offer free wifi.
The only time free wifi is offered is to help businesses sell their products (such as cafes, and first class train travel).
Wifi networks that you can access at home will be unsecured neighbours, unless you live in a commercial area, so why do you think anyone on here will help you steal from your neighbours (I did exactly this when I was 11, and now no it is ILLEGAL)

 

[yorkie]

You could get an antenna (which would need to plug into an antenna port, so if you don't have a port to plug it into, you'd additionally need a wifi card that does) but it won't receive signals from a hotspot "across town".