McDonald’s will start to offer Wi-Fi internet access in their restaurants beginning tomorrow in the US. This service is similar to the one by Starbucks where they offer free internet access to all their customers. The Mcdonald’s service only grants you 1hr of access and is only available if you buy a burger meal.
www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20030311S0001
Currently in Australia there is no such services like this, partly blamed by industry lack of interest.
Nevertheless, there are a few places I have visited which do offer Wireless access, The University of Technology, Sydney (where I’m currently completing my masters) has this year for the first time offered Wi-Fi access throughout campus and tower buildings. The Establishment hotel on George St. Sydney were also another who were going to offer the service, but has since not adopted it.
I have Wi-Fi setup here at home, it is cheap and a very reliable way of connecting computers metres apart or in other rooms, without cables. I have a DWL900AP+ 2.4GHz wireless access point running at 22Mbps and using WEP.