WiFi on the road

How to find WiFi hotspots—free and paid—while traveling

Catching a stray WiFi signal by a canal in Venice
Your intrepid reporter Skypes home using a stray WiFi signal by a canal in Venice.Many hotels these days offer WiFi—some for free, others for a modest fee. But WiFi floats around elsewhere in Italy as well.

Travel telecom—email, web surfing, Skyping, even making VoIP telephone calls—can be free if you know how to find these floating, free-range WiFi hotspots (or carry your own).

Carry your own WiFi

The easiest alternative: Carry a MiFi, which provides you with your own portable WiFi hotspot for up to five devices.

Prices to rent one start around $20 per day for a week's rental ($12 per day or less if you rent one for more than a week).

You can rent one from Cellularabroad.com.

Find WiFi hotspots

Here are some resources to help you find both paid and free WiFi hotspots around the world:

Paid WiFi hotspot services

Using a signal at an Italian pub, this travel writer can get plenty of work done without having to sequester himself in his hotel room.These are those services that, for a one-time or monthly fee, allow you to use their hotspots, which are typically scattered around airports, rail stations, and stores (both chain and non).