Do you hate comfort?

teddyballgame

My internet stopped working in my apartment, so I had to search out a free WiFi hotspot. I headed to the Tea Lounge in Park Slope, which I know has been much complained about on these boards. I've been here before, but now I realize that I've never been here before on a weekend. Egads. This place is filled with people, strollers, irony, baristas, and despair. I'm currently sitting in this like incredibly stupid 1950s style elementary school desk and attached chair which really do not fit the thighs that, in a very different time in my life, set high school squat records.

It's bad enough that I'm forced to sit here, but I'm only planning on sitting here for a few minutes, checking my email, checking out DH (of course) and checking mets.com, drinking my tea, and leaving. Others have clearly set up camp, and, for all I know, may have been sitting here for days. One man sitting on the really comfortable looking leather couch next to me has a bunch of bags, and I'm pretty sure they're filled with his worldly possessions. I think he lives here.

It pisses me off so much, because this desk and chair occupy enough space for a regular chair and a small table where someone could sit and check their email in relative comfort, but someone obviously thought it would be hip and ironic to put this stupid desk here, and so they did. Because screw comfort. I feel like John Belushi in that early scene in Blues Brothers, and, to be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if this desk comes with me when I leave this hellhole.

Which brings me to my point, and the reason that I'm posting in the PH and not the PS forum. Where are there free WiFi hotspots in PH? I'm pretty sure Heights Coffee has one, but I'm pretty sure that place is usually equally crowded. Is there WiFi at Muddy Waters? How 'bout at the Library? I can't believe I'm still here. Please someone help.

magnus martyr

The BPL has free wirless access (you might need to get a library card if you don't already have one).

Soda now has Wifi.

I think Half does too, but don't quote me on that. I just see people in there all the time with computers.

quig

Soda has a hotspot. Also I think the Library does too.

candicissima

Sepia has wi-fi. Don't you live right on top of that?

raulism

Half and I think the juice/muffin place on Flatbush & Prospect have WiFi.

~raul

devincf

Not that I would ever do such a thing, but I find that there are many wireless networks wide open that I can access from my apartment.

captain m

The Public Library at Grand Army

qtrain

Purity is now advertising wifi.

sje

Le Gamin has always had it, and the coffee is the strongest in the heights. Plus, they're open from 8am to 10pm, and don't mind you surfing/working there..

ss

devincf wrote: Not that I would ever do such a thing, but I find that there are many wireless networks wide open that I can access from my apartment.

Agree ... I have 8 or so networks in addition to my own that I can connect via. I don't think there is anything technically immoral about riding someone else's network if they haven't password protected it.

Wi-fi is democracy!

alafairnadia

ss wrote: [quote=devincf]Not that I would ever do such a thing, but I find that there are many wireless networks wide open that I can access from my apartment.

Agree ... I have 8 or so networks in addition to my own that I can connect via. I don't think there is anything technically immoral about riding someone else's network if they haven't password protected it.

Wi-fi is democracy!

seriously. if my wireless (pwd protected, of course) starts smoking crack, I can generally jump on someone else's network. love it.

metulj

ss wrote:
Wi-fi is democracy!

In a former life,* I was a wireless engineer at a huge land grant university in the South. We had 14sq KM of wireless coverage in 1998, way ahead of the curve, blah blah blah. We never left the network open and always implemented some sort of security authentication measure. In the end it was 802.1x. So, let me tell you something about leaving your network open: You are crazy. Let's say kiddie porn addict decides to point his can antenna at your open network and start collected copious amounts of 4 year olds from Thailand and what not on your network. Guess what: When the FBI kicks in a door, it is yours not his. How do I know? It happened to my boss who, while running this huge 'secure' network, left his home network open for his neighbors to use (he had fiber to his house!). Lucy, you got some 'splaining to do. Password protect your network. You have no idea what those piggybackers are doing.

*before I realized how life sucking a tech job could be.

armchair_warrior

i used to steal off my neighbors open wifi connection :P till i got my dsl hehe hookup.

teddyballgame

Well I was the brilliant one who posted that question without any real plan for getting the answer, since I left Tea Lounge and that stupid desk shortly thereafter.

That said- what's the deal with the WiFi at Sepia? I guess I'm not close enough to pick up their signal, but I am just across the street, and I'm more than willing to go sit there, but is it that type of place? Like, if in the early afternoon I wanted to just go chill out and surf the internet for a while, is it someplace where that's cool or do I have to be drinking or something? I'm embarassed to say that, while I've often intended to get there, I've never made it. I understand that it's cool. What's it like?

armchair_warrior

why dont you just start walking around the block where you live and see if one of them has a free open connection .

alafairnadia

teddyballgame wrote: Well I was the brilliant one who posted that question without any real plan for getting the answer, since I left Tea Lounge and that stupid desk shortly thereafter.

That said- what's the deal with the WiFi at Sepia? I guess I'm not close enough to pick up their signal, but I am just across the street, and I'm more than willing to go sit there, but is it that type of place? Like, if in the early afternoon I wanted to just go chill out and surf the internet for a while, is it someplace where that's cool or do I have to be drinking or something? I'm embarassed to say that, while I've often intended to get there, I've never made it. I understand that it's cool. What's it like?

sepia rules. no clue about wifi there, but it's a great bar. check it out!

armchair_warrior

http://shop1.outpost.com/search?search_type=regular&sqxts=1&query_string=wifi&cat=&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

you should get some of the wifi finders and use it .

paulybrklynny

devincf wrote: Not that I would ever do such a thing, but I find that there are many wireless networks wide open that I can access from my apartment.

do it.

mine's open.
as is one of my neighbor's, when my router crapped I used his for 2 days, i would hope he would take the same advantage of me.

brotherhood of man, and all that.