September 5, 2004

Free wireless networking at McDonalds of Dryden

Looking for a free wireless access point in Dryden? I saw in the Ithaca Times this week that the McDonalds in Dryden has "free high speed wireless access in its dining room lobby." That warranted a trip to check it out. Sure enough, it works!

Sign for wireless at McDonalds
Sign for wireless network at McDonalds of Dryden.

Living in Dryden, over wireless at McDonalds
Living in Dryden, coming over the wireless network at McDonalds of Dryden.

They're getting more signs soon, but it does work nicely and cheerfully automatically. My laptop found the network automatically when I set it to a blank SSID (which lets it find whatever network is handy) and no encryption. You need to bring your own laptop with its own wireless card. They aren't providing computers for people to use, but if you have your own, this is convenient.

I doubt McDonalds will be overrun by people with laptops all of a sudden, but it's very convenient if you need to get together someplace with an Internet connection and don't want to pay a fortune for access. (Borders in the Pyramid Mall also has wireless access, but it's $6.00/hour.)

Posted by simon at September 5, 2004 9:13 AM in
Note on photos