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I am an avid user of fon and if fon is not available use Skype out to get connected, with my Wifi-only iPad.

The only problem is to locate the closest Wifi point. It is a chicken-egg problem. You need Internet access to find Internet access.

Is there an app, or downloadable file, with all Wifi locations, to be browsed offline?

I would also settle for a social-media solution where the users share their wifi connectivity while traveling. As long as it allows caching for any given location.

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  • I think you're out of luck. You might want to give Skype WiFi (itunes.apple.com/us/app/skype-wifi/id444529922?mt=8) a try, though.
    – MastaBaba
    Jul 15, 2012 at 10:11
  • Lets hope that this comment is similar to the first comment of the helicopter question (travel.stackexchange.com/questions/3070/…) where the first comment also excepted nothing to come out of the question.
    – user141
    Jul 15, 2012 at 10:46
  • A map with all the wifi hotspots in the world, even if it was possible, would be pretty large! Do you know the area that you'll be going to in advance? Would an app/map for just one wifi network be any use?
    – Gagravarr
    Jul 15, 2012 at 11:14
  • I'll be going to France.You are right that getting all global wifi points will be overcall, but downloadable POI-files per region, similar like the OSM map data must be feasible.
    – user141
    Jul 15, 2012 at 14:11
  • Stand ready, I think I've found it...
    – Mark Mayo
    Jul 16, 2012 at 5:11

3 Answers 3

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I use an app on Android called WeFi, which does a constant scan around me to find Wifi spots. It then tries to force a connection, and if successful, plays a little tune to let me know. I can then stop and use the wifi. Of course, this only helps if you're within range of a wifi - you could be 500m from one and not know.

However, it got me thinking, because they register wifi spots and the type of connection. But, this appears to be more for informative purposes, and while you can search on their website, that again doesn't help you.

So....

After a bit more thinking and a brief look, I think I've found what you're after. Given you're on an iPad I assume you're after iOS apps, and with offline maps - and voila:

Wi-Fi Finder for iPhone

  • Find Wi-Fi hotspots near you
  • Search for public Wi-Fi anywhere in the world
  • Works both online and offline

(and no, I have no affiliation)

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  • 1
    I actually have had this app installed on my iPad for over a year, but I haven't been happy with it at all. This might be because I typically travel to less popular locations (Africa). For example, I'm currently in Kampala (Uganda) and the app only lists one wifi spot in the whole country, though I personally know over a dozen, both free and paid, in the city itself.
    – MastaBaba
    Jul 16, 2012 at 7:37
  • I tried it with my Droid Razr in France, it kills the battery in no time but it was useful when I started my journey and had no data access on my sim.
    – tomaytotomato
    Jul 16, 2012 at 7:58
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    @MastaBaba: First feature of Wi-Fi Finder: "Submit a free-access public hotspot directly from the app"
    – Simon
    Jul 16, 2012 at 9:24
  • That doesn't make the app more useful to me. If I end up having to do this for Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia and South Africa (the area in which I currently move around), wi-fi finder better start paying me first. :) I don't mind contributing (hence my current score of 1692 on this very website), but I also need to get something from the service in question.
    – MastaBaba
    Jul 16, 2012 at 10:13
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    @mark You might look into Belgacom's fon app play.google.com/store/apps/… Belgacom a belgian phone company made it since all their wifi routers are fon routers, but it works for every fon points. I am not a belgacom subscriber
    – user141
    Jul 16, 2012 at 10:40
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There is an iOS app called 4sqwifi. It is based on foursquare location-based service to find the closest WiFi to a specific point, together with possible usernames and passwords if one has provided them!

The URL address is http://4sqwifi.com/

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There's a free iOS app called Free WiFi that lets you download the entire database for offline use.

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