Truck Stop Hotspot Directories
Even with a few industry-wide problems yet to be resolved it's becoming increasingly clear that Wi-Fi is becoming a truck stop fixture as common as fuel pumps and food poisoning (KIDDING!! Just Kidding!!). So...how do you find Wi-Fi on the highway? Well, here's a few links to truck stop chain Wi-Fi Hotspot location finders:
- Flying J Wi-Fi Hotspot Map
- TA SpeedZone Wi-Fi Hotspot Location Finder
- SiriCOMM - (SiriCOMM is the WISP servicing Petro, Pilot and Love's)
Of course, major truck stop chains and WISPs aren't the only places that offer Wi-Fi on the Highway. There are several independently operated truck stops and some smaller chains that also offer Wi-Fi services. And what if you've got an RV? Or what if you want to find other Wi-Fi hotspots in unfamiliar territory? That's where online directories come into play.
Online Hotspot Directories
There are, literally, hundreds of online Wi-Fi hotspot directories and, because of the speed at which hotspots are opening and, in some cases, closing, there's just no way that any of them are going to be 100% accurate. They rely, almost exclusively, on information provided by hotspot operators and customers so, as you might guess, hotspots included in one directory may not be in another. Additionally, when a hotspot closes shop, it's doubtful that notifying a hotspot directory of the demise is high on the venue owners "to do" list. None the less, online directories, like the following, can be useful tools. These are, I believe, the largest of the online Wi-Fi directories:
- Wi-FiHotSpotList.com - A good, if basic, Highway Hotspot Locator.
- WiFinder - No frills here but the information seems reliable.
- JiWire - An excellent directory and lots of other stuff, too.
Even though online directories are a great tool for finding hotspots on the highway I've noticed that most of them lack information about truck stop or RV park hotspots.
Specialty Hotspot Directories
Fortunately, even though the primary online directories seem to ignore, ether by plan or circumstance, truck stops and travel plazas there are at least a couple of places you can search for hotspots that welcome trucks and RVs.
- The Wireless Trips WiFi Finder - This may be the directory most useful to truckers.
- RV.NET Campground WiFi List - You'll need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this list of campgrounds and RV parks offering Wi-Fi.
Additional Resources
As you might have guessed, I go into quite a bit more detail concerning the issue of finding Wi-Fi on the highway within pages of Over the Road Wireless For Dummies. As a matter of fact, an entire chapter, Chapter 5 to be exact, is devoted to helping the over-the-road traveler find Wi-Fi hotspots.
| Introduction | Getting Started | Finding Wi-Fi on the Highway | Wi-Fi Alternatives |
