So, you have your notebook and wireless PC Card, but how exactly do you go about finding those invisible hot spots? A whole cottage industry has evolved around this growing phenomenon, with hobbyists driving around town, locating and marking public hot spots for others to use, a practice known as wardriving. But there are other ways to find high-speed wireless access at a cafe, a hotel lobby, or an airport as well.

Here's how to get started ...
 

Step 1

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Use the Web. Several comprehensive hot-spot directories are available online, including CNET's own Hotspot Zone, a searchable index of more than 4,000 wireless hot spots. Others include 80211hotspots.com and Wi-Finder. All of these list both commercial and community hot spots. More specialized sites, such as the Community Wireless Node Database Project, focus mainly on community sites--for those looking for a free ride. Finally, there are many regional directories for major metropolitan areas throughout the United States--such as the Bay Area, New York, and Seattle--some of which use data from national directories.

 
 

Step 2

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Sign up with a wireless Internet service provider (WISP). Want sure-fire wireless access in convenient locations throughout the United States? You'll have to pay for it, but commercial services such as Boingo, Surf and Sip, T-Mobile HotSpot, and Wayport offer hundreds of locations in public venues such as cafes, hotels, and airports. Most offer both pay-as-you-go or unlimited plans, much like traditional dial-up ISPs. Once you've signed up, you can find nearby locations using the WISP's own Web site or a directory such as CNET's HotSpot Zone. Most WISPs also provide sniffer software, which can find hot spots in your neighborhood.

 
 

Step 3

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Use software to find hot spots. You can use the wardriver method to search for hot spots. This is practical in areas where there's a strong likelihood that there will be wireless hot spots such as major airports or business hotels, but some hobbyists will even drive around town locating hot spots in less likely places. How can you tell when you've found one? Microsoft Windows XP and Mac OS X will automatically detect them. But there are also several software utilities for searching out hot spots, such as NetStumbler, Aerosol, and MacStumbler. Happy hunting.