2. Nowadays, you see almost every crowd comprising a
good number of people chugging laptops or tablets
wherever they go.
These people get internet access in a variety of ways:
free Wi-Fi at public hotspots, a mobile broadband
device installed directly in their laptops, or a hotspot
device they can carry around, which lets them access
cellular data from virtually anywhere.
While Wi-Fi and 3g go hand in hand, you may be faced
with having to choose between the two, especially if
there are budgetary constraints, technological
limitations, etc which need to be factored in.
3. Wi-Fi Hotspots
These places are open to public use, and let you access
the internet on their network while you are there.
Pros: Most place charge nothing for using their internet,
and they can be found easily in suburban and urban areas.
You can also buy food and drinks in the vicinity.
Cons: The establishment may require you to spend in
other ways to be eligible to access their internet; think
Starbucks.
Wi-Fi hotspots also tend to remain unsecured in terms of
encryption.
You also need to locate the hotspot, and then stay within
range of the router or repeater for as long as you wish to
be online.
4. Cyber Cafes
Internet cafes let you use their computers for hourly
rates, and sometimes they even give you access to Wi-Fi
internet.
Pros: There is no need to be carrying a device with you,
because the café has got your covered there.
They would also have peripherals hooked up for you to
use, such as printers, scanners and webcams.
Here too, you can buy food and drinks.
Cons: There are fewer internet cafes than there are Wi-Fi
hotspots, and using a terminal in such a place could get
expensive unless you finish quickly.
There is also the issue of many of these systems being
exposed to malware.
5. Tethering
Some cellular networks let you turn your cell phone into
a modem, and then connect this to your laptop or tablet.
Pros: You can access the internet almost anywhere,
consider the availability of cellular signals.
Web surfing is more secure this way, and lastly, you may
be able to pull this off without paying extra fees.
Cons: Some areas may not have reception, in which case
this would not work.
When it does come through, you find it to be slower
than every other form of internet use.
Lastly, some carriers do charge extra on their cell phone
plans for the option to use tethering.
6. Mobile Broadband
Using either a USB modem or a built-in broadband
card, you would be able to access the internet on
your laptop no matter where you are.
Pros: Being any place with cellular reception allows
you to go online, and the speeds rival what you
would get from residential DSL.
Cons: There are many areas where reception is non-
existent, which means you would have to either
move to another place or find an alternative way to
connect.
Another issue is that data usage is often capped, at
around 5 GB monthly.