Free WiFI in downtown Chicago?

[Kelemvor]

Wife is staying at the Hilton on Michigan but they charge $13 per day to use the internet. The conference she is attending is at the McCormick Place.

She's looking for somewhere (preferably by the Hotel) that she can go to check email and such and not have to pay for it. The hotel is at 720 South Michigan.

Anyone know anything in that specific area that has wireless? I've seen a couple site that list things but I have no idea where they are in relation to the hotel since Chicago is such a huge place.

Thanks.

 

[Casawi]

My boss has mentioned to be before that they have free WiFi downtown.

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: yassine
My boss has mentioned to be before that they have free WiFi downtown.

Like the whole downtown area or just by a certain place? THat's what I'm trying to figure out.

 

[tennisflip]

Apple store on Mich has free wifi i think... you can just use one of the display computers.

Maybe try NMH its a block or two away from the Apple store

 

[Juno]

starbucks = your answer.

 

[tasmanian]

Originally posted by: Juno
starbucks = your answer.

Yeah coffee places have wifi.

 

[Kelemvor]

Starbucks isn't free is it? Always thought they charged you to use it just like the hotel... I know Panera is free but there's not one near where she'll be.

 

[Casawi]

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
Starbucks isn't free is it? Always thought they charged you to use it just like the hotel... I know Panera is free but there's not one near where she'll be.

No Starbucks here isn't free, its like 6 dollars and hour and cheaper after that.

 

[Casawi]

I believe it to be the whole downtown.

 

[kendo26]

All Chicago Public Libraries have free WiFi
Nearest Library to the Hotel

 

[wetcat007]

You can probably find the free wifi service called "linksys" just about anywhere. lol

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: wetcat007
You can probably find the free wifi service called "linksys" just about anywhere. lol

Yep. It's one of the easiest way's to capture/observe everything you do. People are so stupid they actually associate with it.

 

[13Gigatons]

Have her install net tumbler and do a search.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

McDonald's has wifi I think.

 

[SKORPI0]

Chicago WiFi map

zoom in on the map and get the location of the nearest free wi-fi.

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: SKORPI0
Chicago WiFi map

zoom in on the map and get the location of the nearest free wi-fi.

Interesting... Kitty O'SHea's is listed and that bar is actually INSIDE the Hilton. Hmm. So assuming they really do have free WiFi, they must just have their own and the Hotel has a different system.

 

[MrChad]

Does it have to be the Hilton? There's a Garden Inn and Hampton Inn in the River North area (not too far from Michigan Ave.) and both offer complementary internet access. If the conference is work related she should be able to expense internet charges anyway.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: wetcat007
You can probably find the free wifi service called "linksys" just about anywhere. lol

Yep. It's one of the easiest way's to capture/observe everything you do. People are so stupid they actually associate with it.

not as stupid as people that say "way's".

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: wetcat007
You can probably find the free wifi service called "linksys" just about anywhere. lol

Yep. It's one of the easiest way's to capture/observe everything you do. People are so stupid they actually associate with it.

not as stupid as people that say "way's".

*chuckle*

But seriously, don't associate to wireless networks you don't know. It's getting easier and easier's to do bad's stuffs with wireless these days. One of the common ones is to use "linksys" as the ssid because people think "oh, that's just somebody that didn't protect their wireless". When in reality it's a trap.

 

[MrBlahh]

Panera Bread has free wifi and there are a few around the city

Im surprised that they dont just offer up the Internet access for free. It seems pretty standard these days.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

a lot of hotels have free wifi in the lobby just not the rooms. The Hyatt on Wacker was like that.

 

[ultimatebob]

Geez... Even Best Western's and Econo Lodge's offer free WiFi nowadays. How does the Hilton get away with charging $13 a night, when even of the cheaper hotel chains that Hilton owns like Hampton Inn give it away?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Geez... Even Best Western's and Econo Lodge's offer free WiFi nowadays. How does the Hilton get away with charging $13 a night, when even of the cheaper hotel chains that Hilton owns like Hampton Inn give it away?

rules chanbe in big convention hotels. They know most guests will expense it and will pay the fee regardless.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Geez... Even Best Western's and Econo Lodge's offer free WiFi nowadays. How does the Hilton get away with charging $13 a night, when even of the cheaper hotel chains that Hilton owns like Hampton Inn give it away?

rules chanbe in big convention hotels. They know most guests will expense it and will pay the fee regardless.

You normally won't find free internet access in the higher priced brands. The low- to mid-priced brands compete over the majority of business travelers, and that's where you'll find extras like free breakfast and free internet access.

 

[Kelemvor]

Yeah, that part always just makes it so obvious that the bigger more expensive hotels are just there to screw people over.

I can go to a freaking Motel 6 or something for $40/night and get free internet. Or I can go to the Hilton and pay $200/night and have to fork out more for internet. Just doesn't make any sense except to the accountants I guess. Unless they cater specifically to business people with expense accounts but that's not what this is... Oh well.