Find Free Wi-Fi in Dallas, Texas
If you're paying for Wi-Fi in Dallas, you shouldn't be. There are plenty of places here that will give you free service. So whether you love to surf the Web while having your morning latte, or you need to check your business e-mail while you get some copies printed, you can do it without paying a penny. Several websites have cataloged these free hot spots for Dallasites. Print out these lists and keep them with you.
Instructions
1. Browse the Texas page of the Wi-Fi Freespot Directory, which lists a long list of public libraries, coffee shops, restaurants, airports and hotels that provide free service. There are listings not only for Dallas, but also for other areas in Dallas county, such as Carrollton, Denton, Frisco, Garland, Irving, Mesquite, Plano and Richardson. You can also find hot spots in cities in neighboring Tarrant county, such as Fort Worth, Arlington and Grapevine. Call each location to verify that they still have free Internet service before heading out.
2. Visit the Dallas Public Library. Residents of Dallas may access Wi-Fi for free at any of the library's 25 branches. You must be running, at the minimum, Windows 2000, XP, Vista or Mac OS 9 or X to connect. In North Dallas, visit the Fretz Park or Timberglen branch. In central Dallas, check out the Martin Luther King or Oak Lawn Branch. In South Dallas, visit the Highland Hills or Polk-Wisdom branch. Wireless access is freely available without a library card. Go to the DallasLibrary.org website for contact information.
3. Go to the White Rock Coffee shop. This is one of the best free Wi-Fi locations in Dallas. This locally owned shop roasts organic and fair-trade coffee daily. Drop by and have a cup of java, listen to live music and surf the Web for free. It has open-Mic every Tuesday around 8 p.m. Visit its website at WRCoffee for more information about dates and times of events, as well as a link to a map of the coffee shop. No purchase is required to access the free wireless service.
4. Look on the DFWFreeNet.org website. Click on the "Network Map" link for a list of DFWFreeNet locations. The map will show the available hot spots in green. Mouse over the green dots to get information about each hot spot. If you own a business that's open to the public, contact DFWFreeNet to have its volunteers install a wireless network at your business for free.
5. Check DallasParks.org for a map and address information about free wi-fi available at Dallas city parks. The map is not very detailed, so you'll want to cross reference it with a map that has street names and numbers. Locations include Campbell-Green, Timberglen, Lake Highlands, Kidd Springs, Ridgewood-Belcher and Exall Recreation Centers and Tietze Park.
6. Check the CNET.JiWire.com directory of free wi-fi hotspots in your area. Place your Dallas zip code in the proper field on the search page. Select the distance in miles that you'd like to search. Choose the desired location type, such as cafe, library or restaurant. Select the radio button next to "Free" then click "Go." If the list seems too small, go back to the search page and widen your search parameters. If it seems to large, narrow them.
7. Navigate to the OpenWiFiSpots website. Scroll down the page and click on the "Dallas, TX" link. Click on the red button marked "Change Location" to search in your area. Enter your zip code in the field and click the "Search" button. The site will provide you with a map with free hot spots marked in red. To the left you will see a brief description of each hot spot. Click on the "List all free hotspots in Dallas, TX" link to see an alphabetical list of locations organized by category.
