Your independent and complete guide to McDonald's Wi-Fi.
Notice the new "Free Connection" button. It's your gateway to free Wi-Fi.
Check the check box and click Continue. No codes from the receipt. No hassle.
McDonald's Wi-Fi welcomes you to the Internet. In theory, you can stay on as long as you want.
For the last six years, McDonald's has been charging its customers to use the Wi-Fi. Starting today, January 15, 2010, the Wi-Fi is free at most US McDonald's.
With over 11,500 hotspots, McDonald's has the largest Wi-Fi network in the US, beating number two, Starbucks, by several thousand locations.
The balance of power between free and paid Wi-Fi has shifted dramatically in favor of free.
Learn how to connect to McDonald's Wi-Fi below.
This big development is forcing a massive makeover of this McDonald's Wi-Fi guide. A good chunk of it will be relegated to the history books. Until the makeover is complete, please excuse the mess.
Please share your McDonald's Wi-Fi experiences with us. Does your local McDonald's force you to pay? Did you have trouble getting on? Do you have technical questions? This page is all about McDonald's Wi-Fi and we'd love to hear from you.
Welcome to the free McDonald's Wi-Fi era.
Free Wi-Fi Update, January 14, 2010 (7PM Update)
I have now visited four of my area McDonald's (across two franchise owners, no less) and are all serving up free Wi-Fi. Just look for the "Free Connection" button.
The Wi-Fi is truly free- just hop on. No purchase required.
Here are the steps to connect to McDonald's Wi-Fi. Follow along with the pictures.
If you surf the Internet with Microsoft's Internet Explorer, you may notice the following:
This happened to me at three McDonald's in a row where I used Internet Explorer 8. At the fourth, I connected with Firefox and the button to connect to the Internet didn't try to run away.
Free Wi-Fi Update, January 12, 2010
January 15th marks the beginning of free Wi-Fi. Apparently, AT&T Wi-Fi sent an e-mail last Friday announcing the date to its customers. Today, Reuters and the Boston Globe reported on the launch date citing unnamed spokeswomen.
More answers to previously unanswered questions also came forth.
Check in Friday for reports from filed from my various local McDonald's!
Breaking News! December 16, 2009
It's the news we've all been waiting for. Starting in "mid-January," McDonald's is going to stop charging for Wi-Fi access at their restaurants!
Question: When precisely is the McDonald's Wi-Fi going free?
Answered: January, 15, 2010 officially. Hey, that's now!
Question: Is a purchase required for free Wi-Fi? If you have to buy something, it's really more of a bonus. But still quite nice.
Somewhat Answered: Nothing is stopping you from getting free Wi-Fi. However, I'm still waiting for someone from the company to clarify this from a policy standpoint. We haven't heard a direct, "We will let you use our Wi-Fi without purchase." We have heard, "Free is free" from McDonald's CIO. That's pretty close.
Question: How do you log on to the new free McDonald's Wi-Fi? Is there a Welcome screen? Is there a code? If so, where does the code come from?
Answered: Instructions and pictures are at the top of the article.
Question: Is this a gradual "roll-out" or do we all wake up one "mid-January" morning to glorious free Wi-Fi at McDonald's?
Answered: The Wi-Fi offically went free everywhere on Friday the 15th of January, according to Dave Grooms, McDonald's CIO.
The scoop (I beleive).
A close second with the story.
Coverage and commentary from the undisputed king of Wi-Fi reporting.
Article claims "visitors to the restaurants will not have to buy anything" for a free Wi-Fi fix. I'm still not entirely convinced.
Quote from JiWire founder Kevin McKenzie predicting McDonald’s will eventually throw up advertising in your browser to keep its costs down. Then again, he's in the business of plastering ads over Wi-Fi hotspots.
The must-read site for tech news covered this story on their home page complete with insight and commentary from their sharp readers. Knowzy submitted the story and (mostly) wrote the summary.
Earliest mention of the solid January 15th date that I could find. Good discussion and confirmation from a store manager.
First major news outlet to report the free Wi-Fi launch date.
Longer article. Talks about the need to log on and accept the terms of service before going on the web. Source was a regional spokeswoman for a McDonald's franchisee group.
Another newspaper reports on the impending free Wi-Fi. 224 Arizona McDonald's going free Friday.
After Knowzy, the first news outlet to announce McDonald's has switched on free Wi-Fi. Article is a quick blog post following up on the AP story from a month ago.
Announces the flip of the switch from paid to free. He points out that the combination of free(ish) Starbucks Wi-Fi and free McDonald's Wi-Fi makes nearly 20,000 locations with free Wi-Fi in the US.
Quick market update video with a transcript. Read the paragraph of text or have the ABC anchorman read it to you.
Forbes has the first confirmation from the company that the Wi-Fi is free at all 11,500 McDonald's- those locations on AT&T's Wi-Fi network. McDonald's CIO Dave Grooms gave Forbes the news. He's the same guy that was talking to the major news outlets about free Wi-Fi a month ago.
Now back to our old programming. Some of it is still relevant...
The Wi-Fi isn't free at most US McDonald's. However, more than 10 percent of US households can log on without paying: AT&T and Qwest DSL customers all receive McDonald's Wi-Fi at no extra charge.
Some Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets also get a free ride on McDonald's wireless network, including the iPhone, Blackberry Bold, Microsoft Zune and the Eye-Fi Explore digital camera card.
For the rest of America, McDonald's wireless Internet is cheaper than most hotspot networks and is sometimes free. But finding the best deal can be tricky. Choices range from single sessions to various monthly subscriptions, free Wi-Fi coupons to franchises giving it away free. It helps to have a guide.
McDonald's began offering its customers Wi-Fi in 2003, making it a pioneer among its competitors. Five years later, nearly two-thirds of its locations feature it and McDonald's is still the only big fast food chain offering company-wide wireless Internet. But not for long.
Jack in the Box is rolling out free wireless at its stores. Carl's Jr. and Del Taco say they are considering free Wi-Fi too. Independent franchises have been setting up their own hotspots for years. McDonald's has Wi-Fi competition and most of it is free.
How do you log on free as an AT&T customer? How else can you connect? What kinds of problems might you encounter on McDonald's Wi-Fi network? What happened to free Wi-Fi for Nintendo DS users?
Let Knowzy guide you through the maze of Free (and Not So Free) Wi-Fi at McDonald's.
McDonald's Wi-Fi network is called "Wayport_Access." Connecting to it is your first step to getting on the Internet.
Over two-thirds of US McDonald's locations are Wi-Fi-enabled. Unless you're out in the boonies, inside a Wal-Mart or visiting a hold-out franchise, you're likely to find wireless Internet at the next McDonald's you visit.
Here's an overview of the McDonald's Wi-Fi experience:
Browsing to any web page brings you here. You must pick a way to connect before you can surf where you please.
As you enter the McDonald's Wi-Fi zone, your laptop or other Wi-Fi-capable device will detect a wireless network. Follow the prompts to connect to the "Wayport_Access" network (see Windows screenshot).
Once connected, call up any web page. Instead of visiting that page, your web browser pulls up the McDonald's Wi-Fi welcome page.
From here, you need to decide how to you are going to get on the Internet. Select the "Connect" button just below the McDonald's logo for a complete menu of choices.
The next section takes you through these choices, including the possibility of free access to McDonald's Wi-Fi.
McDonald's offers six choices for getting on the Internet. Choose wisely and you may get on for free.
The number of ways to connect to the Internet at McDonald's is almost bewildering. Additionally, some franchises work differently and are more generous with their Wi-Fi than the corporate-owned stores.
This section helps you wade through your options: Free, single use and subscription.
With any luck, you won't need to whip out your credit card to get on McDonald's Internet.
There are a number of ways to get on McDonald's Wi-Fi for free. Some McDonald's locations don't even charge. Millions of AT&T subscribers don't have to pay for McDonald's Wi-Fi. Some devices have free McDonald's Wi-Fi built in.
Your options boil down to these:
If none of these work for you, the Wi-Fi is gonna cost you. But not very much.
Nintendo DS was once free on McDonald's Wi-Fi. Today, DS users need to choose one of the connection options described in this section.
Whether you use it or not, AT&T DSL comes with at least one e-mail address. Don't know it? Call tech. support at 1 (877) 722-3755.
AT&T DSL and U-verse subscribers enjoy free reign on McDonald's Wi-Fi. If you are an AT&T broadband subscriber, all you need is your AT&T e-mail address and password to log on.
Free McDonald's Wi-Fi is part of the AT&T Wi-Fi Basic account, included with your broadband Internet service.
Here's how to connect using your AT&T log in:
Don't remember your e-mail address and/or password? Unsure if your account qualifies? Get in touch with AT&T. DSL and U-verse subscribers can call 1 (877) 722-3755 for help.
In addition to McDonald's, your AT&T Wi-Fi account works at many other places, including Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. See the AT&T Wi-Fi Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to learn more about your account.
Originally, AT&T only offered an AT&T Wi-Fi account to its highest speed DSL customers. In early 2008, they threw in the Wi-Fi account for medium speed customers. Finally, in September 2008, AT&T gave free Wi-Fi to all of its customers.
Qwest offers free McDonald's Wi-Fi for all of its customers. Just don't rely on their instructions for connecting to it.
In May 2009, Qwest gave its high-speed Internet customers free Wi-Fi at McDonald's and many other places through a partnership with AT&T Wi-Fi. All Qwest DSL customers qualify.
You can find the nearest Qwest Wi-Fi location through their Wi-Fi locator.
Qwest's instructions are extremely inaccurate in describing how to connect to McDonald's Wi-Fi. McDonald's is by far the biggest chain in Qwest's Wi-Fi network. You'd think one of the technical writers might have tried following their own instructions at their local Mickey D's. Their lack of due diligence is truly a disservice to their customers.
Here are the correct instructions for connecting to McDonald's Wi-Fi using your Qwest account:
If you get stuck anywhere along the way or if your login is rejected, call up Qwest's technical support line at 1-866-325-4228. They can help you troubleshoot the problem.
If you're lucky enough to get a coupon for free Wi-Fi at McDonald's, look for the "Use a Coupon" connection option.
Occasionally McDonald's has a free Wi-Fi promotion. When it does, McDonald's distributes free Wi-Fi coupons good for a free Internet session to its restaurants. Often, these coupons sit behind the counter many months after the promotion.
Through November 18, 2008, an instant win ticket in McDonald's Monopoly sweepstakes gets you 1 hour of free McDonald's Wi-Fi. These tickets expire January 18, 2008. No word on which Monopoly piece wins you Wi-Fi.
In addition, some restaurants reportedly keep a coupon supply on hand to compete with its free Wi-Fi neighbors. Recent photographic evidence shows this practice alive and well.
Staci D. Kramer at paidContent.org, in reviewing the Zune/McDonald's Wi-Fi experience, posted photos of a St. Louis area McDonald's with "Free Wi-Fi" prominently displayed on its windows. She reports they offer one free hour.
Freelance writer Susan Breidenbach interviewed a McDonald's franchise owner in the Austin, Texas area who instructs his employees to hand out free Wi-Fi coupons to laptop-toting customers.
It's worth asking your cashier if he or she has free Wi-Fi coupons behind the counter. You may get lucky!
McDonald's franchisees aren't required to install the type of Wi-Fi described here. Among the roughly 12,000 US McDonald's franchises, you'll find a mixed-bag of no Wi-Fi, free Wi-Fi and paid Wi-Fi.
Some McDonald's restaurants set up their own wireless router but these are becoming rare. Internet provider AT&T (formerly Wayport) runs over 10,000 US McDonald's restaurants, up from 9,300 in May 2008.
Not that Wayport-based hotspots preclude a store from offering free Wi-Fi: Some give out coupons for free access.
The moral: It pays to ask. With persistence and a little luck, you may find an always-free Wi-Fi at a McDonald's near you (and we love hearing about such locations).
For an Internet speed-boost, visit a McDonald's, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble or other AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot.
After a year of off-again, on-again free Wi-Fi for iPhone users, free Wi-Fi at McDonald's is here to stay.
In fact, the iPhone is free at 17,000 AT&T Wi-Fi locations. 9,800 of them are McDonald's. Starbucks locations make up several thousand more free iPhone hotspots.
Blackberry Bold owners also get free Wi-Fi but only with an unlimited data plan at $30 per month, according to the Tech Chronicles blog at the San Francisco Chronicle. Since iPhone owners are required to subscribe to a similar $30 plan, they all get the free Wi-Fi benefit.
AT&T Wireless promises Wi-Fi access next year to the rest of its customers with Wi-Fi capable phones. Presumably, the unlimited data plan will be required for free Wi-Fi.
Logging on to McDonald's Wi-Fi is a tricky process. If you are in a 3G area with a 3G iPhone, you must be determined to get the moderate bump up in speed to make connecting at McDonald's worthwhile.
AT&T Wireless likely made the connection process so convoluted because a simpler log in process was easily hacked by laptops and other Wi-Fi capable devices.
AT&T provides instructions for logging on to an AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot with your iPhone. However, these instructions are slightly incorrect for McDonald's Wi-Fi.
Here's the correct way to log on at McDonald's:
You're now authorized to use the Internet for the next 24 hours at this McDonald's location. You must go through this process again if you visit a different McDonald's location or the same one more than a day later.
With the introduction of the 3G iPhone, many wonder why anyone would bother using Wi-Fi at public hotspots. Here are several reasons:
iPod Touch owners, this Wi-Fi is not for you. It is only for the iPhone and requires an active AT&T Wireless subscription. The iPod Touch can log on to McDonald's Wi-Fi using one of the sign-on options.
Stream music or purchase content from the Zune Marketplace on McDonald's Wi-Fi. Even older Zunes qualify.
Microsoft recently announced one more reason to choose a Zune over an iPod: Free McDonald's Wi-Fi.
The Zune can only visit the Zune Marketplace (Microsoft's version of the Apple iTunes Store) over McDonald's Wi-Fi. Surfing the web isn't an option since the Zune doesn't have a web browser.
Here's what your Zune can do at McDonald's:
The free Wi-Fi offer coincides with Zune's "3.0" software upgrade touting many new features, including a clock! It is available to all Zune owners free of charge. If you already own a Zune, you'll need this update to take advantage of the free McDonald's Wi-Fi.
As we learned with the Nintendo DS, these partnerships don't last forever. This one lasts until September of 2011, according to Glen Fleishman's Wi-Fi Networking News. Microsoft can call an extension after the three years are up.
Wired's Gaget Lab notes this deal is similar to one Apple made with Starbucks. iPod Touch owners have free access to the iTunes Store at any of the coffee giant's US locations. Like the Zune arrangement, surfing the web as a whole isn't covered.
If you own a Zune MP3 player, you're now free to shop and listen to tunes on McDonald's Wi-Fi.
AT&T's LaptopConnect subscribers who pay top dollar ($60/mo.) have free Wi-Fi at McDonald's.
If you're an AT&T Wireless LaptopConnect customer and subscribe to the top-tier DataConnect plan at $60 per month, you recently got free Wi-Fi at McDonald's and many more places. Like AT&T DSL subscribers, "Basic" AT&T Wi-Fi is included with your service.
Only a small percentage of AT&T Wireless customers qualify for free McDonald's Wi-Fi. Perhaps this explains why AT&T isn't making a big publicity splash.
McDonald's Wi-Fi is free to LaptopConnect customers who meet these requirements:
AT&T Wireless plans to offer AT&T Wi-Fi to its SmartPhone customers later this year, according to a leaked internal memo. It's not clear if AT&T SmartPhone customers will need the same $60 plan as LaptopConnect customers. It's also not clear if the iPhone will be eligible.
Logging on at McDonald's is fairly automatic:
AT&T's isn't the only company offering a cellular/Wi-Fi Internet plan that includes McDonald's Wi-Fi. iRoam offers a similarly priced plan with more Wi-Fi hotspots and different terms.
Verizon is offering its customers free Wi-Fi at 14,000 locations. None are McDonald's. 7,500 are free anyway.
Early in 2009, a deal was rumored to be in the works between Verizon and Boingo to provide free Wi-Fi to its DSL and FiOS customers. Since Boingo's network includes McDonald's Wi-Fi, many observers, including Knowzy, assumed the deal would include McDonald's restaurants. Not so.
In July 2009, the deal came to fruition. Notably missing was McDonald's locations.
Qualifying Verizon DSL customers now have free Wi-Fi at over 14,000 locations. However, at least 7,500 (Starbucks and Barnes & Noble) already offer free Wi-Fi to everyone.
Prolific Wi-Fi reporter Glenn Fleishman speculates Verizon might not be offering McDonald's Wi-Fi because it costs more. Boingo must pay McDonald's for each subscriber that has access to its Wi-Fi. With Verizon dependent on Boingo, they must be willing to buy McDonald's Wi-Fi for all of its subscribers, whether they use it or not.
Perhaps Verizon will someday lift the ban on McDonald's Wi-Fi for its broadband subscribers. For now, Verizon customers are left in the dark.
Just enter your credit card number (it's secure) and you're on the 'net.
Buying a single connection makes financial sense if:
If you find yourself frequently paying for Wi-Fi hotspots or hotel Internet connections, a subscription may work out better for you. But if you just want to hop on McDonald's Wi-Fi every now and then, a single connection is probably the best deal for you.
The only way to purchase a single Internet session at McDonald's is through AT&T (formerly Wayport) using your credit card.
At $2.95, AT&T's single connection is a good deal among paid Internet hotspots. For example, T-Mobile HotSpot connections (available at Starbucks, Borders and many hotels and airports) are $6 for the first hour and 10 cents a minute thereafter. AT&T connections at Starbucks are $3.99 for two hours.
However, fast food restaurants seem to be trending toward free Wi-Fi, which may someday make McDonald's paid Wi-Fi less attractive.
AT&T accepts these credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diner's Club. Sorry Discover Card and PayPal users!
Here's how to purchase a single Internet connection through AT&T:
Do you need constant Internet access where ever you go? Several providers offer unlimited Internet access at hotels, airports, coffee shops and restaurants (including, of course, McDonald's). Each plan has its advantages and disadvantages. Prices start at as low as $7.95 per month and go as high as $60 per month.
Skip ahead for an in-depth comparison of each company's offerings.
There's not much dirt on McDonald's Wi-Fi. After five years of offering its customers wireless Internet powered by hotspot heavyweight Wayport, McDonald's has a mature and smooth-running Wi-Fi network.
Then again, nobody's perfect. Here are the shortcomings Knowzy found. Please write in if you have others to report.
McDonald's started offering Wi-Fi in an era when wireless hotspots were less common and free Wi-Fi was even more rare. Today, free Wi-Fi isn't difficult to find. Jack in the Box is rushing free Internet to its restaurants. Even McDonald's Wi-Fi in the UK recently became free. While there are opportunities for free Wi-Fi at McDonald's, in general, you need to pay for it.
The main "Connection Options" page has six choices. The roaming partner choice leads to four more choices. Which ones will save you money? Are any of them free to you? Your food is getting cold while you try to decide. Luckily you found this guide!
Your laptop, iPhone, PSP or PDA should work fine. Your Nintendo DS works too with some extra hardware (though not for free anymore). However, some Wi-Fi enabled devices like VoIP phones and digital cameras will not work. These devices do not have a web browser to sign on to McDonald's Wi-Fi.
Three companies can get you unlimited Internet access at McDonald's (and many other places) for a fee. Plans vary widely in price and locations and services offered. From a mobile phone only plan for $7.95 per month to a $60 per month plan that includes global Wi-Fi, dial up and US 3G Internet access.
These plans are suited for people who find themselves paying for Internet access at least a couple times every month. Whether it's coffee shops, hotels, airports or McDonald's, the right plan offers savings for frequent away-from-home Internet users.
Like in real estate, location is very important in picking a plan. The number of locations isn't as important as picking a plan with the right locations. Do you visit Barnes & Nobles or Borders? Do you go to Starbucks or Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf? Different plans cover different stores.
The iRoam 3G plan is noteworthy. For $60 per month, they set you up with a laptop card capable of receiving Internet access anywhere you have a cell phone signal. This is in addition to worldwide Wi-Fi access (including McDonald's) and worldwide dial-up.
Keep your on-the-road Internet access charges manageable with a subscription and pop in to McDonald's anytime for a Wi-Fi fix.
AT&T is the McDonald's Wi-Fi provider. It manages and maintains the network. Other companies that offer McDonald's Wi-Fi (such as Boingo and iRoam) must go through AT&T.
AT&T Wi-Fi offers two subscription plans: Basic and Premier. You can't buy Basic separately- AT&T bundles it with other services. Premier is $19.99 per month.
You get a Basic AT&T Wi-Fi account with the following services:
The differences between the Basic and Premier AT&T Wi-Fi plans are:
AT&T Wi-Fi Premier requires a one-year contract. If you cancel the subscription before the year is up, AT&T charges a $20 early termination fee (ETF).
Wayport used to run McDonald's Wi-Fi until AT&T bought them in November 2008. The McDonald's Wi-Fi experience hasn't changed much since then. In fact, you still see Wayport's name all over the place as you navigate the McDonald's Wi-Fi portal.
AT&T Wi-Fi published a FAQ on what the acquisition means to former Wayport customers. A noteworthy point is that Wayport subscribers do not have access to all AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots, despite paying at least $10 more per month.
AT&T Wi-Fi was formerly known as SBC FreedomLink. Their name changed after AT&T gobbled up SBC and other "Baby Bells."
In May 2009, Boingo reduced their monthly, unlimited access rate from $21.95 per month to $9.95 per month. They are now, by far, the cheapest way to regular McDonald's Wi-Fi access (assuming a free option isn't available to you). Boingo also has the most hotspots to choose from- 24,000 in the North America and 140,000 globally (Boingo Global is $59 per month).
Here's what Boingo has to offer McDonald's Wi-Fi users:
Boingo offers a unique low-cost mobile phone Wi-Fi plan at $7.95 per month. If it's right for you, Boingo Mobile can save money on your cell phone bill. It saves money on data charges and can save minutes using Voice over IP (VoIP) software such as Skype. You must have a supported phone and most but not all Boingo locations support mobile users.
Using Boingo's Wi-Fi software (Windows, Mac and mobile compatible), it's easy to find the nearest hotspot no matter where you are in the world. Once you arrive at the hotspot, this same software makes connecting and logging in simple.
iRoam offers more ways to connect to the Internet than simply Wi-Fi. However, unless you choose their $60 per month plan "3G" plan, iRoam charges you for Wi-Fi by the minute, making it more expensive at McDonald's than paying for individual $2.95 sessions.
Connection options include:
Their basic plan is $7.25 per month. However, extra charges apply anytime you use it. On this plan, McDonald's Wi-Fi is $0.12 per minute. You can buy 2 hours of McDonald's Wi-Fi from AT&T anytime for $2.95. That same two-hour session with an iRoam basic subscription will cost you $14.40! Clearly, there's little benefit to the plan for McDonald's Wi-Fi access.
iRoam might make sense if you are considering a cellular data plan for your laptop, particularly if you appreciate the convenience of dial-up access where Wi-Fi cannot reach. AT&T Wireless, T-Mobile and Verizon offer cellular 3G plans for $60 per month. AT&T even includes free McDonald's Wi-Fi. However, only iRoam includes worldwide dial-up access.
Another advantage iRoam's 3G plan has over its competitors- no capped data limit. With the other carriers, if you exceed 5GB in usage per month, they charge you $0.20 or more per megabyte. iRoam doesn't have this cap.
Your camera automatically uploads your photos to the web when you're in range of a McDonald's.
It looks like a ordinary digital camera memory card. However, this SD card has a very unique feature: It has built-in Wi-Fi. And you can use it free on McDonald's Wi-Fi for the first year and $19 per year after that.
With an Eye-Fi Explore card simply turn on your camera at a compatible hotspot and your photos begin automatically uploading to flickr, Facebook or one of the other 21 supported sites.
Eye-Fi Explore is compatible with most digital cameras that use a SD memory card (see photo). The Wi-Fi subscription is honored at all US Wayport Wi-Fi hotspots. The card works on home wireless networks and many free hotspots as well.
The company makes three different Wi-Fi camera cards. Only the top-of-the-line "Explore" card, which retails for $129, has the McDonald's compatible Wi-Fi subscription. Eye-Fi Explore is due to hit stores "in limited numbers" starting the week of June 9th.
The card has no built-in indication of the upload progress. Eye-Fi compensates for this in two ways. First, it can be configured to send a cell phone text message (SMS) or e-mail when the upload starts and completes. Second, if the upload is interrupted, it will continue where it left off the next time it connects to a wireless network.
The Wayport subscription included with Eye-Fi is good only for the card. You cannot share the subscription with your laptop or cell phone.
If you need to get your digital camera photos online quickly and effortlessly, this innovative card fits the bill! And McDonald's Wi-Fi is free for the first year and, at $19 per year, is very reasonable afterward.
Nintendo DS owners need to find a new way onto McD's Wi-Fi. And it may cost them.
To much fanfare, Nintendo began offering Nintendo DS owners free McDonald's Wi-Fi access on November 14, 2005. When that offer ended two years later, there was dead silence.
Nintendo made no announcement. The press didn't cover it. DS users simply lost the ability to connect and McDonald's and didn't know why.
To clear up this confusion, Knowzy caught up with Dan Lowden, VP of Business Development & Marketing at Wayport, McDonald's Wi-Fi provider. He called the partnership "very successful" while confirming the two-year agreement with Nintendo ended in November 2007. The Orange County Register's Nancy Luna got a similar confirmation from McDonald's.
Other ways of connecting to McDonald's Wi-Fi require a web browser, which the DS does not have. This makes connecting difficult but not impossible.
If you own a Nintendo DS, you can still log on to McDonald's Wi-Fi, perhaps even for free. However, your DS no longer "just connects" on McDonald's Wi-Fi. Logging on takes more work and requires extra hardware.
Today, you need one of two hardware add-ons from Nintendo to connect to McDonald's Wi-Fi (and most other public hotspots). Ironically, Nintendo discontinued both of these add-ons about the same time free McDonald's Wi-Fi ended. Fortunately, this hardware is still plentiful thanks to sites like eBay and Amazon.
Here are your hardware choices:
Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector. This device shares your laptop's Internet connection with your Nintendo DS. In this scenario, the laptop first connects to McDonald's Wi-Fi. Then the DS connects to the laptop.
Pluses: You can play Wi-Fi-capable video games on your DS at McDonald's.
Minuses: Must lug your laptop along with your Nintendo DS, making it much less portable!
Nintendo DS Opera web browser. This Option Pack gives the DS web surfing capabilities. Once installed, the DS can connect to the McDonald's Wi-Fi welcome page and log on through one of the available connection options.
Pluses: Surf the web on your DS. Connect to McDonald's Wi-Fi directly from your DS. Fits in your pocket.
Minuses: Can't play video games; web surfing only. The Opera browser is occupying your game slot.
Nintendo's Wi-Fi Hotspot Finder can help you find other free Wi-Fi locations. However, most require you to agree to terms of service through a sign-in page.
The sign-in requirement puts you in the same boat as McDonald's Wi-Fi: Clicking that "I Agree" button requires a web browser, which the Nintendo DS does not have.
Your best bet is to find a business where the owners installed a simple, home wireless router. Unfortunately, Nintendo's hotspot locator doesn't distinguish between locations that require a web browser and locations where you can simply connect.
The free ride is over for Canadian DS users as well. Nintendo made an agreement with Fatport to provide free Wi-Fi at several thousand locations in Canada (none of them McDonald's locations). This deal appears to have ended when the free McDonald's Wi-Fi deal ended.
Still have questions about McDonald's Wi-Fi? Have a tip on a McDonald's serving up free Wi-Fi? How about a clever way to connect your Nintendo DS at McDonald's?
Talk about McDonald's Wi-Fi on our Feedback page.
And, for your own good, keep that Super Size Coke at least a foot away from your laptop at all times! Tip: Iced Tea isn't sticky when it dries (unless you drink it Southern style).
Originally Published: Sunday, April 27, 2008, 5:00 PM PT
Last Updated: Monday, June 20, 2011, 8:58 PM PT
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